Cultural Entrepreneurism
Cultural Entrepreneurship it is not only about income. It is about dignity and the preservation of Timorese identity!
Empreza Diak’s partners live in remote communities, mostly in subsistence economy. ED is inspired by their stories and works with them to building their self-confidence, strengthening groups and communities and helping to generate income (in a country where the median per capita monthly income is $40).
Reviving almost forgotten traditions is bringing sustainable livelihoods for impoverished women and their families in remote areas. This is preserving precious traditional arts and crafts but also changing the role of women in communities. Inspiring old women are now at the center of their communities as they pass on not only a livelihood but also an identity to the new generations.
“Before Empreza Diak started working with us we only weaved mats occasionally and none of the girls from our community helped. Now that I am weaving more and making money every week, my granddaughters started asking me to teach them how to weave. I am so proud that this art will not die with me”
– Josefa, the leader of producers of Rapin Hirik (woven palm-fiber mats unique to Atauro)
Keeping traditions alive
Empreza Diak’s popular anti-poverty and women empowerment program entitled “Keeping traditions alive “ is bringing almost lost traditional arts and crafts to life, helping hundreds of families rise up from the ashes of poverty and conflict since its start in 2014. By partnering with communities identifying livelihoods’ opportunities, improving local products and providing access to market.
Empreza Diak works across various supply chains researching, developing new opportunities, improving local products, reviving traditions, providing training and access to market.
This program is driven by ED’s conviction that turning traditions into livelihood is a powerful strategy to ensure an effective impact and change in people’s life.
Empreza Di’ak
The project “Cultural Entrepreneurship in Timor-Leste”
The project
In 2020 the European Union funded Empreza Diak’s project “Cultural Entrepreneurship in Timor-Leste – A Driving Force for Inclusive Development and Equality” for a 3 years period to promote handicrafts in Dili/Atauro, Manatuto and Likisa.
Despite the negative impact of Covid 19 in the sector, this project strengthened the cultural entrepreneurship movement in Timor-Leste while partnering with rural women, men and youth to strengthen the handicraft sector and promote it as an employment and income mechanism for rural communities.
The project worked closely with the Secretary of State for Art and Culture and the Secretary of State for Inclusion and Equality. The activities included: extensive mapping of the sector, training and capacity building interventions with a range of stakeholders, Covid 19 support, support for craft exhibitions and the development of an handicraft focused portal.
The intervention is driven by ED’s conviction that turning traditions into livelihood is a powerful strategy to ensure an effective impact and change in people’s life.