Tunisia - A particularly difficult year for Tunisian crafts.
17 December 2011
Read by 3136 persons
"End-of-year gifts", was the theme of the Expo-sale organized by the National Office of Craftsmanship. From November 25th to December 31st, artisans from all over the country met in the craft villages of Denden, Nabeul, Béja and Kef.
For the occasion, the one in Denden was adorned with 120 stands. Normally, like all the craft villages in the country (with those of Jendouba and Kairouan), these spaces house 161 workshops and each employs more than 200 people.
"This Expo-sale crowns all the efforts we have made during this particularly difficult year," said Rim Marnissi, communications officer for the National Office of Craftsmanship. "The office is doing its best to support artisans and help them market their products. In the past months we have organized many shows, the heritage month show, the Sousse show, among others, but the political and economic situation has severely affected the sector," she added, without giving precise figures.
Salha, a pottery exhibitor, often participates in these shows. For her, these shows are an opportunity to sell, but, like most exhibitors, she regrets the absence of customers following the revolution. "We already suffered many difficulties in promoting our products before the revolution," continued this elegant Tunisian woman who admits her business is in deficit. "I have five employees and it is increasingly difficult for me to take care of them." They only receive a state subsidy of 50 dinars per month, she confides before asking: "But do you think that's enough to cope with the difficulties of life?"
Selling sporting goods
While the sector employs nearly 350,000 people and contributes 4% to the country's GDP, according to statistics from Trade and Tourism, crafts are considered a non-negligible development vector for inland regions. But, like other sectors, the craft industry is suffering the full brunt of the crisis. Tourists are rare (a 31.9% drop in the first eleven months of the year). And rising unemployment is causing sales to fall. Others have been forced to stop their activity altogether. And many of them are threatened, like this young woman from Siliana.
Behind her stand adorned with amber jewelry, Raja declared emotionally that she holds a computer science diploma from Iset which did not help her find a job. She then opted for the creation of amber jewelry, in order to earn a living while preserving the profession which is a family tradition. "I started crafts to escape unemployment, and here I am threatened again. You can see that with this difficult situation, it's not easy. I can no longer market my creations and there are no more tourists to buy them," she added. Further on, Lamia, an artisan painter, with a master's degree in accounting, believes that "Tunisians must encourage national products. This would help revive the country," before admitting that with the "sit-ins and strikes, and especially the drop in living standards", this will not be easy.
White paper
Mahjouba, a creator from Bardo, would also like to be supported by her fellow citizens. This manufacturer of Berber pottery does not know how to repay her loans, which amount to up to 20,000 dinars, and can no longer pay the rent for her sales point in the Yasmine-Hammamet tourist village. For 20 years, she has been observing the evolution of the sector and has noted the arrival of "intruders" on the market. According to her, if some prices seem to be dumped, it is because some products would be imported from China.
Faced with this unfair competition, the development of fair trade would help promote small, less visible artisans. This proposal is also included in the "white paper" by Mehdi Houas, the Minister of Trade and Tourism. He also emphasized the development of certain sectors, such as jewelry, tapestry, custom clothing making, weaving, passementerie and ceramic-pottery, as well as the revival of other sectors (glassware or leather work for example). So many avenues to explore that could allow these artisans to not abandon their art.
Hafawa Rebhi / L'Economiste Maghrébin
Afreeknews.com
Published on December 17, 2011.
Posted online December 17, 2011.
For the occasion, the one in Denden was adorned with 120 stands. Normally, like all the craft villages in the country (with those of Jendouba and Kairouan), these spaces house 161 workshops and each employs more than 200 people.
"This Expo-sale crowns all the efforts we have made during this particularly difficult year," said Rim Marnissi, communications officer for the National Office of Craftsmanship. "The office is doing its best to support artisans and help them market their products. In the past months we have organized many shows, the heritage month show, the Sousse show, among others, but the political and economic situation has severely affected the sector," she added, without giving precise figures.
Salha, a pottery exhibitor, often participates in these shows. For her, these shows are an opportunity to sell, but, like most exhibitors, she regrets the absence of customers following the revolution. "We already suffered many difficulties in promoting our products before the revolution," continued this elegant Tunisian woman who admits her business is in deficit. "I have five employees and it is increasingly difficult for me to take care of them." They only receive a state subsidy of 50 dinars per month, she confides before asking: "But do you think that's enough to cope with the difficulties of life?"
Selling sporting goods
While the sector employs nearly 350,000 people and contributes 4% to the country's GDP, according to statistics from Trade and Tourism, crafts are considered a non-negligible development vector for inland regions. But, like other sectors, the craft industry is suffering the full brunt of the crisis. Tourists are rare (a 31.9% drop in the first eleven months of the year). And rising unemployment is causing sales to fall. Others have been forced to stop their activity altogether. And many of them are threatened, like this young woman from Siliana.
Behind her stand adorned with amber jewelry, Raja declared emotionally that she holds a computer science diploma from Iset which did not help her find a job. She then opted for the creation of amber jewelry, in order to earn a living while preserving the profession which is a family tradition. "I started crafts to escape unemployment, and here I am threatened again. You can see that with this difficult situation, it's not easy. I can no longer market my creations and there are no more tourists to buy them," she added. Further on, Lamia, an artisan painter, with a master's degree in accounting, believes that "Tunisians must encourage national products. This would help revive the country," before admitting that with the "sit-ins and strikes, and especially the drop in living standards", this will not be easy.
White paper
Mahjouba, a creator from Bardo, would also like to be supported by her fellow citizens. This manufacturer of Berber pottery does not know how to repay her loans, which amount to up to 20,000 dinars, and can no longer pay the rent for her sales point in the Yasmine-Hammamet tourist village. For 20 years, she has been observing the evolution of the sector and has noted the arrival of "intruders" on the market. According to her, if some prices seem to be dumped, it is because some products would be imported from China.
Faced with this unfair competition, the development of fair trade would help promote small, less visible artisans. This proposal is also included in the "white paper" by Mehdi Houas, the Minister of Trade and Tourism. He also emphasized the development of certain sectors, such as jewelry, tapestry, custom clothing making, weaving, passementerie and ceramic-pottery, as well as the revival of other sectors (glassware or leather work for example). So many avenues to explore that could allow these artisans to not abandon their art.
Hafawa Rebhi / L'Economiste Maghrébin
Afreeknews.com
Published on December 17, 2011.
Posted online December 17, 2011.
