About Drexco Handicrafts
Founded in 1990 by a multinational
group of young entrepreneurs, its aim is to promote employment in Haiti by
training unskilled - but often highly gifted - labor, and by assisting the
independent artisans through the introduction of new designs and new market
outlets. Unemployment in Haiti, the poorest country of the American hemisphere,
is variously estimated at between 60 and 80%...
The firm has gone through rough times during the recent years, marked by
political troubles and economic difficulties including a 3-year long embargo on
all Haitian exports, which proved fatal to many crafts exporters. Drexco,
which saw in 1997 its premises totally ransacked and then destroyed in a
"combat zone" where gangs outgunned the police, barely escaped that fate.
Relocated in a higher-security Industrial park, it fought its way back: 400
artisans are currently employed, either as salaried employees or outside
contractors, with roughly equal numbers of men and women.
Our specialty is the gaily-colored, artistically hand-painted home décor object,
which can be purely decorative, like wall hangings or picture frames, or consist
of objects useful in the home, like towel holders, switch plates, knick knack
trays, key holders, magnets, trays, nightlights, napkin rings, bottle holders,
spice racks, placemats, utensils holders etc etc. The natural artistic talents
of the Haitians are well-known, and many of these hand-painted pieces are truly
works of art. We also do rag dolls, mostly Caribbean, but also of all types.
We also can, and do, accept subcontract work on different designs, as for
instance typical Dutch themes or designs from Brittany, for the local tourist
industry there.
The supports are interesting from
another aspect: ecological recycling. The contoured and shaped sheet metal
comes from recycled drums; and the papier-mâché, from empty bags of cement.
(Wood does not come from Haiti, where the deforestation is an acute problem).
Our steadfast aim remains to expand and to provide jobs to 2,000 artisans (mind
you: one wage earner in Haiti supports an average of 9 people); also to provide
market outlets for the varied and often quite original productions of the many
freelance local artisans.
Some
online retail stores selling our products
 Home Decorating, Christmas Ornaments, Kids Rooms Decorating http://www.art-ickles.com |
Recommended Links
Scrapbooking Supplies R Us - scrapbook ideas
Scrapbooking Supplies R Us has everything that you will need to create
that special scrapbook.
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Drexco