Indonesia has seen great turmoil in recent years, having faced the Asian financial crisis, the fall of President Suharto after 32 years in office, the first free elections since the 1960s, the loss of East Timor, independence demands from restive provinces, bloody ethnic and religious conflict and a devastating tsunami.
There are a number of brilliant fair trade projects operating in Indonesia, usually supplementing the income of subsistence farmers. This lovely nativity set, made by Pekerti, is guaranteed to be a talking point in any home this Christmas, the bright hand- painted colours on these six wooden figures are inspired by the Dayak traditional dress. Pekerti (Indonesian People's Folk-Art and Handicraft Foundation), is a social development agency formed in Jakarta, 1975. Its mandate is to supplement the incomes of subsistence farmers and rural people through the development and sale of traditional fair trade crafts and folks art. Pekerti trains and gives assistance to the producers to market domestically. They also give services in marketing, especially in export marketing, which cannot be done by the producers themselves. Pekerti also gives the producers an advanced payment for the producers and also a credit scheme for investment.
Our range of musical instruments is also produced in Indonesia by local artists, communities and craftsmen. Producers represent the five main religions and both male and female craftsmen are employed through the various stages of the production process. This helps to further maintain a social balance in these areas. Producers are allowed to dictate prices and these prices are above local averages. In return they supply high quality products and there is an attention to detail that surpasses products made under factory or other mass-production conditions. This rewards the high quality craftsmen and encourages other importers to work with the high quality artists above other producers.
Child labour is not used but the part-time training of older youths is encouraged. These trainees remain in education and they receive a full wage for the time that they spend working. This will ensure that they have a career to follow upon leaving school (if they choose to do so) and will help to sustain the community for successive generations. All raw materials are sustainable and legal. No poached or endangered woods are used. No toxic or harmful materials are to be used in the production process and any waste created must be disposed of in an ecologically sound manner.
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