Bringing Jordan’s Handicraft Tradition to the World

The International Trade Centre’s EnACT programme is working in Jordan to create sustainable economic opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by connecting them to international markets and non-traditional high-end buyers. In September 2011, three Jordanian handicraft manufacturers were introduced to the French market through a unique business meeting with the Louvre Museum in Paris. […]

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“Drawing upon Humour for Change”

Liza Donnelly, a Cartoonist for New Yorker magazine, was in Geneva, Switzerland recently for the “Cartooning for Peace 2012” exhibition taking place from May 3rd to June 3rd. The Cartooning for Peace initiative aims to assemble political cartoonists from all over the world to promote freedom of expression. One hundred artists are currently on its […]

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Moroccan Leather: Connecting SMEs to Buyers in Europe

Building on the strong relationship between Morocco and its European trading partners, the EnACT programme in the country is focusing on strengthening links between its leather suppliers and European brands. In Morocco, the leather sector is composed of microenterprises where women and youth make up 70% of the employees. The sector thus has the potential […]

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Helping to End Global Hunger

A promising and feasible way of addressing global hunger is described in an article by Amanda Richardson, Fellow at the Landesa Center for Women’s Land Rights. Here’s an excerpt: “…even though in general the land women own is usually smaller and of poorer quality than land men own, [according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of […]

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An Education for Lovisa

The Maya Library and Leapfrog Scholarship promote the education of orphans at the Charis Center and Junior School near Kampala, Uganda. The project encourages reading and writing, and creates an opportunity for graduates to continue their studies in secondary school. Currently the Leapfrog Scholarship is sponsoring Lovisa, the first scholarship recipient, so she can continue her secondary studies […]

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Opening International Markets to Tunisia’s Handicraft Heritage

In Tunisia, the handicraft sector is benefitting from the EnACT programme to develop sales opportunities by reaching international buyers. EnACT is also advising the companies on how to adapt their products to new market trends and to meet statutory requirements (labelling, packaging, sanitary regulations, certification, etc.). Handicrafts companies working with the EnACT programme in Tunisia […]

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Women Helping Women (and Others)

Giving Women is a non-profit association based in Geneva. Its members support selected projects directed at women and/or founded by women. Village Exchange International-Ghana (the VEG Project) is one such venture. It aims “to improve the lives of women in poverty through a combination of income-generating activities, education, and financial services.” Specifically, the project promotes “the self-actualization of Ghana’s […]

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Creating Jobs for Women and Youth through Trade

The capacity to trade comes more easily to some societies, and parts of society, than to others. While all societies engage in some sort of trade, reaching out beyond community, village, state or country markets to tap into the wider regional and global markets can be a daunting task, and one that requires enhanced skills, […]

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Growing Egypt’s Exports to African Markets

Egypt’s economy is the second largest in the Arab world, and the largest in North Africa. With a population of some 75 million people, it is also the largest Arab nation and the most populous country on the African continent. Its main exports are crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals and […]

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Climbing for Kids

Justin Grodman loves nature and hiking. He is on a mission to help inner city kids in San Francisco have the chance to enjoy nature through a fundraiser he describes below. “I am planning on hiking Mount Whitney next summer and am doing it through a Bay Area program called Climbing for Kids. It is the […]

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