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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.


   

   



views of the building "Balady Handicraft Qurna"


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 >>

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