Felted Polar Bear Ornament

Since 1987, our partner, Ten Thousand Villages works with the Association for Craft Producers (ACP) is a nonprofit group that provides design, marketing, management and technical services to low-income artisans, the majority of them women, providing regular, fair wages. In addition to a central production and design workshop, the association maintains a full-time staff. ACP also owns retail outlet called Dhukuti in Kathmandu, Nepal. ACP has successfully balanced its business priorities with a strong sense of social obligation. Producer benefits include medical and counseling services, a savings program and retirement fund, paid maternity and paternity leave, education allowance to encourage education especially of daughters, low-interest loans for producer groups, clothing and household allowances, and seminars on health, nutrition and women’s rights.