Profile of CONTIGO´s partner Kravan House

Products

Scarves and accessories made of silk

Location

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Founded in 2003

History

• Since 1996: Thanan Hok works as project manager for the “National Centre of Disabled People”
  (landmine victims, those who suffer from polio disease)
• She has malformed hands, due to napalm use in the Vietnam War
• She finishes her business studies and shows that also people with handicaps can be successful
• 2003: Founding of “Kravan House”, at the beginning only retail shop in Phnom Penh
• “Kravan” means blossom
• Due to several trade fairs Thanan Hok can expand her business and exports to different countries

Cooperation with Contigo since 2014

Structure of the business

Number of employees:

• 70 employees (56 women, 14 men)
  • 30 weavers
  • 30 sewers
  • 10 employees for quality control, trainings, etc.
  • 40% of the workforce has a handicap (mainly due to polio disease)

Work environment:

• Weavers live and work in Prey Veng (appr. 100km to the east of Phnom Penh)
  • Spinning of silk
  • Weaving
  • Dyeing
• Master weavers located in Phnom Penh (offer workshops and trainings for weaving)
• Sewers mainly work at home, in order to take care of their children at the same time

Sales

• Home market (via own shop, sales to hotels)
• Exports to Australia, Canada, Japan, England, U.S.A., Switzerland, Germany

Goals

• To encourage disadvantaged and handicapped people
• To preserve the traditional culture of silk weaving

Special features

Why does CONTIGO work with Kravan House: Thanan Hok is a strong and courageous person. She is a role model for many people with handicaps in Cambodia. “Kravan House” is a start-up, CONTIGO wants to support.

Fairtrade classification

FTP = Fairtrade in Progress, information details not yet complete, a visit in Cambodia has not taken place as yet.

Fairtrade aspects

Kravan House complies with the following Fairtrade Principles:

No child labour

No discrimination

No discrimination due to gender, disability, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, political orientation, or infection with HIV.

Fair wages

• Minimum wage in Cambodia: US$ 128/ month
• Wage at Kravan House
• • Weaver/sewer: US$ 140-150/ month
  • Master: US$ 300/ month

Humane working conditions

Working hours:

• in revision

Social benefits:

• in revision

Educational opportunities:

• Apprenticeships offered (3 months to become a weaver)
• Trainings for increasing knowledge and skills (for sewing and dyeing)

Transparency

Monitoring

 

 

Country information

See Encyclopaedia Britannica: Cambodia

Photos