Today's African Artisan Entrepreneur: Wheelbarrow Business

African artisans are largely neglected by their governments. In most cases, they are unable to secure loans or any form of financial assistance although many are highly skilled even without having any formal education or certificate education. In many African countries, certificate education is valued more than skills; as such many educated individuals lack skills and are unemployable and at the same time, many skilled artisans lack certificate education and aren’t employed or can’t be employed in mainstream companies. Many artisans, both men and women must struggle on their own to raise money, basically bootstrapping to start and run their small-scale businesses. Yet, in many African countries, the artisans are the economic lifeline of cities.

SitiTalkBlog showcases artisans to help expose their expertise and also to tell their unique and empowering stories. Meet a young artisan in Enugu, Nigeria who operates a business that makes locally-made wheelbarrows. His final products are sold locally within Enugu and also to artisans in other cities within and outside the state. This successful roadside business feeds his family and extended families. In addition, his wheelbarrows are purchased and used by other artisans who are personal heavy load carriers in the market places and other locations. Therefore, the artisan wheel barrow business provides a necessary tool for other artisan businesses.

#economy