Brief Project Background

This project focuses on improving the distribution networks of low-income artisans worldwide by using digital imaging, electronic mail, and web pages to market craft products.

Results

*What problem/opportunity occurred?
Artisans all over the world face the same difficulties in product design and marketing because of limited communications. Low-income artisans are left out of modern (e-)commerce because they are not connected to the Internet. The Internet may remove a lot of the obstacles of traditional mail order systems and their costs.

*What actors were involved?
PeopLink; low-income artisans; local non-government agencies (Partner Organizations) in larger cities.

*What objectives were specified?
The primary objective is to get low-income artisans (indirectly) wired so that they don't get left out of modern commerce. The aim is to reduce the distance between producer and consumer.

*What was done?
PEOPLink provides digital cameras to Partner Organizations (P.O's) and trains them to e-mail pictures and detailed descriptions of the products of low-income artisans. Pictures and descriptions of these products are then placed on the PEOPLink Web page and used to promote the products to retail and wholesale buyers in the industrialized countries. This same Web page contains educational materials sent to PEOPLink by the producers themselves about their work and lives. The buyers browse this Web site from any computer with access to the Web and pay for their purchases by credit card.

PEOPLink is developing a constantly evolving package of hardware and software applications to allow grass roots organizations in any country to capture and send digitized images via the Internet. The basic digital imaging package PEOPLink currently recommends consists of a video camera hooked up to a computer through a digitizer. PEOPLink is building a worldwide network of digitally capable Partner Organizations (POs) that have access to computers to provide the technological interface for artists.

*What ICT resources were employed?
1. Personal computer (PC) that runs Windows (either 3.1 or 95) and has at least 8 MBs of memory and a modem.
2. An account with a local Internet
Service Provider (ISP) able to send e-mail with attachments. 3. Browser software (either Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer).
4. Capability to send/receive e-mail with attached files and to browse the World Wide Web (the later highly desirable but not absolutely necessary).
5. An image capturing device, in order of preference video camera with Snappy, digital camera or scanner.
6. Snappy Version 1 (or digital camera download software) and Thumbs .

*Were objectives achieved?
So far, the customer base for buying the crafts over the Internet has been weak. The Web site has registered fewer than 6,000 hits since February, 1997. However, that has been partly intentional as PEOPLink is in a phase of capacity-building right now. Moreover, the main focus isn't necessarily just selling the products but empowering traditional artists with digital tools.

*Were there any resulting opportunities/problems?
Telephone lines and electricity can falter in the middle of transmitting information; staff members sometimes must translate computer program menus, which often are only in English; and the closest computer repair shop can be miles away over rugged terrain. Also there is some resistance by cultural anthropologists who talk about 'cultural pollution'. Moreover, the technical approach is not complicated but it is difficult to explain either orally or in writing. The staff of the P.Os may not have the technical skills to operate a P.C.

*What was learned?
Very poor people can be introduced to e-commerce without providing all of the components of the electronic infrastructure (computers, access to ISP, image capturing device, etc.).

*What about the future of the project?
For now, PEOPLink fills the orders from inventory at the Maryland offices. However the long term plan is for PEOPLink to receive the orders and payment and then forward the information by e-mail to the PO for direct shipment from the country of origin. Eventually, PEOPLink wants the artists to launch their own Web pages and sell the crafts themselves.

Lessons

PEOPLink
11112 Midvale Road Kensington,
MD 20895 USA
Tel: 301-949-6625
E-mail: dsalcedo@peoplink.org
Webpage: http://www.peoplink.org

Project Information

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