CURRENT RESEARCH
COMMUNITY HEALTH THROUGH THE PRESERVATION OF HERITAGE CRAFT
For the past 4 years, I have witnessed how craft practices can support a better health and sense of belonging. In the next few years, I aim to establish more connections between the various social enterprises I have visited and worked with in the UK and abroad, with the goal of coordinating meaningful cross-cultural collaborations. These exchanges aim to bring visibility to endangered crafts and underrepresented communities preserving these techniques
PORGAI, TAMIL NADU, INDIA
STITCHES IN TIME, LONDON, UK
RAMSES WISSA WASSEF ART CENTER, EGYPT
PORGAI ARTISAN ASSOCIATION, INDIA
Porgai Artisans Association, is a social entreprise reviving the art of lambadi embroidery and championing women artisans from the Lambadi tribe, also known as Banjaras.
Sittilingi is also home to the Tribal Health Initiative, a hospital providing care for local tribal populations. It also supports farming communities through SOFA, an organic farming association. Porgai, Thulir School, SOFA, and THI are all health-based initiatives in their own way promoting better work conditions, employment, and community care for inhabitants of the valley.
STITCHES IN TIME, LONDON, UK
Stitches in Time is a community arts and education charity working with marginalised communities in Tower Hamlets. For over 30 years we have devised and delivered socially beneficial, community-led projects and educational programmes in textiles and visual arts, helping to build an inclusive Tower Hamlets.
Embedded in our local community, we are an established, person-centred, trusted service provider for hard-to-reach marginalised women predominantly from migrant communities. The majority are isolated, on low-income and in receipt of benefits, and our work is designed to empower, influence change and provide advice, alongside building confidence, support networks, skills and opportunities.
RAMSES WISSA WASSEF ART CENTER, EGYPT
Created by Ramses Wissa Wassef in the 1950's, the centre's mission is to support the creative voices of young egyptian villagers, especially women, to break away from formal educations and ways of living. The organisation specialises in fine cotton tapestry, wool tapestry and batik.
