Young Designers '13

Diploma Project

Design Intervention Programme for Basketry in Zimbabwe

Keywords

Weaving communities
Africa
Social innovation
Basketry

Student

Palash Singh

palashsomvanshi@gmail.com

Guide

Shimul Mehta Vyas

shimul@nid.edu

Sponsor

Outreach Programmes, National Institute of Design

Synopsis

Under the India Africa Forum Summit, 2011, this design intervention project aimed at the empowerment of the women basketry artisans of rural Zimbabwe.

The basketry traditions, practices and challenges in Zimbabwe were strategically reoriented by integrating the experience and knowledge of Indian basketry segment whilst incorporating indigenous techniques. A new range of basketry products relevant to the local Zimbabwean and global market was developed using revised coiling and weaving techniques on local materials like sisal and bamboo. To further the project aims, a system model was designed for effective mobilisation of resources, skills, designs and production methods connecting the products to markets.