2022 Canvas Home™ Small Grants Awardees

ATA is proud to announce the 2022 Canvas Home™ Small Grants Program awardees. The program sponsored 15 artisan groups from Bangladesh, Eswatini, India, Kenya, Lebanon, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. 

Please meet our Awardees: 

BaSE (Bangladesh Hoshto Shilpo Ekota Sheba Shongshtha) 

BaSE (Bangladesh Hoshto Shilpo Ekota Sheba Shongshtha) is a non-profit social business founded in 1977 in Bangladesh. Now a certified Fair Trade organization and member of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), they strive to coordinate and promote the handicraft products of various female manufacturing groups from marginalized communities. Working with over 5,000 artisans, BaSE produces Date Palm-leaf & Jute Hand Weaved Basketry, Jute Macramé and Crochet Bags, Mats, Curtains etc., Nakshi Hand Embroidery, and Women Clothing. 

Website: www.basebangladesh.org  

Instagram: @base.bangladesh 

Facebook: @base.bd 

DEW Crafts 

DEW Crafts was created in 2016 as a social enterprise that is a sister organization of a national level charity, Development Wheel, in Bangladesh. They focus on promoting sustainable livelihoods for small scale artisans and handicraft producers in Bangladesh with a goal of generating sustainable self-employment opportunities for under privileged rural and urban individuals. DEW works with over 1,000 artisans and produces handwoven baskets, ceramics, home décor, clothing and textiles. 

Website: https://dewcrafts.com  

Instagram: @dewcrafts 

Facebook: @dewcrafts 

Espace Fann 

Espace Fann is a Beirut-based creative space founded in 2018. They offer compact and structured design thinking and skill-building courses in art and crafts, with a mission to democratize art education in Lebanon, making it readily available and affordable, and to create social entrepreneurs in the artisanal field as well as a skilled workforce for this field. Espace Fann produces clothing, fashion accessories, home decor, jewelry, and toys, and works with 300 artisans. 

Website: https://espacefann.com 

Instagram: @espace_fann 

Facebook: @espacefann 

H18 Foundation 

H18 Foundation is a non-profit organization was founded in 2016 and is based in South Africa. They focus on training unemployed women with craft skills and a goal of empowering as many women as possible with further administrative training so that these women can help run and manage the non-profit. Using a mix of cotton and recycled plastic, H18 Foundations produces crochet mats and basketry. They currently work with 27 artisans. 

Website: www.h18.co.za  

Instagram: @h18foundation 

Facebook: @H18Foundation 

Himalayan Naari 

Himalayan Naari was founded in 2013 in affiliation with Himalayan Education Foundation, a US based organization that supports scholarships at a local school in Chakouri, India. The goals are to improve the quality of life of the local families, provide economic independence for the women and strengthen the community. Himalayan Naari works with 57 women artisans to produce handknit caps, mittens, scarves, wraps and shawls.  

Website: https://himalayan-naari.in  

Instagram: @himalayan.naari 

FaceBook: @himalayan.naari 

Indus Heritage Trust 

Indus Heritage Trust (IHT) is a non profit organization based in Pakistan and founded in 2004. They aim to promote and preserve the rich heritage of Arts and Crafts in Pakistan while empowering communities and promoting change. They hope to enhance artisans livelihoods via capacity building, providing an enabling environment and new technologies. IHT works with over 400 artisans and makes handwoven and embroidered home décor and fashion products.  

Website: www.indusheritagetrust.com  

Instagram: @indusheritagetrustofficial 

Facebook: @IndusHeritageOfficial 

Lenana View Self Help Group 

The Lenana View Self Help Group started in 2002 as a group of women who would sit, talk and help each other emotionally and financially in Kenya. In 2017, they became an officially registered group that comes together to buy necessities, like blankets and clothes, for those in their area. They also educate children with ways of protecting themselves from committing suicide or early marriage. Currently, they work with 20 women artisans to make wooden spoons, ornaments, wired bowls, animal figurines, bags and more. 

MitiMeth 

MitiMeth was founded in 2011 in Nigeria. They aim to address the environmental issues caused by the invasive weed water hyacinth. Their goal is to create a sustainable solution for clearing the weeds, which includes training women in riverine communities to use the weed to make beautiful and functional products. MitiMeth produces tabletop products, home décor, lighting, stationery and more, and works with over 160 artisans. 

Website: www.mitimeth.com.ng  

Instagram: @mitimeth.ng 

Facebook: @MitiMeth-Handcrafted-Home-Decor-and-Personal-Accessories 

Pillars for Resilience Community Based Org 

Pillars for Resilience is Kenyan grassroots Non-Profit Organization in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya, founded in 2007. This organization addresses the challenges of teenage pregnancy, early marriage, female genital mutilation, gender-based violence, boy child mentorship and women empowerment through opportunity generating programs within the community. Working with 80 artisans, Pillars for Resilience produces baskets and reusable sanitary towels. 

Website: https://pillarsforresilience.org/  

Instagram: @pillars_for_resilience_kenya 

Facebook: @pillarsforResilience 

Rajan Bhimji Vankar 

Rajan Bhimji Vankar works with migrants from the Meghwal community of Rajasthan who have come to Kutch, India. They use traditional weaving techniques to create dhablas, clothing, and lifestyle accessories and work with 16 master artisans. 

Instagram: @rajan_vankar

Seeds & Stories 

Seeds & Stories became a formally registered community-based organization in Uganda in 2021. They have been working to provide literacy, permaculture, and skills training to help tackle the biggest challenges faced by local women in Bigodi, Uganda which includes a lack of sustainable income, barriers to education, and food insecurity. Seeds & Stories works with 15 artisans and produces handwoven bags, hand woven clutches, barkcloth tote bags, barkcloth clutches, papyrus notary, and shoes made from banana fibre and barkcloth. 

Website: https://www.seedsandstories.org 

Instagram: @seedsandstoriesuganda 

Sidai Designs 

Sidai Designs started as a small handmade business in Arusha, Tanzania. They have now grown into a community of 120+ Maasai beaders with a center where the public can visit, shop, and attend beading workshops. Their mission is to preserve the traditional Maasai tradition through sustainable employment for over 125 Maasai women. Sidai Designs produces jewelry, wall hangings, beaded bottles, bookmarks, key rings and holiday decorations.  

Website: sidaidesigns.com    

Instagram: @sidaidesigns 

Facebook: @sidaidesigns 

Ubuntu Youth Group 

Ubuntu Youth Group is a local non-profit organization that was founded by a group of refugees and Kenyans as a self help group. Their goal is to empower youth and single mother refugees to become self-reliant and have economic independence in Nairobi through vocational training. Ubuntu works with 22 artisans to produce handmade clothes and fashion accessories. 

Facebook: @ubuntuyouthgroup.org 

Under African Skies/Boabab Batik 

Boabab Batik is a social enterprise that was established in 1991 in Eswatini. Their mission is to create secure employment opportunities for women through creating batiks, offering sustainable work opportunities, and offer a place where women can learn and develop skills, are free to ask questions, and grow as individuals. Boabab Baik works with 18 women artisans to produce a wide range of Batik products including home décor, accessories and clothing.  

Website: www.baobab-batik.com 

Instagram: @baobab_batik 

Facebook: @baobabbatikswaziland