Namibia Craft Centre | Refreshed!

By Jana-Mari Smith

Join the Herd – And let’s look to Namibia first for unique, locally made products! – Shareen Thude | Manager – Namibia Craft Centre

The iconic Namibia Craft Centre, which has provided Namibians and international visitors with beautiful & funky crafts and art for the past 24 years, unveiled their new look this week.

NAMIBIA CRAFT CENTRE WEBSITE

“Spread the word!” was the call from Gida Sekandi, Chairperson of the Namibia Craft Centre board – a non-profit organisation committed to extending a helping hands to artists and crafts entrepreneurs from across Namibia.

See their Funky New Website – Do some online Shopping!

Namibia Craft Centre Facebook Page

For more than two decades, the Namibia Craft Centre has provided a professional retail platform to Namibian arts and craft entrepreneurs, many of them women from struggling rural communities who otherwise would have struggled to find a space to show of their skills.

The upgrade of the Namibia Craft Centre, including a brand new website and external and internal signage, is part of a project called “Destination Branding for Namibian Handicrafts”, funded by the Embassy of Finland through its development funding instrument, Fund for Local Cooperation.

The Finnish fund is aimed specifically at the kind of women who have made the Craft Center their second home.

The Finish embassy embarked on the Namibia Craft Centre upgrade project, with the goal of empowering “women to participate confidently on an international level by increasing sales and networking opportunities through production of handicraft, which is fit for various markets”.

The main objective of the Namibia Craft Centre project was to upgrade and re-brand each shop in the centre in order to strengthen the unique positioning of the individual business owners, to develop an interactive website that will serve as a primary marketing tool and to strengthen the capacity of business owners through training in sales, marketing, finance and product development.

The website provides visitors with the chance to browse through the products offered by the 38 stalls – and provides online shopping opportunities.

Of the 38 individual stalls, more than 40 women have attended eight different courses.

In her talk at the official launch of the Namibia Craft Centre launch, Anne Saloranta, Ambassador from the Embassy of Finland ot Namibia noted that she is personally a loyal customer at the Namibia Craft Centre.

She explained that as a customer who first discovered the craft centre in the early 90’s, “I have had the privilege to follow and witness the transformation of the centre from modest beginnings to a much larger venue hosting a variety of shops and displaying lots of products. As a customer, I always look for something new …”.

Saloranta took the opportunity to offer a few points of advice to the stall owners and their staff

• Focus on Namibian made and Namibia specific products – something that is unique to Namibia and cannot be found anywhere else
• While doing so, pay attention to quality and details
• Be customer friendly and give quality service

She concluded by noting that the Namibia Craft Centre provides an ideal opportunity for local craft entrepreneurs to increase trade and production capacity of Namibian artists and craft makers.

“We are pleased to support the Craft Centre in their efforts to enhance sustainable development and promote the rights of the most vulnerable groups. We are equally happy to support the local efforts towards creating decent jobs and new employment opportunities”.

NAMIBIA CRAFT CENTRE STALL PROFILES

Namibia Craft Centre: African Chic

Desert Garden Art & Design – Namibia Craft Centre

Namibia Craft Centre: Maid in Africa

Namibia Craft Centre: Rustic Wire and Beads

Mewiliko Gift Shop – Namibia Craft Centre

Glenda’s Leather Art & Curio Boutique – Namibia Craft Centre

Work of our Hands – Namibia Craft Centre

Oasa Taradi Needlework – Namibia Craft Centre

Namibia Craft Centre: Miracle Arts & Crafts

Namibia Craft Centre: Birding & Travel

Namibia Craft Centre: Josephine’s Leatherworks, Arts & Crafts

Namibia Craft Centre: Out of Katutura

Unwind at the Craft Café – Namibia Craft Cafe

Lord “J” Dyeing House – for hand-painted African fabrics

Namibia Craft Centre: Marukuavi’s Gifts and Beads

Emage Workshop – Namibia Craft Centre

Namibia Craft Centre – Tikoloshe Afrika

!Ikhoba Project – Products that celebrate Namibian rural life

Ricky Khaxab – Peace on a string around your neck

Ekipa Goldsmith – sometimes funky, always stylish

Orumbonde Books – Windhoek

Foto Namibia – a focus on the country

!Ikhoba hits 30

Hasegurure – Namibia Crafts Centre

Namibia under one roof – Namibia Crafts Centre

Kalahari Wild Silk

Ibenstein Weavers – Namibia Crafts Centre

Ondjaba Art Shop – Namibia Crafts Centre

Omba Arts Trust Baskets