MADE51 UNHCR Design Project

In partnership with Made51 and UNHCR

I travelled to the refugee settlement Mantapala as a representative for Tribal Textiles to bring together an artisan group. The mission was to create a sustainable impact through creative craftsmanship and to bring beautifully handcrafted refugee-made products to the global marketplace.

Since 2017, Zambia has been taking in refugees fleeing from continuing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Fast forward to 2021 and the population of Congolese refugees restarting their lives in the new refugee settlement of Mantapala has climbed to 17,232 individuals.

The total setup took around a year, and the project is ongoing today.

Client: Made51

Made51 is a UNHCR‑led initiative that empowers refugees by transforming their traditional craftsmanship into income-generating products. With a presence in over 23 countries and partnerships involving more than 3,700 artisans, more than 85% of whom are women, Made51 enables refugee-made goods to reach global markets while preserving cultural heritage and promoting fair trade.
MADE51.COM

Skill Set.

Home Decor Design & Development • Weaving / Carving • Marketing & Social Media • Project Management

Inspired by Kuba cloth.

Kuba cloth was one of the first artefacts to be brought from central Africa to Europe. Abstractly ornamented raffia cloths from the Kuba kingdom in Zaire, now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo, were greatly admired and entered the curio cabinets and treasures of nobles and kings, as the finest products of African Artistry. Today they still continue to exert a fascination for collectors, as well as inspire our artisans at Tribal Textiles.

I took inspiration from the classic graphic shapes, to create this collection, Combining woodcarving with traditional palm weaving and plant dye methods.

Resourceful Design.

Beginning with just ten makers and quickly growing to over fifty as the project developed. Together we created the carved pots, wall hangings and bags. Each piece was made entirely by hand from locally sourced materials: pot bases carved from fallen branches, woven palm leaves dyed with natural pigments, and finished with structural details bound using fishing wire. The process celebrated both resourcefulness and craftsmanship, transforming simple materials into striking, functional designs.

Product Design, Development, Marketing and Project Management.
JANUARY 2021+

Setting up, training (where needed) and establishing a dynamic artisan group of 50 people with selected leaders.
Design and develop a collection that is eco-friendly, uses locally sourced materials and falls into the home decor category. Taking into account shipping issues and skill sharing.
Creating easy to follow specification sheets, quality control guidelines and cost breakdowns.
Set up production & workshop flow to ensure the group can work independently.
Product photography direction, creation of wholesale catalogue and social media campaigns.
Ongoing communication, constant follow up with orders, new design & developement.

See the Social Media Campaign

Google Sites

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