The Balady Handicraft Project
Qurna, an old village on the west side of the Nile was
resettled for different reasons in the years
2006
- 2007. The reasons were diverse. Qurna did not have water, it was on
an archaeologically
important
area and the population grew. The resettlement concerned approx. 2000
persons, who
live now 6 kilometers north in a village built again at
the edge of the desert.
In Qurna many young people after graduation are without work and
there
are only a few job
opportunities available. Agriculture for the small farmers usually
allows only a small secondary possibility for earnings. Many inhabitants of Qurna make copies of the
pharaonic
objects, but
the own traditional, Egyptian, Islamic or Coptic art is
often no more known. Many talents of the Qurna villagers are not discovered and are not
promoted, and many creative energies are not used. The
Balady Handicraft
project assistance is to correct the situation by supporting the
manufacturing
of art objects based on their own traditional culture.
The arts and crafts project in the Balady Handicraft center in
Qurna has been based on the initiative of Abd El-Hamid Osman Taia Daramalli
(called Abdu Osman) a native one, active already over
20 years in archeological missions on the west side of the Nile. The
project of "Balady Handicraft Qurna" startet in 2006.
The Balady Handicraft project wants to create the possibility, above
all to promote the abilities in craft of the inhabitants and especially
to train the ability of young people. In order to achieve these goals, there was built a large building
with workshops together with a showroom by the plan
of Günter Heindl,
an excavation specialist. The center has a kitchen, toilets, showroom and studio areas, arranged
around an inner court in the style of a caravanserail.
inside the building of "Balady Handicraft Qurna"
About 30 persons can work there at the same time . At the moment, in 2009,
there are already
installed a pottery kiln and 3 looms as well as sewing
machines.
In future it is intended to realise different woodworkings, wickerworks,
crafts in felt and textiles as well as drawing, painting and glass work.
The offer is to be as varied as possible and take off all creative
activities in the context of the local possibilities and materials.
Instructors from Egypt and Europe shall teach lessons and workshops.
Weavers from Egypt shall teach together with European
craftsmen. Two teachers were in Qurna last winter 2008 by the German
association "Moses in Theben"; they gave lessons in embroidery.
Different European potters were already in Qurna and they will come
again in future.
Financial aid is necessary for equipments and machines
such as potter's wheels, kilns, looms,
sewing machines and so on. All materials and
equipments are bought or produced locally.
Sensitive and expensive equipments are not recommendable because of financial and climatic
reasons.
All working materials such as loam, wool, cotton, colors, wood, tools
and so on are
bought as far
as possible directly from manufacturers or farmers. So this creates
indirectly work
for further people.
If you would like to support the project "Balady Handicraft Qurna" financially
by donation or
otherwise, you
will find more details on the page "contact" in this website.
Thank you for your interest.
Location:
The local map you will find
here >>