Handicraft and Upcycling

Support handicraft initiatives and upcycling from wastes

Since its inception, AMOR has always been working with artists and craftsmen to promote art and handcraft made from recycled material trashes. Thought a partnership with What’s in Waste, which creates and sells handicraft from wastes (such as wallets made from juice boxes, rings from packages of chips, etc.) since 2009 a partnership with this association of seropositive people Xidzuki. Today, thanks to training and capacitating from AMOR, 15 members of Xidzuki already are working on the scope of the Eco-point Network of AMOR. Others synergies, with young IT technicians are being sought in order to recycle part of the electronic material received.

In the last quarter of 2014 and 2015, an ecological Christmas tree was created using more than 6000 plastic bottles in partnership with Piratas do Pau, sponsored by Millennium BIM Bank under the project Recycle and Win Project – A clean city for me. Within the project Recycle and Win, children of Environmental Clubs are also training in creation of objects made from waste (toys, gifts, etc). As an example, children of the Clubs of the Environment and from the orphanage Casa do Gaiato created the decorations for the Christmas tree.

Since 2013, AMOR has been developing the green pages of recycling, which aim to list all the actors of recycling in the country, focusing on artists and communities that innovate with recycling. Several projects were designed such as the manufacture of musical instruments from waste for the Agozito School Festival. The partnership spirit of AMOR is very strong, between schools and Civil Society with a view to promote Upcycling, which is the process of turning useless and disposable waste or products into new materials of higher value, use or quality. Following this objective, we are trying to organize formation for disadvantaged groups (youth and woman unemployed) about recycling trashes into handcraft and micro entrepreneurship. By theses formations, we want to promote social insertion.

Concretely, we are doing 4 actions right now and we need help:
1. Training on trash based Handcraft for 15 women and youths
2. Exhibition during public events and sales in shops across the all country
3. Online catalogue and partnerships with foreign shops
4. Green Pages as an useful and updated index of recycling and environmental initiatives through the country

For a one year project, a total of USD 14 030 will allow AMOR to strengthen the links between artists, craftsmen, and the recycling sector. It would enable the provision of waste to artists as well as the organization of online and physical exhibitions, but also, links creation with schools and between the various initiatives across the country.

Handicraft and Upcycling project sheet

Localisation

Maputo, Matola, Vilankulos, Beira, Mozambique

Themes

• Income Generation
• Socio-economic support to artists and entrepreneurs
• Strengthening of local associations and cooperatives

Project’s cost

USD 14 030

Duration

12 months

Purpose

Improve living conditions and socio-economic integration of artists and craftsmen
who work with recycled materials

Goals

Promote recycling through creativity and art, using waste to produce new materials or products with higher value, use, or quality.

Activities

• Training and capacity building for handicraft managers
• Training for handicrafts skills building
• Training for micro-entrepreneurship
• Supply recyclable material to artists and companies
• Strengthening and training local associations and cooperatives
• Physical Exhibition and partnership with galleries and shops
• Online Exhibition and partnership with e-shopping, and fair-trade
• Update and promotion of Green Pages of recycling

Expected results

• New jobs creation
• Encouraging micro-entrepreneurship
• Promoting recycling amongst society
• Strengthening of local associations and cooperatives.

Implementers and partners

• AMOR – Mozambican Association of Recycling
• Xidzuki – and supporters
• What’s In Waste – Creating and Selling Waste

Vision

Artists and independent artisans encouraging the population to recycle and be creative with the recyclable waste.