STORY
ALINDI FABRIC
With its striking decorative patterns and hard wearing quality, Somalia’s traditional Alindi fabric was once a prized commodity across North Eastern Africa. The future of this unique craft is now at risk. Cheap, factory-made, textiles have flooded the local market, putting traditional weavers out of jobs. There are now only a couple of weavers left in Mogadishu that produce Alindi fabrics.
Every meter bought from these people counts. It's an encouragement to keep the tradition and the weavers alive!
– Jeylani
ARTISAN
Benadiri brothers is a small non-profit group from Hamar district. Unlike most Somalis who are nomadic, the Benadir people have a long history as urbanized merchants and artisans. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, they have been producing facemasks on a small scale. The work involves the founder and 3 women tailors. As the project develops we hope to employ more artisans.
PEACE MASK PROJECT
The Peace Masks Project aims to combat the shared threat of COVID-19 and provide livelihoods to those living and working in conflict affected areas. The project forms part of a larger effort by the Peace Dividend Initiative to help ease tensions in conflict-affected areas by identifying and facilitating key peace-supporting economic opportunities and encouraging cooperation.
IMPACT
Peace Masks not only provide livelihoods for communities affected by conflict and violence, but weave peace into the fabric of these fragile communities by connecting them in a productive process that boosts co-existence and reconciliation and helps soothe grievances.
For this project, PDI has partnered with ISHKAR, who sell to an international market, building “peace value chains” and delivering livelihoods to at risk populations.
