Public-Welfare Project on Women's Crafts Launched in Beijin

The China Women's Development Foundation (CWDF) and the government of Zhenyuan County (in Northwest China's Gansu Province) launched the Mom Handworks·Oriental Sachets, a public welfare project in Beijing on June 5.

Zhao Wen, Member of the Secretariat of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), Member of the Leading Party Members' Group and Director-General of the Organization Department of the ACWF, Zhang Jianmin, Secretary-General of the CWDF, Hou Zhiqiang, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee of Zhenyuan County, and relevant officials attended the launching ceremony.

Zhang said in her speech that the project focused on regional distinctive intangible culture, assisting women in Zhenyuan to take full advantage of the resources of folk-culture industry and fueling the development of the local craft of scented silk bags.

It thus helps low-income females to seek job opportunities at home and to start their own businesses, she noted, adding that the project would form a poverty alleviation industry chain integrated with cultural creativity and tourism. 

At the launching ceremony, the CWDF and the local government signed a project agreement.

According to the agreement, the two sides will push forward the establishment of a folk-culture poverty-alleviation industry chain in Zhenyuan with total investment of 30 million yuan (US $ 4.35 million). The leader of the project released the overall development strategy at the event, including the cooperation with international artists and independent creators.

Crafts made for the project will be focused on scented silk bags, or sachets. By cooperating with enterprises, the project is expected to help more than 3,000 craftsmen increase their income. It aims to be an example of the local cultural industrial chain, creating constant income growth in five to 10 years. 

The project will make the oriental silk bags as gifts representing Zhenyuan to spread China's story to the world.

The Beijing branch of China Post Group will build an intangible cultural heritage center for the project, serving as a window for showcasing and cultural exchange of the county. 

At the event, Zhang Zhaoda, a well-known artist, demonstrated how he designedfor the sachets. Cultural heritage The inheritors of intangible cultural heritage from Zhenyuan also showed the procedures of sachet making. 

(Women of China)