THE HAITIAN CRAFTS MARKET CHAIN :: RESULTS

Results Summary

Strong, steady increases in handicraft interventions marked MarChE’s first year with extraordinary advances being made in September.

During that month and into October, there are 6 international consultants, 2 ATA employees from the Connecticut office, and one Haitian designer working in Haiti, in addition to one consultant in the Caribbean, and 2 consultants working in the US on product design that will be implemented through in-country workshops in November.

Spending levels have been strong to make up for the long start-up delay in 2008, and are expected to be in line with year-to-date projected budget by first quarter of project year 2.

Program Management

Considerable momentum has been achieved to produce increased incomes of participating SMEs.

In July, a stakeholder meeting, moderated by Haitian facilitator Jean-Claude Ulrick of Institut de Formation du Sud (IFOS) took place, with 36 persons in attendance identified strong commitments to Value Chain Assistance Plan, approved by USAID during 3rd quarter.

One of the most significant results emerging from this stakeholder meeting was broad consensus among all attending stakeholders on the necessity of an individual website strategy that should be designed for a potential future integration.

Stakeholders also agreed on a collaborative approach to the development of e-commerce for the entire Haitian handcraft sector!

As part of this emerging e-commerce plan, stakeholders also endorsed the concept of a potential collaborative distribution warehouse, possibly in Miami, to facilitate shipment into the global market, including the Caribbean.

Pascale Jaunay of Caracoli emerged from the meeting as an important resource, and has been engaged to produce the first phase of a study of the music value chain.

Haiti Jazz, at their own expense, will videotape the interviews conducted for the study as an important record for the sector.

A grant proposal for a music education program has been submitted and is under review.

New York International Gift Fair

From August 15-20, Haiti artisan businesses were included in the ATA booth at the New York International Gift Fair, including Kay Atizan and Caribbean Craft exhibited products developed earlier in the project year by international consultant Frederic Alcantara.

Simone Ambroise of Kay Atizan participated in the ATA Market Readiness Program and is the fourth MRP graduate, after Martine Blanchard, Regine Fabius and Cassandre Mehu, coming out of project year 1 with strongly improved business skills.

At the show, Caribbean Craft took orders in the amount of $8,447.15 fob, and Kay Atizan of $3,276.99 fob.

Kay Atizan participated in the ATA Market Readiness Program and is the fourth MRP graduate, coming out of project year 1 with strongly improved business skills.

At the show, Caribbean Craft took orders in the amount of $8,447.15 fob, and Kay Atizan of $3,276.99 fob.

A special success during NYIGF was the $63,132.50 order placed with Caribbean Craft by Anthropologie, a large international retailer with stores throughout the US and worldwide. This company was voted one of the five best international retail chains in the world by Home Accents Today.

The order was placed directly with Caribbean Craft - without involvement by ATA other than the opportunity provided – for products such as papier mache animal heads from the product development workshops by an ATA consultant.

This order represents more than 10% of Caribbean Craft’s total annual sales volume.

Artisanat En Fête 2009

During July, ATA MRP graduate Martine Blanchard opened her IRPAH handcraft showroom in Petion-ville to great acclaim, with excellent editorial press coverage.

She was assisted in the design of the showroom by international consultants Marla Weinhoff and Meghan Duran during their 3rd quarter display and merchandising consultancy.

Martine’s organization is proving an energetic participant in the project, with much activity geared to turning her October Artisanat en Fête into an internationally recognized Caribbean trade fair, and to establish Haiti as a viable, safe destination for international business travelers.

200 artisans are scheduled to exhibit at Artisanat en Fête, held at the Historic Sugar Cane Park from October 15-19. 30 of these artisan businesses will participate in the MRP held in Port-au-Prince September 28-29, providing training in merchandising, display and product selection.

Marketing geared towards wholesale buyers is in process of being produced by Martine and her partner Le Nouvelliste.

A meeting took place with Max Chauvet of Le Nouvelliste, ATA marketing strategist Carol Campbell, and Jennifer Hill, website and graphic design consultant, to agree on the most effective approach to create this collateral.

Among these marketing materials are a catalogue and directory containing contact information of all 200 artisan businesses participating in the fair, business cards for artisans, invitations to press and local buyers, and advertisements in the press.

During September, about 15 US and Caribbean buyers were recruited by ATA marketing and Caribbean specialist, to participate in Artisanat en Fête.

An innovative incentive package for buyers was organized including an elective trip to La Citadelle or Jacmel at buyers’ own expense.

A media package for this event is being created in collaboration with MarChE’s Tourism Coordinator, including Islands Magazine, Caribbean Magazine, Maco, Caribbean Travel, and other publications.

Collaboration with MarChE’s southern local partner, CBC has begun on the Femmes en Democratie craft fair in November to include all market actors from different levels of the handcraft value chain into MarChE.

Special attention will be given to "Madame Saras" at that fair, with a training event in merchandising, product development and marketing being planned.

An Eco Corner is being designed in collaboration with Femmes en Democratie, giving special exposure to environmentally friendly and recycled products.

Strategies for eco-friendly and re-cycled products initiated by ATA that are currently being carried out by Haitian designers will be utilized.

MRP with 30 Artisanat en Fête exhibitors in Port-au-Prince took place September 28-29. Haitian translators and technicians for printed and simultaneous translation, were used throughout the trainings.

Tourism Training

Artisans participating will receive product design training specifically for the tourist market.

ATA’s chief marketing strategist devised a dynamic strategy for the Haitian handcraft sector for project year 1, and ambitious plans for project year 2 that will be truncated by the shift in priorities away from having a separate handicraft component of MarChE.

Haiti back into the basketry market

A world renowned expert in basketry was engaged for a 6 weeks consultancy starting in September, with the goal of putting Haiti back into the basketry market.

This basket initiative was initiated by MarChE’s Handicrafts Specialist, based on her observations that a change in baskets from China had taken place allowing Haitian baskets to become competitive.

This basketry consultancy also took on greater urgency during the NYIGF, as the President of Hope for Women, expressed interest in pushing a Haitian basketry packaging program with both, the Aveda and the Whole Foods chains of stores.

Meetings are taking place to introduce the concept, and a sample basket design has been submitted.

This same scenario has taken place in another ATA project in Colombia, and based on that experience there exists a very realistic opportunity for hundreds of thousands of baskets and steady income for participating artisans for many years.

DEED is scheduled to hold workshops in Marmelade, developing baskets and possibly some utilitarian products for the home. Logistics such as local transport, food and organization of workshops are being managed by DEED, with the intention of expanding this initiative into a potentially broader PPA during the 2nd project year, when the DEED budget will hopefully allow for greater financial participation.

Much research on available tools and existing skills has been conducted, with an array of tools and materials being brought into the workshop, for easy copying of the process and sustainability beyond the duration of the workshop.

Website Development

In September, ATA conducted a comprehensive product design consultancy in the Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas with Caribbean Craft, Kay Atizan, Robert Thomas, Metal Art and Indepco.

The STTA worked together with an international product designer who is in the process of re-designing product lines for this core group of market ready producer/exporters.

He also took on a strong advisory role for Caribbean Craft in the execution of the $63,132 Anthropologie order.

The ATA expert also gave strategic direction to a web designer:

• To assist web design for individual artisan SMEs; one of the strongest needs to make SMEs viable in the global marketplace
• To implement stage 1 of the sector-wide website assessment, geared to creating a website strategy that all SMEs can follow by easy steps to customize the shared template with their own product and company information.

Website creation will be implemented in collaboration with Haitian firms.

A number of them have been interviewed, among them Innerdesign, Solutions, IT Telecom and Graphzone.

ATA launched an initiative to include the highest end of the Haiti handcraft value chain into MarChE with an exclusive Haiti Designer Collaborative.

A renowned Haitian designer was involved to photograph his products for a future Designer Catalogue to be used by interior design firms for hotels, upscale residences and public spaces.

A list of all potential members in this illustrious club is currently being created

New Products R&D: jewellery, bamboo, papermache and vetiver

Two highly skilled international designers have been engaged to start product design projects from the US to be implemented in Haiti during the next quarter, including design of seed jewelry, aimed at the tourist market in the North, particularly by artisan groups in Milot:

• A project using horn as raw material for jewelry and accessories; and
• Very saleable products using re-cycled materials readily available in Haiti.

ATA has encouraged Haitian designers teaching Haitians by becoming Trainers.

As a result papier mache jewelry components are being produced in Sigueneau and their assembly in Cerca La Source for Charity USA.

A buyer, who originated this project during her buyer trip in second quarter of project year 1, is scheduled to return to Haiti to see progress on her project and place the order once artisans are ready.

Designs were also created for the Camp Perrin women in very saleable price categories.

His 3rd quarter design workshop with them resulted in the successful development of fragrant textile sachets filled with Vetiver for the tourist market.

A request by ORE has been received to continue development of this effective linkage of craft and agriculture and a workshop is being scheduled for October.

Actes Sud in Les Cayes successfully implemented a workshop training 30 artisans in better finishing techniques for coconut and horn craft items.

A collapsible, portable metal display stand was designed for use at Raco Deco workshops during the 4th quarter. It is currently in showrooms and is for rental and other use at fairs.

The design for the collapsible display made of bamboo was delivered during previous quarters and the actual bamboo sample structure is in process.

A bamboo basket to hold coffee and has received an actual order, but needs assistance on turning this design and order into a business transaction.

SMSEs Training

During this quarter an ATA Marketing Specialist, supported MSMEs on actual orders they had received from US buyers based on product development by an ATA international consultant.

This product development training occurred earlier in the project year including:

• A container load for Vagabond Vintage in the amount of $4,500 and Ochre, in the amount of $1,561.00 by Caribbean Craft and Kay Atizan
• Completed product selection for Caribbean Marketing effort currently being implemented by ATA’s senior management
• A Concept Paper for e-commerce /collaborative Miami distribution center initiative was issued.

Vodou Experience.

Artisanat en Fête strategy was created by linking international buyers to exporters through business tourism events beyond the actual fair, such as tours of stores and potential factory appointments; Vodou Experience in New Orleans participation package created and distributed by 2 SMEs.

ATA’s Caribbean marketing efforts

ATA’s Caribbean marketing efforts resulted in:

• buyer invitations for Artisanat en Fête and e-mail announcements sent by Caribbean Hotel Association to their 2,500 members.
• Six individuals representing 30 hotels and/or gift shops in 12 Caribbean countries confirmed for the Artisanat en Fête.
  

Marketing materials, printed copies of Caribbean product catalogue and a collection of samples have been produced and sent to Antigua for initial launch of the MarChE Caribbean marketing initiative.

A Caribbean marketing strategy has evolved into an innovative trade incentive package. MarChE supported Haitian exporters and associations’ sample collection for Caribbean hotels was introduced at the CHA Small Hotels Retreat in St. Thomas September 30-October 1.

Partner hotels were asked to commit to a match in actual orders at wholesale price. This pro-active approach is designed to overcome current hesitation and sharply reduced open-to-buys among hotel gift shop buyers due to the recession, and push Haitian craft product into the pipeline in time for the expected pick-up in business.

ATA’s Director of Training implemented 3 ambitious training programs in Haiti during September:

• Training of Trainers with 16 participants in Port-au-Prince focused on teaching facilitation and presentation skills to Haitian designers and business people. Anne Pressoir participated in the training not only to expand her own skills, but also to be able to select the best Haitian partners for future MRPs.
• All MRP graduates from project year 1 are present, as are those participants from the Camp Perrin workshops, the Gheskio project in Sigueneau, Cap Haitien and other places and organizations. Participants are highly motivated, and the level of learning is high.
• MarChE Trainers are well prepared to conduct training events in the future. They, with ATA’s Handicrafts Specialist supervision, will select other trainers that graduated from the ToT that will also present/facilitate these trainings.

Vendors Training in Labadee

• The number of Labadee vendors to be trained fluctuates in SOLANO’s requests between 200 and 700.
• Until this number is more firm, ATA is planning to conduct about 3 MRPs per month in the 1st quarter of project year 2.
• Planning of number of MRP’s per month for project years 2 will be determined during 1st quarter, based increasing number of artisan groups participating in the project, increasing effectiveness of Haitian trainers, and lessons learned.
• MRP with 34 vendors in Labadee in collaboration with SOLANO has been scheduled. With some absentees and some new arrivals, final number of vendors attending is 16 men and 11 women, for a total of 27.
• One dynamic presenter engaged the Labadee vendors to become active participants in understand “Green” concepts, which are so important for tourism product at this time.
• The MRP training manual has been translated into Creole and is being used by participants as an important learning tool. It will remain a very useful reference for them beyond the duration of the training.
• For the next quarter two additional training events with Labadie vendors by Haitian trainers are being scheduled, as well as possibly an Export training seminar at the end of November for businesses such as IRPAH and other artisan businesses that are starting to express interest in becoming export ready.

FACTSHEET RESULTS MAP CALENDAR MARCHE RESOURCE

 

@2009 MarChE