PRESS RELEASE

November 23, 2005

Ethno Network at the Entrepreneurship Fair

The Community Revitalization through Democratic Action (CRDA) Program funded by the American people through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is supporting a set of activities targeting increased sales of handmade crafts and promotion of old antique crafts produced by ten groups from Vojvodina and Eastern Serbia where the CRDA program is being implemented by the America’s Development Foundation (ADF). The Groups count 300 members who are weaving by hand, knitting, crocheting and producing a variety of products characteristic of Serbian heritage and are all working under the logo Ethno-Network. Following the success achieved upon participation at the Fashion Fair in October, ADF/CRDA is organizing a display of unique crafts produced by the Ethno-Network at the Entrepreneurship Fair «Business Base» that will be held at the Belgrade fairgrounds from November 30 to December 3.

Some of the results at the Fashion fair include new sales contracts with Jugoexport, cooperation with St. George as the top supplier of quality raw materials and growing interest to organize fashion shows and exhibitions throughout Serbia. In addition, participation at the Fashion Fair resulted in an outstanding promotion of the Ethno-Network in public.

The exhibition at the Entrepreneurship Fair is organized in an effort to attract potential partners, primarily relevant Ministries (diaspora and economy), chambers of commerce and government institutions that are essential in providing incentives for craft producers (tax and export incentives). These institutions are critical in providing assistance to female artisans as they get organized into specialized craft cooperatives and transition from the grey economy into viable businesses. Moreover, participation of the Ethno-Network at the Fair will provide its members with a unique opportunity to identify suppliers of raw material, product designers, training institutions and buyers of craft products and thus improve the negotiating power of craft producers in the local market.

All ten groups work under the auspices of the Ethno-network are equipped with the appropriate logo, certificates and designed packaging provided by USAID through the ADF/CRDA program with the aim to assist these craft producers with quality standardization on their way to the market. Additionally, the exhibition at the Fair will be coordinated by a locally engaged craft marketing consultant who will provide input in preparation of crafts to be exhibited at the Ethno-Network booth. As an outcome of the participation at the Fair, Ethno-Network will expand its membership so as to increase production capacity and meet the demand of the emerging market for craft products.

Moreover, participation at Fair will attract media exposure and is expected to generate public interest in preserving traditional craft production techniques and attract other partners that would be interested to support and promote this resilient industry.

ADF/CRDA efforts have a long-term goal to assist Serbian handicraft artisans with production, standardization and promotion of crafts nationally and internationally. The goal of these activities is to increase the income and improve living standards of mainly unemployed women producing traditional crafts.

The Community Revitalization through Democratic Action (CRDA) program, funded by the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is implemented in the Vojvodina region and in North-Eastern Serbia by America’s Development Foundation (ADF).

For general information about the CRDA program please contact Jelena Burgić at 021/ 522 277 or jelena@adf.org.yu.

OBAVEŠTENJE ZA MEDIJE

23. novembar 2005.

ETNO MREŽA NA SAJMU PREDUZETNIŠTVA

Program “Revitalizacija društva putem demokratskog delovanja” (CRDA) kojeg finansira narod Amerike u saradnji sa Agencijom SAD za međunarodni razvoj (USAID) podržava niz aktivnosti koje imaju za cilj povećanu prodaju rukotvorina i promociju starih zanata deset grupa proizvođača iz Vojvodine i istočne Srbije, gde CRDA program realizuje Američka fondacija za razvoj (ADF). Ove grupe imaju 300 članica, žena koje ručno tkaju, štrikaju, heklaju i proizvode razne vrste proizvoda tipičnih za kulturno nasleđe Srbije i koje rade pod robnom markom “Etno mreža”. Oslanjajući se na uspeh ostvaren kroz učešće na Sajmu mode u oktobru 2005, ADF/CRDA organizuje predstavljanje jedinstvenih rukotvorina Etno mreže na Sajmu preduzetništva “Biznisa baza” koji će se održati na beogradskom sajmu od 30. novembra do 3. decembra 2005.

Neki od rezultata ostvarenih na Sajmu mode su sklapanje ugovora sa Jugoexportom, ostvarena saradnja sa modnom kućom St. George koja je najveći dobavljač kvalitetnih sirovina i sve veći interes za organizovanje modnih revija i izložbi u čitavoj Srbiji. Pored toga, učešće na Sajmu mode je doprinelo značajnoj promociji Etno mreže u javnosti.

Predstavljanje na Sajmu preduzetništva je organizovano kako bi se privukli partneri, pre svega odgovarajuća ministarstva (dijaspora i ekonomija), privredne komore i druge vladine ustanove koje odobravaju podsticaje za proizvođače rukotvorina (poreski podsticaji i podsticaji za izvoz). Ove ustanove su od ključne važnosti za pružanje podrške ženama koje se bave proizvodnjom rukotvorina kako bi se organizovale u specijalizovane moderne zadruge i tako prešle iz sive ekonomije u svet preduzetništva. Učešće Etno mreže na sajmu će takođe omogićiti članicama Etno mreže da prepoznaju dobavljače sirovina, dizajnere, organizacije koje se bave obukom i kupce rukotvorina kako bi unapredile pregovaračku moć proizvođača rukotvorina na domaćem tržištu.

Svih deset grupa koje rade pod okriljem Etno mreže imaju odgovarajući logo, sertifikate i specijalno dizajniranu ambalažu koje je obezbedio USAID putem ADF/CRDA programa sa ciljem da pomogne proizvođačima u standardizaciji kvaliteta i da im olakša pristup tržištu. Pored toga, ADF/CRDA je angažovao konsultanta koji će koordinirati predstavljanje Etno mreže na sajmu i pripremu rukotvorina koje će biti izlagane na štandu Etno mreže. Kao rezultat učešća na sajmu, Etno mreža će proširiti svoje članstvo kako bi se povećao proizvodni kapacitet i ispunila potreba sve većeg tržišta rukotvorina.

Učešće na sajmu će, isto tako, povećati medijsko pokriće, interesovanje javnosti za očuvanje tehnika tradicionalne proizvodnje rukotvorina i privući partnere zainteresovane za podršku i promociju ove nedovoljno iskorišćene privredne delatnosti.

Podrška ADF/CRDA programa ima dugoročni cilj da pomogne proizvodnju, standardizaciju i promociju rukotvorina u Srbiji na domaćem i međunarodnom tržištu. Cilj ovih aktivnosti jeste da se povećaju prihodi i poboljša životni standard većinom nezaposlenih žena koje se bave proizvodnjom tradicionalnih ruotvorina.

Program “Revitalizacija društva putem demokratskog delovanja” (CRDA) finansira narod Amerike u saradnji sa Agencijom SAD za međunarodni razvoj (USAID). CRDA program u Vojvodini i 12 opština istočne Srbije realizuje Američka fondacija za razvoj (ADF).

Za opšte informacije o CRDA programu, molimo vas da kontaktirate Jelenu Burgić na 021/ 522 277 ili jelena@adf.org.yu.

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