Okay, the Artesanato Solidario (Artesol) is in fact an NGO, and here is their mandate:

1.  to create opportunities for small producers in the southern hemisphere

2.  transparency and reliability within all links of commercialization

3.  development and improvement of skills

4.  promotion of fair trade

5.  payment of fair price

6.  gender equality

7.  good working conditions

8.  no exploitation of child workers

9.  conservation of the environment

Silvia had a meeting there because she consults them on production processes, organizing workshops and linking designers with craft communities.  Her hour meeting, which turned into about three, meant that I got to wander around the place solo and take it all in.  There was a gallery, store room and library/media room and I snooped my way through every nook and cranny of it!  I particularly liked the baskets below, made from palm tree fibres, the textiles made from Agave and the black and white woven cotton from a craft community in Minas Gerais.  I’ll have more on this in the next post because Silvia’s going to send me all the information on how some of these projects got started and what the results have been.

Now, onto Botucatu because I’m here and happy and can’t believe how much I’ve done already.  We’ve spent the first week going around town to all the different providers and craftspeople.  I’m realizing now that Botucatu is known for their industry, both large and small.  There are airplane, bus, and denim factories here (not all in one!), as well as smaller operations for leather, woodworking, metalworking etc.  And then, of course, there are artists and craftspeople who are experts at what they do but struggle to make a living.  Silvia’s goal is to help these people with creating sustainable methods for generating income so that they don’t need to seek out work in the big cities.  She believes one of Brazil’s major problems is that for so many people migrating to the city is a necessity because it is impossible to make a living at home, with their families, working with the traditional skills they know.

Of all the places I’ve visited this week, the recycling depot, the dump, the leather treatment facility, and the bamboo weaver definitely stand out as highlights.  They recycle everything here and heading to the recycling depot when you need something seems to be the norm.  The recycling facility also has (either makes or carries, not sure which) tetrapak boards that are used for building houses…I think it’s a substitute for drywall.  As for the dump…you’ve never seen a more beautiful garbage dump!  It’s off in the countryside and surrounded by rolling hills and lush green agricultural land.  Zeca said he used to go there a lot to sort through piles of wood and scavenge for the good stuff (he’s been collecting wood since he was 15), but he doesn’t like going there any more because it’s too busy.  You see, as a source of income people go to the dump in search of copper wire; they light big fires, burn all the wire, then pick out the copper and sell it.  Unfortunately I don’t have any pictures of this to show you right now because I didn’t bring my camera…idiot.  In lieu of the dump I’ve got shots of the leather treatment place which was stankerific…almost made me want to become a veggie…almost…

Ze do Balaio is the basket weaver and he has the most beautiful blue eyes.  He is in his 70s but keeps himself quite fit by running everyday…apparently he has a wife 30 years his junior because of it!!!  Lucky him I guess.  Anyway, he is a very nice man and I can’t wait to work with him…I hope I get to spend at least a day with him because I’ve been dying to get my hands on some sort of fibre and start weaving…and I think Ze do Balaio is just the man to teach me…

(By the way…trying to format this thing with pictures inserted is officially pissing me off so they’ll just be at the bottom of the posts from now on…oh, and for no explained reason it doesn’t like the picture of Ze do Balaio so you’ll just have to wait on that!)

Tchau! Tchau!