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Shepherd's Field Factories
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| Hani Al-Zougbi, Olivewood Carver | For centuries, Palestinian artisans near Bethlehem have been producing religious items made of olivewood in family-owned workshops. Although men do most of the carving, women often help with the finishing work. The olivewood comes from two sources- the wood of olive trees which have been cut to clear land for agriculture and the pruned branches of olive trees. The lighter, softer wood (which is easier to carve) comes from irrigated trees growing in orchards on the plains; the harder wood with the beautiful grain comes from trees growing on the mountainsides which only receive rainfall in the winter months. The decrease in tourism to the Christian holy sites has had a disastrous impact on the income of the 19 olivewood carvers who work for Shepherd's Field.
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| We truly believe that successful marketing of fairly traded goods ultimately helps producers get away from acute poverty in less developed countries such as Nepal. - Sunil Chitrakar - Mahaguthi: Crafts with a Conscience, Nepal |
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