Site designed by Elaine Bellezza
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Elaine Bellezza
PROJECTS
Design, Build Capacity, & Link
Mia Mali
These are the highly successful traditional Malian figures he made after the imputs from my first workshop with him. His sales soared. Now his pieces are being sold around the world in museum shops, gift stores and in print and on-line catalogs.
Consulting
Case Study
Cameroon
Ladji Badiaga
ACTIVITIES
Design
Full Cycle
Mudcloth
Metal
Recycled Materials Artist, Mali
Build
Training
Virtual Trg
I first worked with Ladji in 1998 on a training project for the Malian Ministry of Tourism. I conducted a three week training session with Ladji and a few other artisan colleagues. When I met them they were making mainly bicycles, cars and planes out of recycled cans.Though at first they thought I was crazy asking them to create village people, African animals, and anything familiar to them. By the time the workshop was over they had created an entire village, with women at the well with movable arms, monkey swinging from trees and fishermen in boats on the river. Within a year Ladji had created the most incredible figures based on traditional dances of Mali. Additionally I began working with him on designs for Christmas and other products. Once products were ready to show we began linking him to international markets and his sales soared until he had as many as twelve employees and was exporting regularly around the globe.His sales soared from selling a few products a week to tourists to shipping over 300 products a month!
I first worked with Ladji in 1998 on a training project for the Malian Ministry of Tourism. I conducted a three week training session with Ladji and a few other artisan colleagues. When I met them they were making mainly bicycles, cars and planes out of recycled cans.
Though at first they thought I was crazy asking them to create village people, African animals, and anything familiar to them. By the time the workshop was over they had created an entire village, with women at the well with movable arms, monkey swinging from trees and fishermen in boats on the river.
Within a year Ladji had created the most incredible figures based on traditional dances of Mali. Additionally I began working with him on designs for Christmas and other products.
Once products were ready to show we began linking him to international markets and his sales soared until he had as many as twelve employees and was exporting regularly around the globe.
His sales soared from selling a few products a week to tourists to shipping over 300 products a month!
Highly talented and entrepreneurial, he was able to build on our inputs to create one of the most successful artisanal businesses in Mali.
Link to Mkts
Local
Intern'l
Web
CASE STUDIES
Fatim
Ladji
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Then we worked on designs for home accessories including mirrors, clocks, lamps. baskets, and animals.
The Christmas collection continues to be the most successful. Ladji ships these out by the hundreds around the world. There are also ornaments and other holiday items.