Swaziland’s handcraft industry broadly
falls into the two categories of formal
and informal. The formal sector
comprises professionally structured
businesses that are mainly export-oriented
and which produce a wide diversity of worldclass
goods for local, regional and global
markets. They include textiles, jewellery,
ornamental candles and hand-made
glassware. These operations have
established firm global markets and are
suppliers to many exporters. They also play
a key role in job creation.
However, there is room for expansion in the
handcraft sector, particularly for the players
in the informal category. These are talented
people, mainly self-employed women, who
often possess little business knowledge and
are hampered by lack of contacts, relying
on passing trade and tourists who buy from
roadside stalls and small shops. Further, due
to lack of training, their goods may not meet
international market requirements and, in
any case, they cannot individually produce
sufficient quantities to supply bulk buyers.
Organisations, such as Gone Rural in
Malkerns have taken the initiative by
employing rural women who work at home
producing colourful traditional baskets and
other decorative items. They are supplied
with materials, thus eliminating the need to
invest their much-needed cash, and also
receive the training that ensures the goods
they produce meet required standards.
Collectively, these women can produce
sufficient quantities to meet the needs of
international buyers, with whom their
mentors deal.
The Swaziland Trading House, an initiative
under the Ministry of Commerce, Industry
and Trade to promote enterprise
development and create employment
ceased operating during the year but it is
hoped that this will eventually come back
on line.