Pekerti Silversmith

In many parts of Indonesia, rural families have increasingly had to migrate to find work to support their families. Pekerti, the Indonesian People’s Handicraft Foundation Marketing Service, has been working since 1975 to preserve traditional Indonesian handcrafts skills and to promote income-generating projects among the rural, enabling them to remain in their villages with their families.  In 1978 they founded Pekerti Nusantara, a non-profit trading company to help artisans find markets.

The income from craft production that Pekerti has generated over its 30 years of experience has become a major source of support for many families. Pekerti also  offers support to artisan groups in the areas of cooperative philosophy, new product development, and financial management. They have had programs that provide heath care, school scholarships, and loans. They encourage the use of raw materials from sustainably managed sources and provide information and projects on conservation.

SERRV has worked with Pekerti since 1984, purchasing products like jewelry, musical instruments, baskets and birdhouses from natural fibers, and a variety of wood products.