This is a page about Abyssinian Artisans – for items to purchase from our facebook page please click Donate button below and note the items you are buying – thank you!
For one inclusive price – which includes a donation to support the work of Project Pencil Case and Arakele Vocational Training (donation of uniforms to underprivileged students produced by Arakele students) Abyssinian Artisan tours can provide you with an enlightening morning starting with an early collection from the Hilton car park (groups can be collected from their preferred collection point upon request) and stopping off en route to drink Ethiopian coffee.
Take a tour to discover off the beaten track social enterprise and NGO work shops for ethical shopping directly from source and monthly tours exploring off the beaten track neighbourhoods of Addis ….
The Half Day Tour costs 450 ETB per person (approximately 845am – 1.30pm)
$16 or £12 or 15 Euros – Half Day
Tours (5-10 people) need to be prepaid in advance by PayPal or Credit Card.
Please Book your Preferred Date with an e-mail enquiry:
We visit off the beaten track fair trade and ethical workshops (try to include less known and promoted ones) to observe artisans (mainly women and disabled individuals) at work. We do not visit Shopping Malls! Shopping directly from source is a great way to support the city’s hard working less fortunate residents where you can make ethical purchases and observe artisans making beautiful and Fair Trade crafts.
Embroidered Cushion Covers, Table Linens, Jewelry, Leather wallets and bags, Fabric Ballet Flat shoes, Scarves and More
Arabella developed Project Pencil Case on a trip back to Ethiopia and met Mikele whilst they were teaching at the same school in Addis in 2009; together they now run the small grass roots and registered educational charity PROJECT PENCIL CASE supporting Ethiopian students and schools with basic educational materials – unless donated, all items and materials are sourced and/or produced locally to help support the local economy. Through fundraising, PPC provides empty school libraries with books and shelves, classroom furniture including blackboards and of course hundreds of pencil cases for students!
www.projectpencilcase.org and http://www.facebook.com/projectpencilcase
Arabella and Mikele are also delighted to have received generous start up seed funding and devised and are the General Managers of a social enterprise called ARAKELE FASHION DESIGN COLLEGE providing primarily underprivileged women with training in sewing and design – leading to a marketable skill and graduating with a Certificate or Diploma. Arakele also provides scholarships to eligible girls who have failed 10th and 12th grades and sends them to night school so that they are able to retake their exams and continue with their formal education. With a certificate these women are also able to earn money while they continue with their schooling.
www.arakeleplc.org and http://www.facebook.com/Arakeleplc
