Consultants: Kate Crowley Samantha Silva The Project: Summary The - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The East African Center for the Empowerment

• f Women and Children

Consultants: Kate Crowley Samantha Silva

The Project: Summary

The East African Center hopes to increase their income by launching an e- commerce site to sell the products made by their producers’ group.

Background

• In Kenya, more than half of the

population is poor, and per capita income has declined every year from $378 in 1992 to $360 in 2003.

• Infant mortality rate is 7.9% and

the under 5 mortality rate is 12.3% (2003).

• Gender inequality in the

distribution of wealth and income.

Courtesy www.usaid.gov and www.ruralpovertyportal.org

The Vutakaka Community Center

• Opened in 2003.
• Built by local and

international volunteers.

• Houses the primary school,

the sewing club, adult education rooms, and a library.

• EAC hopes to expand the

center to house a full primary and secondary school and a health clinic.

Children’s Education

• Community asked the EAC

to start a top-notch preschool and primary school.

• Currently serves

approximately 120 children aged 3-8 in four classrooms.

• Public school classes have

up to 200 children.

• After-school tutoring

program operates five days a week for public school children.

Women’s Education

• Daily adult classes in

reading, math, and business skills.

• Sewing club: classes of

14 students meet five days a week to learn how to sew by hand and on a pedal sewing machine.

• Upon graduation women

receive a sewing machine.

• If desired, they can

continue making items at the EAC, joining the producer’s group.

Project Description

• Choose products

and fabrics for initial e-commerce site.

• Create

merchandising plan.

• Begin building a

sustainable e- commerce site for the EAC.

Project Work: Methodology

First Stage: Planning

• Terms of reference and

timeline

• Determine client vision and

roles of consultants

• Professional opinions on

fashion, marketing and consumer products.

• Research on e-commerce

and examples of fair trade marketing

• Background reading on

relevant topics

First Stage Results: Linesheets and Product Changes

• Initial merchandising plan

with photos of each product and of each fabric

• Product design changes,

shown through linesheets created by one of our consultants, Julianne Spehar

Second Stage: Design and Production

• Design research on

fair trade and international product web retailers to create website layout

• Product discussion

with client

• Specific products,

colors and fabrics

Second Stage Results: Design and Production

• Functional, easy-to-

implement website layout that will ensure increased business and web traffic

• Product development ideas,
• pinions and growth

strategies

• Additions, website changes

Website Creation

• Initial plans included creating

a website through a hosting site with help from Chand Nirankari

• The EAC was not technically

ready for website development with an outside designer.

• Decision to use a private,

professional designer for the new site