5th June 2018

MADE51: crafts with humanity

We wish MADE51 did not need to exist. Just imagine a world where people were safe to live in the country that they call home; a world free of war and persecution; a world where people were not forced to seek refugee status.

Sadly this is not the case, in fact far from it. 65.6 million people around the world have been forced out of their homes, among them nearly 22.5 million refugees. Within this growing population lies a wealth of talented artisans and craftspeople. It is here that MADE51 comes in.

U. Litscher, WomenCraft Social Enterprise.

MADE51 is an organisation with a good heart. Initiated by the UN Refugee Agency, it works with local social enterprises all over the world to give refugee artisans a means to market their crafts worldwide. Thanks to its debut collection launching earlier this year, intricate artistry made at the hands of refugees – from smoked bamboo lighting in Thailand, to wool kilims and cushions straight out of Afghanistan – are cropping up in homes all over the world.

There is a long list of good things to come out of MADE51. High up there is the independence and self-worth it provides refugee artisans. By giving displaced people the opportunity to work and earn a living, MADE51 helps refugees rebuild their lives in dignity and peace. The organisation’s network is all paid a fair wage, meaning they have the income to meet their basic needs.

Basketry by WomenCraft Social Enterprise for MADE51.

By its very nature, the initiative also goes to great lengths to keep traditional crafts alive, preserving indigenous techniques and material processes that might otherwise be lost. Ebtesam El Safady is a Syrian refugee artisan currently based in Cairo. “I thought Sham jasmine flowers were only in Syria,” she says. “They remind me of good memories with my family. When it was wartime in Syria, everything turned black. But when I found women of all countries gathered together at Nilfurat artisan group, I knew that Sham jasmines are not only in Syria but also in Cairo and throughout the world.”

The debut collection comprises 12 product lines. In Jordan, Syrian refugee artisans are crafting a series of cashmere throws and bags for the collection, using traditional crochet and embroidery techniques. Meanwhile, in Tanzania, 50 Burundian refugee artisans are using their skills in traditional basketry to weave a series of natural vessels and wall hangings. In Burkina Faso, Malian refugees are combining hammered bronze and copper with hand cured leather to create bowls, boxes and pieces of jewellery, intertwining the cultural identity and symbolism of the Tuareg culture in every piece. Scarves and accessories from Egypt, modern basketry from Rwanda and embroidered home textiles from Pakistan also feature.

Who can resist an item that is not only easy on the eye, but also comes from a good place?

View more of the MADE51 collection here.

B. Barb, Indego Africa.

Basketry by Indego Africa for MADE51.

Bamboo lampshades by Sop Moei Thailand.

Hand-woven rugs by Truqoise Mtn Afghanistan.