The Ministry of Tourism through the the Handicraft and Souvenir Development Project (HSDP) has established the handcraft and souvenir centre in Masindi to help foster quality in handcraft products by locals.
The production centre was constructed at the tune of Shs200m in Kicumbanyobo near Murchison Falls National Park in Masindi district and it is fully equipped.
The project was funded by Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF).
According to the project coordinator, Grace Mbabazi Aulo, said the purpose of this project was to enhance quality production and market access for the most vulnerable societies.
“As you know, most of the handcrafts are produced in our communities. So, the purpose of the project was to enhance the handcraft and Souvenir sector in the country so that Uganda is able to have quality products for sale,” Mbabazi said.
She explained said they have already started training handcraft producers to ensure they are able to sell their products online, adding that most of them currently sell their products via the internet.
Mbabazi noted that they carried out capacity building in areas of product designing, quality management systems, marketing development leadership and government.
She hailed Enhanced Integrated Framework for their support throughout the implementation of this project and assured beneficiaries that the government of Uganda through the Ministry of Tourism is coming in full swing to ensure that more production centres are built.
She made the remarks at the final evaluation meeting to review the draft report at Hotel Africana.
One of the beneficiaries, Edward Kasango, called upon the government to help offer financial and equipment support to them.
“We want machines because whatever we do, we are doing it manually. whereby if we the government come in and help us with some machines, we can be lifted higher and higher, and lift our country in the handcraft and Souvenir sector.”
Representing the Tourism Ministry Permanent Secretary, Doreen Katusiime, Samuel Kakula, the undersecretary, said the project looked at creating linkages between producers, associations and traders of hand-crafted products.
“The project looked at creating linkages between producers, associations and traders of handcrafted products and the tourism industry in the country and improve livelihoods for some of the most marginalized communities in Uganda.”
He added that the project has helped improve the livelihoods of some of the most marginalized communities in Uganda.
“Some enterprises have been certified under ISO 9001: 2015 and World Fair Trade. Small and medium enterprise owners were supported to participate in international exhibitions in Dubai, Portugal and Tanzania.”
He revealed that the handcraft and souvenir project organised the first-ever national handicrafts expo in 2022 and held 12 regional purposive expos in the country.
