Our artisan partners are the heart of our company. We purposefully choose to work with artisans who might not otherwise have outlets for their work. Women often face additional challenges in finding fair employment, so we seek to work with women whenever possible.
ARTISAN STORIES
PARTNERING
TOGETHER TO
IMPROVE LIVES
ARTISAN STORIES
PARTNERING
TOGETHER TO
IMPROVE LIVES
Our artisan partners are the heart of our company. We purposefully choose to work with artisans who might not otherwise have outlets for their work. Women often face additional challenges in finding fair employment, so we seek to work with women whenever possible.
The soapstone group was formed in order to work with Venture Imports. We are currently their only customer, so the more we are able to buy, the more they make! You will notice that some of the artisans mention that they have land or animals, or they are saving to get them. If they have either or both of these things, they can use them to feed their families and not have to pay the higher prices at the market. If their land and animals provide more than enough for their families, then they can sell the extra food at the market for more money.
We are currently the only customer of the glass and brass group, too, so please know that your purchases really make a difference.
We work with hundreds of artisans. Here are the stories of some of the artisans with whom we work.
The soapstone group was formed in order to work with Venture Imports. We are currently their only customer, so the more we are able to buy, the more they make! You will notice that some of the artisans mention that they have land or animals, or they are saving to get them. If they have either or both of these things, they can use them to feed their families and not have to pay the higher prices at the market. If their land and animals provide more than enough for their families, then they can sell the extra food at the market for more money.
We are currently the only customer of the glass and brass group, too, so please know that your purchases really make a difference.
We work with hundreds of artisans. Here are the stories of some of the artisans with whom we work.
ARTISAN STORIES
ARTISAN PARTNER
VENIC
Venic is one of the best polishers, doing many of the natural items. As a mother of six whose husband passed away, she has had to work incredibly hard to provide for her family. She lives more than six miles from the workshop and though it takes her two hours to walk to work, she arrives every day by 7:30am.
Since she has only a very small piece of land, she has to purchase food at the market. Most of her money goes to providing for her children and their education, but if she is able to save some money, she hopes to buy some land so that she can grow her own food.
ARTISAN STORIES
ARTISAN PARTNER
VENIC
Venic is one of the best polishers, doing many of the natural items. As a mother of six whose husband passed away, she has had to work incredibly hard to provide for her family. She lives more than six miles from the workshop and though it takes her two hours to walk to work, she arrives every day by 7:30am.
Since she has only a very small piece of land, she has to purchase food at the market. Most of her money goes to providing for her children and their education, but if she is able to save some money, she hopes to buy some land so that she can grow her own food.
I request that you give us more orders so we can help ourselves.VENICArtisan Partner
I request that you give us more orders so we can help ourselves.VENICArtisan Partner
ARTISAN PARTNER
PACIFICA
Pacifica is the head of the sanding group. She has four children. Her oldest daughter, Maureen, graduated from university and will be a teacher. Her oldest son, Enon, is going to university and also hopes to be a teacher. When he comes home for the holidays, he works in the packing department. Her youngest two children are doing well in school.
ARTISAN PARTNER
PACIFICA
Pacifica is the head of the sanding group. She has four children. Her oldest daughter, Maureen, graduated from university and will be a teacher. Her oldest son, Enon, is going to university and also hopes to be a teacher. When he comes home for the holidays, he works in the packing department. Her youngest two children are doing well in school.
Besides paying for her children’s education, Pacifica also cares for her mother-in-law who lives with her. And she is working on building a new house!
When I last visited, she gave me this message:
You have benefitted many people. When you go, remember you leave people who depend on you.PACIFICAArtisan Partner
Besides paying for her children’s education, Pacifica also cares for her mother-in-law who lives with her. And she is working on building a new house!
When I last visited, she gave me this message:
You have benefitted many people. When you go, remember you leave people who depend on you.PACIFICAArtisan Partner
ARTISAN PARTNER
NORAH
I was dancing when my son got into college!NORAHArtisan Partner
Norah has an amazing story. Her husband does not assist her with caring for their six children and her mother-in-law. Nevertheless, she provides for them on her own. She has been working with our group for more than three years now in the sanding, polishing, and packing departments. She is wonderful to have on the team because she is a great peacemaker when issues arise.
ARTISAN PARTNER
NORAH
I was dancing when my son got into college!NORAHArtisan Partner
Norah has an amazing story. Her husband does not assist her with caring for their six children and her mother-in-law. Nevertheless, she provides for them on her own. She has been working with our group for more than three years now in the sanding, polishing, and packing departments. She is wonderful to have on the team because she is a great peacemaker when issues arise.
While she was thrilled when her son got into college, it has been a struggle to pay for his education. Unfortunately, she was not able to pay for her next son to attend Form One (high school), but he has been able to train to be a mechanic. She is hopeful that she will be able to earn enough money for the next in line to attend Form One.
We, too, hope that our orders will provide her enough income to send all of her children to whatever schools they choose.
While she was thrilled when her son got into college, it has been a struggle to pay for his education. Unfortunately, she was not able to pay for her next son to attend Form One (high school), but he has been able to train to be a mechanic. She is hopeful that she will be able to earn enough money for the next in line to attend Form One.
We, too, hope that our orders will provide her enough income to send all of her children to whatever schools they choose.
ARTISAN PARTNER
CATHERINE
Catherine is a beautiful example of persistence and hard work. Her husband is unable to provide for her or their five children, so Catherine provides for them on her own. She has been working with the group for more than three years and became an assistant in 2018. While she mostly works in the sanding department, she also helps out in the painting and polishing departments.
School fees are a priority for all of the mothers and they get more and more expensive the older the children get. The school a child is able to attend is based on the child’s aptitude and the parent’s ability to pay. Catherine is going to be sending her eldest two children to Form One and possibly even boarding school depending on their performance. This is a great achievement.
ARTISAN PARTNER
CATHERINE
Catherine is a beautiful example of persistence and hard work. Her husband is unable to provide for her or their five children, so Catherine provides for them on her own. She has been working with the group for more than three years and became an assistant in 2018. While she mostly works in the sanding department, she also helps out in the painting and polishing departments.
School fees are a priority for all of the mothers and they get more and more expensive the older the children get. The school a child is able to attend is based on the child’s aptitude and the parent’s ability to pay. Catherine is going to be sending her eldest two children to Form One and possibly even boarding school depending on their performance. This is a great achievement.
In addition, recently she was able to save enough money to buy a young cow. It is still young, but as it gets older, she’ll be able to sell its milk to earn additional income. Then three months after that purchase, she was able to build a new house!
Catherine works incredibly hard. She walks an hour to and from work every day and carries stones home with her so she can work overnight as well.
Of course, her children’s education is on the top of her mind when she thinks of how she’ll use her income from Venture Imports. But she also hopes to buy some land so she can plant some vegetables to feed her family. If she plants enough vegetables, she could even sell some for more income.
In addition, recently she was able to save enough money to buy a young cow. It is still young, but as it gets older, she’ll be able to sell its milk to earn additional income. Then three months after that purchase, she was able to build a new house!
Catherine works incredibly hard. She walks an hour to and from work every day and carries stones home with her so she can work overnight as well.
Of course, her children’s education is on the top of her mind when she thinks of how she’ll use her income from Venture Imports. But she also hopes to buy some land so she can plant some vegetables to feed her family. If she plants enough vegetables, she could even sell some for more income.
ARTISAN PARTNER
JACKLINE
Jackline is a widow with seven children. Her oldest is 20 and her youngest is four, so you can imagine how hard she works to care for them all. She has been working with our group for nearly two years in the sanding department. It takes her 30 minutes to walk home at night and she does that walk carrying stones so she can continue to work at night.
ARTISAN PARTNER
JACKLINE
Jackline is a widow with seven children. Her oldest is 20 and her youngest is four, so you can imagine how hard she works to care for them all. She has been working with our group for nearly two years in the sanding department. It takes her 30 minutes to walk home at night and she does that walk carrying stones so she can continue to work at night.
With six children in school, she has a lot of school fees to pay. But she’s also hoping to save enough money to build a new house. Her current one is very old. It’s not big enough for her and all of her children and when it rains, it gets into her home.
With six children in school, she has a lot of school fees to pay. But she’s also hoping to save enough money to build a new house. Her current one is very old. It’s not big enough for her and all of her children and when it rains, it gets into her home.
ARTISAN PARTNER
MERCY
For the last year and a half, Mercy has worked in the sanding and quality control departments. Her husband is one of the carvers. They rent a home and help care for their parents. They are hoping to earn enough money to buy a plot of land so they can build a house.
ARTISAN PARTNER
MERCY
For the last year and a half, Mercy has worked in the sanding and quality control departments. Her husband is one of the carvers. They rent a home and help care for their parents. They are hoping to earn enough money to buy a plot of land so they can build a house.
ARTISAN PARTNER
RUTH
Ruth is raising her five children on her own. She is able to afford to send her oldest to boarding school. She is hopeful that the money she earns will allow her other children to also attend good schools as they get older. Right now she only has a small plot of land, so she mostly has to buy food from the market, so she’s hoping to save enough money to buy more land as well.
ARTISAN PARTNER
RUTH
Ruth is raising her five children on her own. She is able to afford to send her oldest to boarding school. She is hopeful that the money she earns will allow her other children to also attend good schools as they get older. Right now she only has a small plot of land, so she mostly has to buy food from the market, so she’s hoping to save enough money to buy more land as well.
ARTISAN PARTNER
LILIAN
Lilian has worked for the cooperative since the beginning. On her own she supports her husband, her two young children, and her in-laws who live with her. In 2018 she was able to build a new house and buy a cow all in the same year. She is now hoping to buy a plot of land to build another house that she can rent out.
Please give us more jobs. I want to work day and night!LILIANArtisan Partner
ARTISAN PARTNER
LILIAN
Lilian has worked for the cooperative since the beginning. On her own she supports her husband, her two young children, and her in-laws who live with her. In 2018 she was able to build a new house and buy a cow all in the same year. She is now hoping to buy a plot of land to build another house that she can rent out.
Please give us more jobs. I want to work day and night!LILIANArtisan Partner
ARTISAN PARTNER
PETER
Peter is one of our top carvers and carves many of our nativities. Taking care of seven children is a lot of work anywhere and there are additional challenges in Tabaka. But all of Peter’s school age children are in school, and he built a new house that I was able to visit in April 2019.
ARTISAN PARTNER
PETER
Peter is one of our top carvers and carves many of our nativities. Taking care of seven children is a lot of work anywhere and there are additional challenges in Tabaka. But all of Peter’s school age children are in school, and he built a new house that I was able to visit in April 2019.
ARTISAN PARTNER
CHARLES & RONA
Charles works in the design department. He is one of the artisans who etches our pieces. In 2018 he was able to build a new house for him and his wife, Rona, and their two children to live in. They were also able to buy a cow.
ARTISAN PARTNER
CHARLES & RONA
Charles works in the design department. He is one of the artisans who etches our pieces. In 2018 he was able to build a new house for him and his wife, Rona, and their two children to live in. They were also able to buy a cow.
ARTISAN PARTNER
SIMON & ALICE
Simon and Alice are a married couple who started a jewelry-making group. They have two children, both in college. Simon trains young men to make jewelry and vases out of brass and recycled glass. Alice does much of the administrative work. When they get large orders, they employ local women to assist with attaching hooks to the earrings and carding the jewelry.
Since Simon was trained in stained glass, we recently expanded our line to showcase his expertise with the stained glass nativity.
ARTISAN PARTNER
SIMON & ALICE
Simon and Alice are a married couple who started a jewelry-making group. They have two children, both in college. Simon trains young men to make jewelry and vases out of brass and recycled glass. Alice does much of the administrative work. When they get large orders, they employ local women to assist with attaching hooks to the earrings and carding the jewelry.
Since Simon was trained in stained glass, we recently expanded our line to showcase his expertise with the stained glass nativity.
