OUR PROCESS OF BUILDING SUCCESFUL ARTISAN BUSINESSES WITH A SIGNIFICANT
S O C I A L I M P A C T
1. IDENTIFY & ASSESS NEEDS
2. CAPACITY BUILDING
3. CONNECT TO MARKETPLACE
We identify local and urban informal artisan communities, who have the potential and interest to develop and co-operate with People of the Sun. We assess their needs and together we co-write a capacity building strategy.
1. IDENTIFY & ASSESS NEEDS
2. CAPACITY BUILDING
English classes
People of the Sun will co-ordinate consistent and on-going English tutoring to artisan (leaders), which is essential to effectively manage and handle global clients and production orders.
People of the Sun provides tailor-made professional training, which is developed from the ground up, to suit the specific needs of each group. The aim is the successful transition of an artisan community from assistance to self-sufficiency.
The main services that will be provided, include, but are not limited to, the following:
A. BUSINESS TRAINING
B. DESIGN & INNOVATION
Business at community level
People of the Sun partner with the Polytecnic (main university in Malawi) and other NGOS to train groups in basic business skills, which are necessary for ensuring a high quality production and exporting ability.
The programme includes: financial literacy, pricing, professional presentation, marketing, leadership and entrepreneurship — all essential skills for any business around the world.
In the future People of the Sun aims to develop its own handbook/manual that will guide artisan business development.
People of the Sun partner with professional national and international designers, materials researchers and institutional and academic bodies, who together with the artisans will explore environmentally-sensitive production methods and co-create innovative and commercially viable products. The aim is to work with locally available resources to produce globally desired products.
People of the Sun work with the artisan communities to ensure they have the necessary working environments and resources to increase production and keep up with demand.
C. PRODUCTION SPACES
D. NATURAL RESOURCES
People of the Sun work with the artisan communities and relevant government bodies and NGOs to ensure sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.
3. CONNECT TO MARKETPLACE
Access to new markets seems to be the most severe deterrent to the development of artisans in Malawi. People of the Sun will partner with artisan communities and export, market and sell their products via national and international retailers and e-commerce.