Franschhoek crafts receive support
2008-05-29
THE Franschhoek Live Craft Centre (FLCC) has received a boost by being selected as one of only two Western Cape based participants in the Legends Business Development Programme. This is a Corporate Social Investment (CSI) project funded by the Old Mutual Foundation. The brainchild of SME Consultant and CSI specialist Cathy Wijnberg of Fetola Mmoho Consulting, says the project is a longterm intervention designed to improve the economic viability of fifteen craft organisations countrywide. Phase One of the Legends project focused on product development. The aim is to create a range of fashion accessories, corporate gifts and home décor with a uniquely South African flavour, strong heritage, and ecologically awareness themes. The product development phase, managed and implemented by Legends product developers, Sandile Cele and Cheryl Rumbak, runs concurrently with a programme of wholesale and retail skills training and business interventions. These are geared at increasing the competitiveness, profitability and efficiencies of the Legends producers, ensuring that they are able to meet the anticipated demand for the products they are producing. Recently, a series of workshops on Costing and Pricing and Basic Selling Skills were held in Franschhoek with the crafters and management of the Centre, and by all accounts these workshops were a resounding success. Further interventions and training are planned, and a full revamp of the FLCC retail space in Main Road, Franschhoek is currently underway, with a launch scheduled for early July. “We received dozens of applications to join this programme, but what excited us about FLCC was their diverse skills base, good infrastructure and their potential to have an impact at a real grassroots level within their community,” says Cathy Wijnberg, Project Director for Legends. Franschhoek Live Craft Centre started by a group of volunteers in 1997 in a bid to fight unemployment in the region through economic empowerment initiatives, FLCC was envisaged as a place where potential crafters could meet, create, sell their products, gain experience and possibly develop into independent, sustainable micro/small businesses. The FLCC steering Committee was formed, headed by local residents including Benji Fray, Joan Jephthas and Rodney George. The project has received ongoing support from REDI (Rural Economic Development Initiative) since inception, which coincidentally was also funded by Old Mutual and is very active in the Franschhoek region. It has also received support from the Old Mutual Foundation, MACSTEEL, Franschhoek Wine Valley Tourism Association and Rotary Paarl. In 2005, the dream of a dedicated venue was realised and the Centre officially opened its doors in a prime position on Franschhoek Main Road, thanks to a nine-year lease agreement with the Stellenbosch Municipality. Currently, four craft businesses and two trainee ceramicists are active at the Centre, with plans to increase this number in the near future. Skills at the Centre include ceramics, leather work, sewing and jewellery manufacture, with a diverse product range on display. Thanks to the Legends initiative, Vuyisa Potina, the resident ceramicist, recently exhibited at Design Indaba 2008 to much acclaim, including an interview on SABC 2 and several new orders and contacts. The coming months will see the completion of a range of commercial products, further business interventions and the opening of the new, improved FLCC retail space and Gallery. Call Benji Fray on 082-202-3448.
More
News
|
