turquoise mountain/2016-2017. myanmar
The Myanmar Artisan Toolkit (MAT), Integrating Storytelling and Business
Brought together a team of diverse stakeholders and artisans to design an open source toolkit which helps artisans learn business practices and provides practical tools to build their business. The process was tested and iterated with artisans across the country and included the design of an interactive training course for local MAT trainers. With the toolkit and the course, trainers can mentor and support artisans and makers as they build their confidence, understanding and practices to become small business owners.
The Myanmar Artisan Toolkit is a business training tool designed for the craft sector and creative industries in Myanmar.
Demand for handmade, unique craft products is increasing in Myanmar and artisans need to meet buyer’s expectations. After spending several years working with small crafts producers in Myanmar, I have learnt that connecting artisans to markets and improving the design and quality of products is not enough to build confidence and achieve sustainability; it also runs the risk of creating dependency. Introducing and strengthening business skills is a critical missing link. The MAT was developed in response to this need.
To develop it, the Crafts Programme teamed up with a group of artisans in Yangon as well as Hla Day and LWF. We designed an engaging illustrated manual which helps artisans to learn standard business practices and provides practical tools to overcome common challenges, enabling them to build their business - for themselves, their families and their communities.
The MAT guides artisans through the story of Ma Hsu Hsu, a weaver living near Mandalay and U Win, her uncle and mentor. Ma Hsu Hsu’s journey to becoming an entrepreneur is faced with many challenges, stones in the road that we can all relate to. She questions: who should she sell her products to and where? How can she establish relationships with suppliers at the local market? How can she introduce her work to specialty shops? How should she choose a brand name, make a business card and package her products to protect them from the dust? Then, as her confidence starts to grow and her work begins to sell she is faced with problems and opportunities: How can she fulfill big orders during festival season? How should she collaborate with other artisans in a trusting way? How can she design new products which respond to changing market trends?
The MAT was designed, developed and tested with different groups of artisans across the country who provided valuable inputs to the story, the concepts, tools and templates as well as the visuals. Its development included the design of an interactive training package for local MAT trainers. This helps a growing group of trainers to provide tailored MAT courses in different settings from classrooms and workshops to a village monastery or Yangon coworking space. The Toolkit is comprised of two levels, it’s free and currently fundraising to develop a technological tool that can support a system for monitoring and evaluation, data collection and content reinforcement for users and trainers. MAT has resulted in more than 180 artisans attending workshops and trainings to date and the facebook page has generated over 10,000 ‘likes’
