Djembes and Fair Trade

 

Djembe-producing communities

Map of Ghana offered by World Press Review. See also here about Ghana.

  1. Communities that produce the Djembe drums are the Senegalese, Ghanaians and other countries along the West Coast of Africa.

  2. In Ghana, the producers mostly live in the rural areas, especially in the forest areas of Ashanti & Central Region. Their lives are largely dictated by the conditions they found themselves in.

  3. Some areas do not have portable water, no electricity and in some cases, the producer’s children have to travel great distances to reach their schools.

  4. For many producers, proper housing is a very big dream because his income is too small to put up a house.

  5. Fair Trade has performed a tremendous role in alleviating some of the difficulties, encountered by the carvers, through Djembe orders.

However the most urgent support is needed as social amenities, in the form of schoolbooks, hand-dug wells, hospital care and medicines. It would be a good thing if Fair Trade organizations could make more efforts to provide support on these issues.

 
  The role of Fair Trade in Djembe-production  
 

As Ghana is a developing country, employment is low and most of the income is spend on basic needs. In many cases The craftsmen and -women that work for the producers, have jobs for only short periods until the work is done. When there are no orders they are dealing with growing stocks of their handicrafts and employees cannot be paid.

 

The producer depends on orders. When orderes are issued it creates a lot of employment and the producer will be able to afford better education, shelter, food and clothing for his children.

 

In most cases, facilities involve a shed, some carving chisels and storage which may be  under the roof that houses the producer. Most children go to school. Some also enroll as students or apprentices into Djembe production. Those who go to school often help after school.

 

A partnership between the producer and  Fair Trade companies can provide sustained availability of orders and income.

 

In this partnership the following issues are supported:

  1. Employment. Continued ordering will provide a more durable employment of producers.   

  2. Increased income. When average income of the producers  increases by sustained ordering, the producers can provide better  facilities for their families (better housing, school for the children, etc) but also they can make investments in their business itself (better facilities like carving equipment, storage, facilities for employees, housing etc.) which is also important to be able to guarantee a good product.

  3. Training for the youth in the form of apprenticeship training. To provide a good products, training is necessary. Workshops etc. are given by experienced djembe-makers. In this way, a better product will be delivered.

  4. Developing of music industry. Production of well crafted instruments provides a stronger market position of African instruments.

  
 

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