Project Report
| May 13, 2009
Progress with preparation of start-up kits
By Karen Piegorsch | Project Director
More and more weavers and organizations are expressing interest in making the ergonomic bench available to backstrap weavers. We share their eagerness!
The demand is obvious and the need is clear: relief from pain and disability, and increased earning potential for women artisans who depend on their textile craft for their survival.
We’ve made tremendous progress. Preparations are approx. 85% complete for the start-up kit that will enable carpenters to make the bench. The donations this project has received through GlobalGiving through 2008 have been used to help produce the educational video, and create the engineering diagrams. Thank you for helping make this possible!
Synergo Arts is committed to a grassroots approach that helps artisan communities become self-sufficient rather than dependent on outside support. We seek to help the local people establish their own infrastructure for the bench, including fabrication, promotion, distribution, microfinance, and training.
Thank you for your support!
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Dec 2, 2008
filming video; article in Fiberarts magazine
By Karen Piegorsch | Project Director
I am grateful to be able to report that the last two weeks of November were spent filming scenes for the educational video for carpenters and weavers. The generosity of GlobalGiving’s donors has been instrumental in making this possible! I’ll be devoting the rest of this year to “post-production” tasks for the video and to raising funds to enable Synergo Arts to finish preparing the other essential educational resources for the carpenters and weavers.
The most immediate priority is to be able to offer the start-up kits so that carpenters can make the benches for the women. Hand-in-hand with that, we need to be able to implement train-the-trainer programs so that weavers can help each other learn to use the bench.
On behalf of the project and myself personally, I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to everyone whose support is making it possible for Synergo Arts to fulfill this project. Thank you!!
I also want to mention that there is an inspiring article in the current, Nov/Dec 2008 issue of Fiberarts magazine (pages 52-55). It describes the weaving-bench project as an example of the healing potential of ergonomics in the lives of artisans who depend on their craft for survival. The article emphasizes the importance of ergonomic design to enhance creative flow and personal expression along with the more obvious benefits to health and earning potential. If you have a chance this month, please take a look at the article and share it with others who would be interested learning about in this empowering project!
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Feb 13, 2008
see our interview with Global X on YouTube!
By Karen Piegorsch | Project Director
An interview I gave with Global X last August aired recently on YouTube. It's about the program we're doing with backstrap weavers.
The interview follows a three part format: "Who are you?;" "Tell us a story;" and, "How do you see the world in 2017?"
If you'd like to see it, please link to it from the Synergo Arts website (www.synergoarts.org) or go directly to it at YouTube via the link below.
Thanks for your interest in helping Synergo Arts help women artisans!
Links:
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