The oasis in SIWA is the largest in Egypt. The majesty of this natural wonder where lush vegetation, majestic sand lakes and hundreds of freshwater springs abound - is sadly cut off from the rest of the country by insufficient infrastructure. While this isolation has preserved the rustic life and rich traditions of the Siwan inhabitants, it has significantly limited economic and social development in the region.
In 2001, the Environmental Quality International (EQI) created the SIWA Women’s Native Artisanship Development Initiative, to inject boost the economy with income generating opportunities. This cottage industry was designed to allow its female participants to generate income by working from their homes, to create beautifully embroidered clothing, jewelry and personal accessories for sale domestically and internationally.
These creative traditional masterpieces can be found in high-end boutiques all over Europe and North America, which is a testament to the quality of the merchandise made by the Siwan artisans.
The International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) Grassroots Business Initiative (GBI) is supporting SIWA by extending funding to be used for the following:
- construction of 2 satellite working facilities and one central working facility to improve working conditions of the female artisans
- training at least 350 women in traditional Siwan handicrafts to expand production
- establishing linkages with national and international exporters for women’s artisan products
For additional information visit the Siwa Sustainable Development Initiative
