G.R.O. Artisans: Creating Beauty – Providing Hope.
Program: The G.R.O. Artisans’ Collective Funded By: G.R.O. Investors / The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI)
Funding Period: 2007 to present, ongoing
Background: Started by ‘Me Mamabula Selia-lia in early 2007, the G.R.O. Artisans is a handicraft collective of women affected by HIV/AIDS. As a social-enterprise project the program was initiated with capital infusions of funds provided by generous G.R.O. supporters as the business has developed over the past three years, nine women have joined the collective. With support from G.R.O. personnel and supporters in Canada and the USA, the artisans have secured retail outlets in Lesotho, South Africa, Canada and the United States. Their 2010/11 eco-line features raw materials that are locally sourced, or are handmade from eco-friendly local materials. For instance the G.R.O. ‘Hobela’ (Dance) necklace features glass beads made from recycled beer bottles and letsopa (Lesotho mountain clay) beads hand-made by a collective of grandmothers in the northern mountain region of Lesotho. Our eco-line helps 25 additional artisans in our community who help us source/produce our materials locally. The social business focus of the collective has also been a conceptual success in Lesotho with the collective and their model being featured in three national newspaper articles and in the local small business network magazine. The Queen of Lesotho is also a proud owner of G.R.O. Artisan jewelry products.
Click here to download the 2010 G.R.O. Artisans Catalogue
What does G.R.O. provide to the artisans?
G.R.O. has provided the artisans with start-up capital from 2007-2009. This included initial stock purchases, support on retail and transport costs, 50% of office rental, and provision of technical business trainings to members. In addition to financial support, G.R.O. also connected the collective to wholesale retail outlets in Canada, the USA and South Africa. The collective has also secured 7 Lesotho based retail locations utilizing G.R.O. transport and office resources.
Administrative costs for the business’ growth period are paid for via sustainable development grants - once again assuring GRO ‘social investors’ that their funds will be utilized for start-up jewelry kits and other direct programming infusions. Our long term goal is to ensure that the profits raised by the G.R.O. artisans via the international market are able to sustain the operation of the business without G.R.O. financial support.
How does the collective contribute to social good?
The profits of the collective are used for the continued operation of the business and most importantly contribute to a G.R.O. social benefits program for each member. The social benefits program retains proceeds from the sale of the jewelry to provide each member with a comprehensive medical support plan, emergency leave support, babysitting services at work, and other crisis support. As many artisans are HIV+, the social benefits plan provides them with security should their illness prevent them from working for a long period of time, and also ensures they can get the treatment they need.
It is important to note that the social benefits plan is paid for out of what would normally be the business’ shareholder profits NOT a portion of the women’s wages. The GRO social business model includes providing an above minimum ‘fair wage’, full social benefits program, and additional crisis/business development support from G.R.O. Canada.
What are the results?
The artisans collective increased their production and sales by 1400% between April 2008 and April 2010 following the initial growth/ G.R.O. financing period of 2 years. In addition to securing retail locations (link to pop-up window with list of retail locations) in four countries (as outlined above) the artisans have opened their own retail location in Hlotse-Leribe. In the near future (1-2 years) we expect the collective to reach full self-sufficiency (with G.R.O. providing technical support and long-term market access via our sales of jewelry in Canada and the United States).
G.R.O. Artisan Jewelry is currently available at the following locations:
The Maseru Sun and Lesotho Sun Hotels
The Basotho Shield Craft Center (Maseru)
The Basotho Hat Craft Center (Maseru)
Setsoto Weavers (Teteanyana)
G.R.O. Lesotho Offices (Leribe)
Leribe Craft Center (Leribe)
Walibri Art Glass (RSA)
Foureisberg info center (RSA)
Global Sistergoods (United States)
G.R.O. Canada (Canada)
S.O.L.I.D. Salt Spring B.C. (Canada)
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Started by ‘Me Mamabula Selia-lia in early 2007, the G.R.O. Artisans is a handicraft collective of women affected by HIV/AIDS. As a social-enterprise project the program was initiated with capital infusions of funds provided by generous G.R.O. supporters as the business has developed over the past three years, nine women have joined the collective. Read More »