Photo Competition

Oikocredit is organising a photo competition entitled "How fair is your world?" Take a photograph of yourself or someone else to show us what fair financing and being a fair trade consumer means to you or them.

The winner will visit one of Oikocredit's project partners in Asia, Africa or Latin America and will be able to see with his or her own eyes how Oikocredit's fair financing can support people to empower themselves.

For more information click here

The Phontong Handicraft Cooperative is a network of traditional Lao artisans which spans 35 villages and connects over 450 people. This handicraft cooperative began in 1980 and works with Lao weavers and basket makers in lowland villages around Vientiane, the capital city of Laos. Craftswomen intersperse weaving with housework and childcare. Once a dying art, weaving skills and traditions are being revived by Phontong, which provides lessons and free raw materials to artisans. The cooperative also helps artisans with wood carving, basket weaving, silk production and cattle raising.

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The Art of Papier Mache
Since the time of Mughal period communities of craftsmen are continuing the tradition of making gifts, to design palaces, panels, doors, ceilings and walls of palaces using the art of papier mache.

Papier machie production is divided into two categories. The first-making of object and second is painting of the object. To prepare the objects one has to grind cloth, rice and tree glue into a paste and the paste is poured into moulds made of wood by craftsmen. After the pulp has dried and has taken required shapes, it's carefully taken out of the moulds and the surface is pasted with tissue paper to produce a very fine surface. It's then ready for the grand coat of colour, the Nagash. The artist prepares the colour for painting the paper machie object, which is itself a long process. The designs used in paper machie are very intricate and their application requires great deal of skill. The designs are painted with hand. Finally a coat of Lacquer is applied to give the required finishing touch to the object. Hand paintings are inspired by classical intricate designs with nature and tradition motifs to most modern designs, superior hand painting techniques.