EU4Culture Grants Transform Kruja Women Artisans into Digital Entrepreneurs
EU funded EU4 Culture programme supports women artisans on effectively branding, marketing and selling their handicrafts online.
06/12/2023
Kruja artisans, alongside representatives from the municipality, local communities, the Ministry of Culture, EU Delegation, and UNOPS, participated in a ceremony celebrating the remarkable outcomes achieved through the “Artisans between Past and Future” local initiative. Implemented by the Progress Foundation and supported through the EU4Culture grants program, it involved women artisans in 12 training sessions focused on utilizing social media and creating visually appealing content to effectively brand, market and sell their handicrafts online.
“Our expectation is that the training in branding, digital marketing, and online sales will empower artisans to bridge the digital divide, facilitating a smooth transition. Beyond the economic aspects, these ‘skills of the future’ will contribute to preserving centuries-old traditions, ensuring their passage to the next generations.”
Pamela Lama, EU4Culture Senior Programme ManagerAs part of the project, a digital information board has been developed and installed at the entrance of Kruja Old Bazaar, serving as a valuable resource for tourists seeking information on artisans and local cultural heritage sites. Moreover, the board will be utilized by the municipality for essential community announcements. For centuries, marketing and sales at the traditional crafts market of the ancient mountain city of Kruja, were mens’ jobs. Revenues were limited to a short tourist season and highly dependent on the good weather. New technologies were a perfect solution for helping artisans improve their livelihoods and become more resilient for future challenges and shocks, such as pandemics, bad weather conditions or travel restrictions.
“Our expectation is that the training in branding, digital marketing, and online sales will empower artisans to bridge the digital divide, facilitating a smooth transition. Beyond the economic aspects, these ‘skills of the future’ will contribute to preserving centuries-old traditions, ensuring their passage to the next generations,” remarked Pamela Lama, EU4Culture Senior Programme Manager.
“The new skills acquired by Kruja artisans, coupled with the establishment of the new infopoint, will not only enhance the economic development of the region but also play a vital role in promoting tourism. Consequently, this will stimulate the local economy and generate new incomes for the communities,” she added.
“By empowering local artisans with digital skills, we bridge the past and future, ensuring traditional crafts endure in the modern world. This initiative not only empowers the community of the talented women artisans of Kruja, but also celebrates the timeless beauty of our heritage, transforming history into a living masterpiece for generations to come.”
Juljan Aga, the Executive Director of PROGRESS FoundationEU4Culture provided grants to five local initiatives aimed at supporting artisans and fostering cultural tourism in Kruja, benefitting over 500 individuals. These activities generated 41 new job opportunities, including 29 specifically for women. The initiatives also contributed to the creation of 42 cultural tourism products, including an information digital board, various branding packages, promotional videos, websites, and more.
Juljan Aga, the Executive Director of PROGRESS Foundation explains that for them the “Artisans Between Past and Future” is more than a project. It’s a profound commitment to preserving the cultural tapestry. “By empowering local artisans with digital skills, we bridge the past and future, ensuring traditional crafts endure in the modern world. This initiative not only empowers the community of the talented women artisans of Kruja, but also celebrates the timeless beauty of our heritage, transforming history into a living masterpiece for generations to come,” Aga says.
About the project
In November 2019, Albania was hit by the country’s most deadly earthquake in the last 50 years. Estimated at a Richter magnitude 6.3, it caused extensive damage across 11 municipalities. The EU4Culture project is funded by the European Union (EU) and is implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in close partnership with the Ministry of Culture of Albania. It focuses on renovation and revitalization of major cultural heritage sites damaged by the earthquake and represents one of the largest cultural heritage programmes funded by the European Union with a total budget of € 40 million. Guided by the “Building Back Better” principle, EU4Culture focuses on renovation of major cultural heritage sites in line with the UN Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. In parallel, the project aims to enhance Albania’s tourism potential, thus directly contributing to local and regional socio-economic recovery. To that aim, special focus is given to innovative technologies, including digital story-telling and creation of multimedia products designed to be accessible for all. At the same time, the project is supporting local entrepreneurship, artisanship and cultural initiatives evolving around selected sites through the allocation of grants, providing a direct boost to the local economy.
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Photo credits: EU4 Culture