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Case Study

THE BLESSING BASKET PROJECT, MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN, USA – MADAGASCAR

Description: The Blessing Basket Project (BB) is a non-for-profit
company established by Theresa Wilson. BB pays weavers in
six developing countries better than fair-trade wages (10 to 15
times more in some cases). In Mahabo, Madagascar BB operates
in one of 13 priority areas for plant conservation where
Missouri BG is involved in community-based management. The
work there involves a multiple partnership between Washington
University, BB, local weavers and Missouri BG. Missouri BG
facilitated the communication and training and was heavily
involved at the start, in 2006. This role entailed training the
local community, over 2 – 5 day sessions, to adopt basket
designs appealing to the American market, establish quality
control structures and in the processes needed to export the
baskets. BB puts in orders for 3 – 4,000 baskets, which are
made using local natural products: sedge,
ravenala and raffia. Work is provided for around
120 weavers, all of whom are women, increasing
local annual income by 10 per cent.

Focus of the project: This project directly MBG’s site-based Project Facilitator, Ludovic Reza,
addresses poverty in the area around one of the with part of the association of weavers and one of the new
Missouri BG conservation sites in Madagascar.
Most of the threats to biodiversity in Madagascar ©basket designs developed for the Blessing Basket Project
are due to very poor people being forced into Ludovic Reza and Chris Birkinshaw
non-sustainable exploitation of natural resources.
By collaborating with BB, Missouri BG are providing
a sustainable alternative – in line with Missouri BG’s
mission to protect plant biodiversity. During visits to
the site the funder addresses individual social issues
such as paying for eye surgery for people with cataracts.
There is a basket weaving tradition in the area, and the activity
is important in bringing young and old together. In this way the
project contributes to the continuation of traditional culture
and social cohesion.

Engagement approach: After a presentation by Theresa Wilson Funding: As well as buying the product, BB provided salaries
at the business schools at Washington University in St Louis, for three quality controllers and gave extra practical support
the students put Missouri BG in touch with her. BB put in a for the weavers, such as headlamps. Missouri BG used their
preliminary order to the women in Madagascar, who were own donor to fund staff time. The garden’s involvement in
contacted through word of mouth and public announcement. the project is now reduced almost to zero, as the community
Key to success has been the collaboration and openness of is able to directly communicate with BB and organize the
the different organisations, that have shown great flexibility production and shipment of the products to the US.
in working together.

Audience research: Washington University partner offers a Challenges: One of the challenges was administering cash
course focused on MBG’s community conservation programme payments to the women in way that was safe. As a solution,
in Madagascar. As part of the course students have visited the payments are organised to take place at diverse times.
Mahabo and through observation and Interviews have been Another issue was communicating the strict standardization
assessing the socio-economic and environmental impact of measures that the company requires, to the weavers, especially
the project. since the women are not literate. This was resolved when the
garden provided measuring sticks. Although the new designs
aimed at the American market were challenging to realize with
traditional weaving techniques, the women found ways to
accomplish them. Having done so, they discovered secondary
markets also interested in some of the fresh designs.

38 CARING FOR YOUR COMMUNITY | A MANUAL FOR BOTANIC GARDENS