Crafts for Conservation

The ethnic communities of the Chittagong Hill Tracts have been master craftsmen for generations. Their intricately beautiful silver and beaded work has shone through especially. However, due to loss of culture and modernization, these age old crafts are disappearing. To find alternative income sources and reduce the forest dependency of the forest reliant communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Creative Conservation Alliance, in partnership with Bcraft Initiatives-a non-profit social business enterprise, are working together to form community based organization (CBO) to create and market their traditional crafts. The designers at Bcraft have worked closely with the Mro artisans to design new, elaborate jewelry designs that hold true to the traditional Mro style.

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Traditional tribal crafts generate alternative income for Schools for Conservation, reduce dependency on forest resources, empower the women artisans, and help revive lost cultural practices. Proceeds from every craft purchase go directly to the local communities, empowering them to reduce dependency on forest resources. Our traditional ethnic crafts are currently being sold at the Aranya boutique in Dhaka, Bangladesh and will soon be available in international markets.