Hei!

Jeg heter Kjersti Lie Holtar og driver Craftprat-bloggen. Ingeniørgeolog av utdannelse – men imidlertid viste det seg at jeg endte opp med å selge varer fra små håndverksbedrifter i det sørlige Afrika her i Norge, og det har jeg gjort i over 25 år.

Gjerne akkompagnert av god musikk.

De siste 15 åra har jeg også drevet en englefabrikk i Karoo i Sør-Afrika. Synes forøvrig at vi i Norge vet altfor lite om Afrika – kontinentet der det er mer mellom himmel og jord enn de fleste andre steder.

Jeg er også honorær konsul for Namibia i Norge – og i nettopp Namibia var det at mitt Afrika-liv startet på tidlig 90-tall.

Som resultat av dette lever jeg en slags nomade-tilværelse mellom Norge og Afrika, både fysisk og mentalt, og det er vel kanskje derfor jeg liker så veldig godt å drive med hage, potter og planter – noe stedfast som kan vokse og gro. 

---

Dette skrev jeg da jeg startet Craftprat i 2008 – tror jeg lar det stå fortsatt:

I set up the Norwegian based craft trading company Isandi in 1999 – and somewhat 10 years down the line I have learned and experienced a fair share to finally feel comfortable about sharing some thoughts about what works and what does not work when it comes to trading with small scale grassroots producers in the fascinating and multifaceted societies in southern Africa. That part of the world never ceases to surprise, astonish and fascinate me. I will mostly blog in Norwegian (well, have not decided yet) – and write quite a lot about the issue of my main preoccupation these days – how to ensure systems and setups that entitle the crafters at grassroots levels to access more of the value chain in the Craft Sector. Take all the fuzz words you know about development and poverty alleviation, take all the prejudices we have when it comes to who are the bad and who are the good guys – add to it amazing people, nature, places, fashion, trends, music, films, literature, as well as crime levels, rapes, xenophobia, aids, tb, malaria, unemployment, ignorance – I guess these are some of the issues I will write about.

It is nonsense when people say that Africa is not sustainable. Perhaps it is their image of what Africa should be, that is not sustainable. But Africa is the most sustainable of all continents. Because it has survived everything. And that is why I believe that crafters at grassroots levels are doing sustainable work. They have also survived everything. And it is now time for them to have their fair share.

Ja, og så helt til slutt: Ønsker du å komme i kontakt med meg, så send meg en epost på kjersti@isandi.no