Project description
KIUMBES – The Mysterious Parcel from Africa
Open it and you will change the lives of several people...
The purpose of the project "Kiumbes – The Mysterious Parcel from Africa" is to enable Kenyan craftsmen to earn money and make a living for themselves and their families, and simultaneously to stimulate their own efforts and activities by showing them that the borders of their village are not limiting for them. That they can be successful with their products even in such faraway and demanding markets such as the European ones.
1. THE INITIAL SITUATION:
Two main thoughts stood at the birth of this project.
1. In Kenya, we were searching for the best way in which to support the self-sufficiency and simultaneously the creativity of local people, and at the same time to make use of their skills in the processing of natural materials.
2. At the same time in the Czech Republic, unsatisfied parents were trying to find a toy which would entertain their children and somehow help them to develop. A toy which would not end up in a box of discarded toys three days after Christmas. From this connection, "Kiumbes – The Mysterious Parcel from Africa" was born.
2. PROJECT AIMS:
1. To support the self-sufficiency of Kenyan craftsmen, to provide work for them.
2. To offer Czech children "a toy with a certain something more."
3. TARGET GROUPS:
1. Children and their parents
2. Families from the village Tabaka in Kenya
4. PROJECT STRATEGIES:
1. The Kiumbe figures are produced in a traditional way in Tabaka from soapstone and are painted with certified, non-toxic colours.
2. The Kiumbes will be wrapped in a beautiful paper box, along with a book of stories written by Klára Pospíšilová. The author of the comics series is Maťo Mišík.
3. A board game will also be packed inside the box. Its authors are Radka Lomičková and Jakub Těšínský (The Czech Boardgaming Community).
4. Sales of the toy take place primarily through www.4kids.cz.
5. In the future, we plan to expand sales to other European markets and profits will again be used for the financing of further ShineBean projects.
5. THE BASIC RULES OF THE PROJECT:
1. All profits are returned to Kenya and used for further developmental projects (Open School and Give an Opportunity – see description of further projects).
2. Experts from the given fields collaborate to create individual parts of the toy.
3. The project is consulted with a children’s psychologist.
4. During the production process, we use tested non-toxic colours and materials which do not harm the environment.
6. THE PROJECT’S STRONG ASPECTS:
1. An interesting toy produced from natural materials.
2. The toy shows children that nature is an inexhaustible source of fun and learning.
3. It helps to develop a feeling of belonging in the family. Parents can also play the game with their children.
4. The creation new jobs.
5. The opportunity to acquire financial means for the support of further ShineBean activities.
