Design a More Just WorldSERRV’s 2nd Annual Design Camp kicked off in late August with three new designer participants from Asia. Indonesian Priyo Ananto and Partrice Charmaine Miranda Cruz (Chum) from the Philippines joined Sumitra Baiju from Nepal for a week-long intensive “camp” on designing for SERRV’s customer in America.

Our artisan partner organizations repeatedly tell us how challenging it is to think of product ideas when they have limited information about the end customer. Chum tells us, “It’s hard for us to know what will sell in the U.S., because we are not used to the objects you regularly use and their functions.” Spending time immersed in American culture and hearing suggestions from fellow product designers gave Chum, Priyo and Sumitra the inside scoop on what Americans are looking for. With this knowledge, they are better equipped to design products that will lead to increased sales for artisans who otherwise have limited opportunities.

“It’s been important for me to receive feedback on my collections from other designers – I’m not usually able to get this in Nepal, and I think it’s needed to create modifi cations and gain new perspectives on how things can work. I can then come up with designs that the American customer will respond to.”

– Sumitra Baiju, Designer Mahaguthi, Nepal

W I N T E R 2 0 1 1a nonp ro f i t o rgan i za t i on

continued on page 2

DESIGNCAMP 2011

Design Camp participants tour Luminaire, a product design gallery store in Chicago with designer Felicia Ferrone

Earning a Fair WageThis September, trained textile and apparel designer volunteer Sarah Heidebrecht lived and worked with SERRV partner group St. Mary’s in Ahmedabad, India. Her goal was to help the organization ensure that their seamstresses and embroiderers were being paid a fair rate based on the local minimum wage. SERRV is dedicated to ensuring a fair wage is paid to all artisan partners.

“It is a challenging task...because the take-home workers do not work an 8-5 job,” Sarah shares. “They accomplish a piece of embroidery in between caring for the children, doing laundry, going to the market, and hosting visitors. Their concept of ‘hours-worked’ is not like ours in the United States.”

Sarah helped the women learn to use the World of Good’s online fair wage calculator, and assisted them with understanding the concepts behind cost of production and profi t margins. She also discussed design procedures and production chain management with the women, to see if they could make their processes more effi cient.

After she returned home from working with St. Mary’s, Sarah accepted the position of Product Team Buyer in our Madison, Wisconsin offi ce. We are thrilled to have her on the SERRV team!

Meet the 2011 DesignersPriyo is a designer with Pekerti in Indonesia. He works primarily with wood and the batik process, which uses wax and dye to create traditional, intricate designs. He said he was happily surprised to see so many creative products at the retail stores the group toured. “It is so important for me to see what people are buying here,” he shared. “The stores have given me ideas of exactly what the American consumer is looking for and what I could do back in Indonesia with the materials I use. It is much different than seeing a product online – because I am able to touch and feel it in my hand. This is how I understand how things are made – not just by seeing them in a photo.”

Chum is a young designer working with CCAP in the Philippines. Through the critiques given to her by School of the Art Institute Professor Tim Parson in Chicago, she now has a better understanding of the various forms and functionalities she can create with the natural fi bers artisans use in the Philippines. Learning about SERRV’s target customer and visiting stores where they shop was also important for her. “Now I can think about my designs in a different way to see if they will work for the American

market.” With her newfound knowledge, Chum is excited to lead her own product training for the marginalized artisans she works with.

Sumitra, designer with Mahaguthi in Nepal, found the guest designers’ feedback on her jewelry and scarf collection very helpful. Through tweaking certain aspects of her designs, such as color ways, she feels she can create products that will appeal to SERRV’s target customer. Sumitra also found staying with American families throughout the week valuable, seeing what they use every day and how they decorate their homes. She shares, “my perception of American life was that it is very hectic and busy all the time, and now I see that you are warm, caring people with big hearts.”

Success from Design Camp 2010A designer with Craft Link in Vietnam who participated in last year’s Design Camp used what she learned to create stunning pillow covers, table runners and wall art made out of handwoven hemp with traditional appliqué patterns. These items are now available on www.serrv.org and will be featured in our Spring/Summer 2012 Catalog.

Joseph Muchina, director of Trinity Jewellery in Kenya, endured the diffi culties of growing up in poverty in a Nairobi slum. After being trained as a jewelry-maker by the National Christian Council of Kenya, he was able to fi nd work with this new skill and decided to spread his knowledge to others so they could lift themselves out of poverty as well.

He began Trinity Jewellery, a small business that employs men and women from the slum and teaches them the craft of jewelry-making. Through their steady income and pension plan, the artisans are able to buy food and clothing for their families and send their children to school.

“Before joining Trinity, the artisans were hopeless. They had no direction in their lives. Now they can see the future, they can plan for their lives and can support their families,” Joseph said.

Through his dedication, Trinity has been thriving for over twenty years. Artisans have come and gone but each has been touched by Joseph’s inspirational vision andcommitment to reducing poverty through empowerment.

Design in Latin AmericaDesign training doesn’t just happen in the United States. Earlier this fall, SERRV funded and led a workshop on product design in Lima, Peru for our partner artisan organizations from Ecuador, Chile and Peru. Our partners in this region of the world face challenges in creating original designs with materials that have increasing costs, so it’s important to offer support and inspiration for new products.

Dana Morales, a US-based professional designer originally from Colombia, volunteered her time to travel to Peru and conduct workshops on US trends in color, home décor, and gifts. SERRV product designer Maria Amalia-Wood also discussed SERRV’s target customers and our approach to merchandising.

At the end of the training, each participant presented new ideas for product collections that could be marketed toward SERRV customers, merging their traditional craft techniques with modern functionality. Dana and Maria provided helpful feedback on the collections.

“I am sharing the information I’ve learned with the artisans, and it is opening their eyes to what is going on in the world. I hope trainings like this continue to be developed for artisans,” said Ruth de la Cruz, a participant from Intercrafts Peru.

Through the training, our partners in Latin America will be better prepared to expand their product lines for the American market. This will lead to increased sales for their organizations and more opportunity for the artisans they work with.

Inspiration from the slums of Nairobi

Eradicating poverty is about education and empowerment.

With knowledge and skills, hardworking artisans can develop successful, sustainable businesses that will provide for their families and communities for a lifetime.

Your tax-deductible* donation will allow us to support more struggling families in their journey to a better, more sustainable life.

Please use the enclosed postage-paid envelope to support our work today. Or, visit us online at www.serrv.org/www.serrv.org/donate.

*SERRV is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Visit www.serrv.org/donate for financial and regulation information.

Joseph sharing his story with Carol at the Just Fare store in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

Ruth de la Cruz and Flora Mamani during a workshop

Masai Spiral Necklace, page 50 of the Holiday catalog

SERRV International500 Main StreetPO Box 365New Windsor, MD 21776

NONPROFIT

ORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDWESTMINSTER, MD

PERMIT NO. 874

O U R M I S S I O N to eradicate poverty wherever it resides by providing opportunity and support

to artisans and farmers worldwide

www.serrv.org 1.800.423.0071

FOUNDING

M E M B E R

Adorn your tree with opportunitySabita Maharjan knits the Mini Mitten Ornament Set and Garland (page 38 of the Holiday Catalog) with the Kumbeshwar Technical School in Nepal. With the income she earns, she is able to send her son to school.