East Coast artisans unite to promote creative economy | Sebrae and My Own Business

Hands that work weaving, cutting, sewing and bringing craft pieces to life are also hands that collaborate with each other. The process of creating each item may not be the same from artist to artist, but on the East Coast of Mato Grosso do Sul, the love for the profession made artisans come together with the aim of valuing local culture and strengthening the creative economy in the region.

The consolidation of this joint action can be seen at the 1st East Coast Regional Crafts Meeting, held on the 8th of this month, by Sebrae/MS, in partnership with the Municipality of Bataguassu, through the Cidade Empreendedora program, and Suzano – company Brazilian pulp and paper sector. The action was part of the Artisan Development and Income Generation project aimed at enhancing handicrafts in the region and offering the necessary support to professionals in the Nova Porto XV district, from training to support in the marketing of products.

In addition to the artisans participating in the project, professionals from the cities Três Lagoas, Brasilândia, Selvíria, Aparecida do Taboado and Paranaíba were also present in the district of Bataguassu, totaling more than 50 participants. The mayor of Bataguassu, Akira Otsubo, highlights the importance of the event to strengthen, mainly, women artisans, as the action was carried out on the date of International Women’s Day.

“This event is a milestone not only to honor women, but above all to value the products we have made by artisans. Thanks to the partnership with Sebrae, with the support of the Associação Costa Leste, Suzano, we once again value those who do it, the artists and these products that they sell themselves”, says the mayor.

The meeting provided an exchange of experiences and debate on relevant topics, such as the challenges faced by those working in the area. “It was very important for us, because it served to show the craftsman that his work is like any other. We often believe that the difficulty is ours alone and knowing that there are other people going through the same thing makes us think together to bring solutions that can make us grow further”, explains the president of Casa do Artesão of the East Coast Association of Artisans of Mato Grosso do Sul (Aclams), Aline Santos.

An important point brought up by the participants was the need to expand this integration between the category to the entire State, as a way of strengthening the work developed. “People have a habit of saying that there aren’t many artisans in Mato Grosso do Sul, but we do. There is a range of professionals who make pieces ranging from trash to luxury and work in different regions such as here on the East Coast and in the Pantanal, for example. So I believe we should publicize this and promote state integration”, highlights the president of the Association of Craftsmen Mãos Amigas de Paranaíba, Célia Maria.

Valuing manual work

To give more visibility to the work carried out by professionals and promote the preservation of knowledge among artisans as a way of keeping the region’s culture alive, Sebrae/MS, in partnership with Suzano, a Brazilian company in the cellulose and paper sector, carries out the Development of Artisans and Income Generation project. The initiative is aimed at professionals affiliated with the Association of Artisans of Nova Porto XV – a district that is 15 kilometers away from the municipality of Bataguassu.

During the meeting, the results of the initiative that began in February this year and currently include 40 artisans were also presented. The support provided by Sebrae is made possible through the Cidade Empreendedora program, carried out in partnership with the City Hall, and aims to stimulate productive inclusion through entrepreneurship focused on the artisanal sector, as a way of generating income for families and promoting local development .

On the same date as the event, the artisans participating in the meeting also had the opportunity to exhibit the products developed at a fair held in Praça do Peixe.

To find out more about the actions of Sebrae’s Cidade Empreendedora program, contact the Relationship Center at number 0800 570 0800or visit the website Cidadeempreendedora.ms.sebrae.com.br.