Countries: Serbia

“Just past the stand where they sell onions and potatoes, then go left.” Until recently, those looking for well-made, traditional handicrafts in Serbia had to look pretty hard. Good quality products were being made but only shoppers in-the-know could easily find them. Over the past year, USAID has been working on a project to help producers to more effectively market and sell their homemade and original crafts.

 

While the skills employed to make these unique products have been a part of Serbian tradition for ages, this project to make the best use of these skills for generating income is a relatively new phenomenon. Recognizing the quality and beauty of what can be made in Serbia, the “Ethno-network” project was designed to produce and promote products that are the result of the cultural wealth of centuries of tradition—in a way that they can be appreciated and sold in the modern world. USAID’s Community Revitalization through Democratic Action – Economy (CRDA-E) partner America’s Development Foundation (ADF) began this program by working with women’s groups from Vojvodina and Eastern Serbia. To implement this project in other parts of Serbia as well, USAID/CRDA-E partner organizations CHF International, International Relief and Development, Inc. (IRD) and Mercy Corps have now pooled their efforts with ADF to join together some 30 groups under the “Ethno-Network” umbrella.

 

The concept is both simple and comprehensive: USAID assists the groups by providing assistance in organizing and registering groups of craft producers; providing equipment to expand capacity and quality of craft production; providing specialized courses in craft making techniques, as well as continuous education in marketing and promotion, packaging, presentational and communication skills; helping these groups get access to free sales and workshop premises at the local level; building a recognizable brand ready to be marketed and exported; and continuous promotion through participation at trade fairs, fashion shows and exhibitions.

 

The sustainability of the network should be secured through the establishment of retail outlets for Ethno-Network products in tourist areas of Belgrade, Novi Sad, Nis and other places that tourists frequent. An Ethno Evening was organized to present the products and potential of the Ethno-Network and appeal to local institutions (city government, relevant ministries and the business community) to provide support so that it becomes fully sustainable by the end of the USAID-supported CRDA-E project. The Network has been approaching city governments to provide retail premises in unused or under-used spaces. One contract with a major local clothing producer has already been signed, and the Network is actively seeking additional contracts with companies that require the fine work that the Network members can provide.