Madagascar, Centre Fihavanana, Antananarivo
When customers of The Trading Circle see the exquisite hand embroidery on the tableware from Madagascar, they are amazed to learn that it is done by women working within their poor and small homes in Antananarivo. The focus of the Good Shepherd Centre Fihavanana is on poor women who are victims of domestic violence, single mothers or sole breadwinners for their families for various reasons. Embroidery is a natural basis for developing an enterprise, because embroidery is a traditional craft of the Malagasy people, often practised by the whole family.
The ninety-four women embroiderers are provided with all the materials for their work which they do in their own homes. Twenty of the women do the very fine embroidery. The rest also produce work of a very high standard, even in the eyes of expert embroiderers.
Over the years, the Centre has also created bonds between the women and opened them up to the needs of other women in need. Last year the women began Women Helping Other Women, in which some of the most skilled embroiderers help others to refine their skills and thus increase their earning capacity.
Another offshoot of the embroiderers group was the development of a microcredit scheme, which in turn led to other initiatives. Through donations and their own fund-raising efforts the women have built twenty five homes, a multi-purpose centre and a crisis home for girls and women. They have also started a co-operative vegetable garden.
Population: 18,040, 341 (July 2005 estimated). Infant mortality rate: 76.83 per 1,000 live births Life expectancy at birth: 56.95 years. People living with HIV/AIDS: 140,000 (2003 estimate). (Source: CIA The World Factbook)
