Djellaba Button Micro Business

Inside the case you will see a variety of highly textured and colorful articles of handmade jewelry. Look a little bit closer and you will see the jewelry is made of tiny, textile djellaba buttons – some are in the form of rosebuds, some have more geometric shapes. Each button was handmade and each necklace, earring and bracelet was handcrafted by women trying to change their lives for the better.

The Khenifra Women’s Handicraft Association is a collective of Moroccan women who once made these traditional djellaba buttons in their homes. Isolated and working alone, they would sell their handicrafts to middlemen for a very small sum because sewing, weaving and carpet making were the only jobs available to them and they rarely left home except to go to the local souk.

Today, with invaluable help from Peace Corps and Nest, a nonprofit organization dedicated to changing the lives of women in developing countries, The Khenifra Women’s Handicraft Association has a space where all the members of the Association can gather for companionship and support while they continue to create their traditional handicrafts. And they no longer work through a middleman. Now, these women sell their products at expositions, craft fairs and select outlets across the country.

It all began with a micro-credit loan from Nest. This loan enabled the Association to be formalized, materials to be purchased, and a space to be renovated for the women to gather and work in. Peace Corps volunteers worked to help the Association establish sound business practices. But the knowledge and the skill behind the making of each djellaba button necklace, bracelet and earring comes directly from the women of Khenifra.

Buy a piece of this handcrafted jewelry and you will not only have a uniquely Moroccan artisanal accessory but you’ll also be contributing to the success of a worthy and sustainable business that is helping these women support themselves.






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