Healing Through Basketweaving in Sudan

For International Human Rights Day, President Bush, who expressed his frustration at the lack of United Nations action to help those suffering from the genocide in the Darfur, met with human rights activist Dr. Halima Bashir. Dr. Bashir ran a clinic in Darfur where she treated rape victims of the Janjaweed militia. The selfless act of helping heal others made her a victim herself. After her escape, she started her own healing process and wrote a book about her experiences and survival.

Today, the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan persists leaving half a million dead and over two and a half million people displaced. Since 2004, Cooperative Housing Foundation (CHF) International has been working with thousands of Sudanese people living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. CHF International work with the displaced people through programs that focus on sustainable, holistic development and economic empowerment.

One noteworthy project provides support to internally displaced basket and mat weavers in Darfur. This project has helped stimulate income generation for hundreds of women, particularly in Kalma, the largest IDP camp located in Southern Darfur. The precarious situation of living in these camps surrounded by conflict and violence leaves many women uncertain of ways to provide for their families. Through this basket and mat weaving project, the women are able to be economically viable while simultaneously preserving a traditional and vibrant art form in Sudan. The women come together at the Women's Community Center located at the center of the camp to weave their baskets, which also allows them to share stories and begin their healing together.  This project not only provides economic empowerment to the weavers, but it also improves their self-worth, proves their ability to be independent and offers them hope for the future.

In accordance with Fair Trade standards, the women are paid 30% more than the local market price. The weaving project also only uses sustainable material such as palm grass and natural dyes and use indigenous designs and techniques.

CHF International Crafts Center Manager, Jennifer Marcy shared a story of her recent visit to Sudan with Global Exchange who partner with CHF International to showcase the handwoven baskets in the international marketplace.

When the conflict began there was a lot of demand for handmade products as a result of the influx of nonprofit workers who flooded into the area and needed a gift when they returned home from Africa. But, the local market is now saturated and my job is to increase production of these baskets and coordinate the logistics to get them to the United States, where market demand is high due to the interest of Americans who want to help the people suffering in Darfur. It is difficult to clearly understand how this complex situation in Darfur is going to unfold. What is known is that millions of innocent people are victims of this conflict and are unable to lead a normal life. Life in the camps is tedious and often boring. An elderly weaver told me that in her village they always had something to do, whether it was harvesting crops or tending to her children, her days were full. In the camp, life slowly drifts on, which is why I think CHF’s programs are so important. They allow women and men to learn, create, earn a living and socialize. Life continues on, the next generation of children is born in the camps and only knows life in the confinements of the camp walls. Our hope is that the millions of displaced can one day return to their ancestral village, but for now my job is to help women earn a living so they can send their children to school and buy nutritious food for their family.

CHF International also shared words from weavers working with the project.

"When I first arrived [at the camp] a year and a half ago, there weren’t any services like [the basket weaving project]. We had to leave the camp frequently and many women were attacked. We feel safe inside the center and now have some money to buy goods and supplement the food rations we receive.” -Zulafa

"[Coming to the women’s centers] gives us a chance to be with other women and talk about our problems. We can laugh and forget the hardships we have suffered.” -Victoria

Interested in supporting the project and having a basket of your own? Contact the Craft Center directly craftscenter@chfinternational.org or check this out. I've seen the baskets in person and they are breathtakingly exquisite.

For more updates on Darfur, resident genocide blogger Michelle offers her Daily Darfur at the change.org Stop Genocide blog.

[Photos: CHF International]