Bringing DJCAD design to Zambia

When Master of Design student Liz Donald visited Zimbabwe in January as part of her research into sustainable craft based economies, she was shocked at the extent to which the production of indigenous crafts had declined since her last trip to the country in 1997.

As a result, Liz decided that for her MDes project she would develop training methods to reintroduce a number of traditional crafts to local people in North West Zambia. Thanks to a scholarship from the Dundee Glover Trade, she was recently able to spend seven weeks exploring the possibility of initiating a long-term training project.

At the invitation of her missionary friends, Liz travelled to Zambia where she was introduced to the King of the Lunda tribe, who is working on a number of initiatives to improve the living and working conditions of his people, and who greeted her project with enthusiasm.

Liz says, "Mwanta Inshindi is a well educated man with a heart for his people. He enthusiastically supports the building of a training centre over the next year where the Lunda will be able to learn agricultural and craft skills to improve their ability to provide for their families and opportunities to earn money."

During her time in Mukandankunda, near Zambezi, Liz taught one of the missionaries how to use her training materials, with the intention that they can go on to teach local people how to weave and create objects that can be sold. The long term plan is to create more of these training packs to help young men and women learn skills already found among the older Lunda, e.g. knitting, crocheting, simple embroidery, carving, basket making, bark cloth, spinning, weaving and toy making. With the help of this training, ancient skills and crafts will not be lost to the Lunda, and by selling their work, they will also be able to earn a living.

Commenting on her trip, Liz said, "It was an amazing experience to be in such a remote, primitive region. A lot of groundwork needs to be done before training can be implemented and I will continue working with the missionaries and the King in their long term vision."

Liz will complete her Master of Design in December and the work created as a result of her trip, plus the training materials she created, will be on show.