2023 Canvas Home Small Grants Awardees

The Canvas Home Small Grant program is a long-standing funding program sponsored by Canvas Home, a retailer and wholesaler of artisan furniture, ceramics, and textiles, and by Creative Learning Inc. The program provides artisan businesses with direct and immediate financial assistance that can lay the groundwork for sustainable incomes for artisans and their communities. These grants are designed to allow artisan groups to acquire materials, tools, equipment, training, and marketing services in order to expand employment and generate income.

ATA is proud to announce the 2023 Canvas Home Small Grants Program awardees. The program sponsored 10 artisan groups from Bangladesh, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Kenya, Morocco, and Uganda.

Cover photo courtesy of Saviour Youth Group

Please meet our Awardees:

Passion Aid Foundation Africa Limited – Uganda

Passion Aid Foundation Africa Limited is an indigenous charitable organization working to address the plight of war affected communities in Northern Uganda. Their key thematic areas are Education, Health, Livelihood, Governance and Human rights. As part of their mission to support and improve livelihoods, Passion Aid Foundation Africa Limited conducts handicraft workshops to train artisans and help them improve their skills. The products are then sold to provide an income for the artisans and support the center. Currently the artisans product bags, earrings, and bracelets that are sold in the community hall and local craft shops. With the grant, Passion Aid Foundation Africa Limited will purchase one sewing machine and other sewing materials such as needle, cotton, and scissors. These materials will help the artisans produce more bags for local sale.

Facebook: @PassionAFA

Presbyterian Handicraft Centre (PRESCRAFT) – Cameroon

Presbyterian Handicraft Centre (PRESCRAFT), registered in 1960 in Cameroon, works to provide employment and part-time work to remote villages. Through their work, they are able to support approximately 80 individuals who might not have completed school or need to work from home in the grasslands. Through their handicraft skills trainings, they preserve indigenous arts and crafts of these regions and support market access. With the grant, PRESCRAFT will purchase carving logs, timber, juju and beads. The funds will also be used to improve their website and create marketing materials such as brochures and catalogues that will improve sales.

Website: https://www.pccweb.org/

Facebook: @Presbyterian-Handicraft-CenterPrescraft-Bamenda

Rainbow Development for Deaf – Kenya

Rainbow Development for Deaf is a deaf-led non-profit Organization, working for community development through Human Rights, with special emphasis on marginalized deaf men and women at grassroots level in West Pokot, Kenya. Rainbow Development for Deaf has contributed to poverty reduction through skills training for deaf women and men in tailoring and sewing of Ankara designs and basket weaving. They represent a total of 15 self-help groups that serve over 500 individuals. With the grant, Rainbow Development for Deaf will purchase 10 new pedal machines and materials to distribute among the different self-help group and increase the volume of Ankara designs the artisans can produce.

Facebook: @Rainbow-Development-for-Deaf

Rural Women Foundation for Community Development (RWOFCD) – Uganda

Rural Women Foundation for Community Development (RWOFCD) is a community based and non-profit organization established in 2016 with a goal of responding to the plight of the most marginalized groups in Uganda including Women, Girls and Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC). Since 2016 RWOFCD has trained and supported 57 vulnerable women and OVC adolescent girls, 70 single young mothers and 170 teenage mothers. Sold in local markets, RWOFCD produces shoes, jewelry and clothes. With the grant RWOFCD will purchase 5 new sewing machines and supplies to increase the quality and quantity of the shoes and clothes they produce.

Website: https://rwofcd.org/

Saviour Youth Group – Kenya

Saviour Youth Group is a local grassroots and youth led non-profit organization that was establish in 2020 in Kenya by a group of Gender Based Violence survivors) Their mission is to address human rights issues, promote good health and improve livelihoods issues of trans gender, intersex, girls and marginalized women. Saviour Youth Group creates a safe space for engagement of adolescents, teen mothers and women to discuss and debate issues affecting them, improve communication skills and general knowledge about sexual and reproductive health. Unemployment among their target beneficiaries is high, but through their training and skills development work, Saviour Youth Group helps to provide economic opportunities. The group currently produces baskets, reusable sanitary pads, table mats, floor mats, and bed mats. With the grant, they will purchase weaving frames, sewing machines and embroidery frames that will help them reach their goal of training 100 young women in the next year.

Facebook: @Saviour-organization-kenya

Shepherd of Life – Kenya

Established in 2021 as an umbrella community-based-organization for 15 Women’s Self Help Groups in Machakos Town, Kenya, Shepherd of Life, works to empower and support women and girls. Their programs include Social Behavior Change Communication (SBCC), Advocacy, Skills Training, Networking and Partnerships. Currently Shepherd of Life produces woven baskets and floor mats for local consumption. This grant will support a new training program for 60 young mothers to learn how to tailor and sew products such as mats and bags.

Facebook: @Shepherd-of-life-CBO

Skilled Samaritan Foundation – India

Skilled Samaritan Foundation, founded in 2012, works to provide steady income opportunities to women, girls and artisans from marginalized communities across India, who do not have a formal education. This is done by providing skill development trainings and design support before connecting them to market through their social enterprise, SIROHI. Over the past decade, they have worked with 5,000+ livelihoods across 5 states in India, of which more than 90% are women. Currently the group produces woven baskets and organizers made with natural fiber and recycled materials. This grant will be used to create a raw material bank for an artisan cluster of 60 people in Assam which would later be used to develop a range of high-quality designer products to achieve higher rates for their skills and have a sustained income source.

Website: https://sirohi.org/

Instagram: @sirohi.in

Facebook: @sirohi.org

Woven Worldwide – Ghana

Woven Worldwide is a socially-conscious, home décor brand that specializes in high-quality, eco-credential, handcrafted baskets for homes and interior spaces made in Ghana. Today, their business model has built direct relationships with 88 Artisans, with 78% of their value chain comprising disenfranchised grandmothers, mothers, aunts, and daughters, fostering and guaranteeing food security, access to healthcare, and post-secondary education to their dependents. The group makes handwoven Wall Sculptures, Baskets, and Trays. With the grant, Woven Worldwide will be able to exhibit her products at the Shoppe Object Tradeshow in High Point Market this October to help attract new buyers and increase income for the 88 artisans and their families.

Website: https://wovenworldwide.com/en-us

Instagram: @wvnworldwide

Facebook: @WOVENWORLDWIDE

Yelli Jewels – Morocco

Founded in 2019, Yelli Jewels is a Moroccan brand of silver handmade jewelry inspired by the amazing culture and trips experienced by the designer Samia Benbrahim. Their mission is to promote Moroccan handicraft, culture and conserve handicraft heritage and know-how. Yelli Jewels uses locally sourced silver and recycled silver where possible. With the grant, Yelli Jewels will create a digital marketing campaign to reach markets outside of Morocco, which is currently saturated. The increased sales will contribute to the livelihoods of the master artisans Yelli Jewels works with.

Website: https://yellijewels.com/

Instagram: @yellijewels

Facebook: @yellijewels