Craft and poverty alleviation in South Africa : an impact assessment of Phumani Paper : a multi-site craft-based poverty alleviation programme

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The cultural industries have been identified by the South African government ashaving significant potential to generate employment and hence alleviate the widespread poverty suffered by many in the country. They have invested in thecultural industries with a view to developing SMMEs that have the potential togenerate sustainable livelihoods. Craft, in particular is seen as an ideal vehiclethrough which poverty alleviation can take place, due to the combination of lowtechnology requirements with high levels of manual labour.This study looks at one such multi-site craft-based poverty alleviationprogramme, Phumani Paper, and assesses the impact that it has had on thepoverty of its participants (so far). Drawing on relevant theory 'poverty is definedas a deficiency with regard to three aspects of people's lives: income, 'humandevelopment and capacity building.The results of the study indicate that the program did contribute to humandevelopment, but that income generation was less successful. In this regardsuccess seems to depend on conditions at three levels of a programme: theprogramme management, the project model and the individual participants.Strategic intervention on these three levels will ensure that the impact of craft onpoverty is more effective.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University