Pippa Small

Seeing first hand, the struggle it was for artisans with beautiful traditions and valuable skills to generate income in the remote communities I had visited many years before, I thought that perhaps there was a way that I could help. This lead me on a journey around the world working with different communities on various crafts, the Batwa Pygamies of Rwanda, Kuna Indians of Panama and the Mapuche of Chile where I helped revive traditions.

The idea of collaborating with them through design, was very exciting and being able to connect them to an international market was a magical process for me. When people’s skills are appreciated, their knowledge of materials and techniques are valued, and they are told that something that their community traditionally makes is beautiful and enticing, they begin to hold their heads a little higher. I am now a proud ambassador of Survival International and strive to continue to bridge the gap between marginalised communities and the global market in a fair, transparent way.