Local economic development through crafts: Co-designing new products in Vietnam

Costs and savings

This project is funded by the Korean Funds-in-Trust (a partnership fund between Korea and UNESCO), with an estimated budget of US $100,000 (excluding 13% overhead costs for UNESCO Headquarters).

Many organisations have also contributed their expertise and skills to this project as volunteers, making it highly efficient. In particular, the Vietnamese not-for profit organisation Craft Link has provided professional designers to work closely with local craft producers without fees. The branding company QUO supported the branding on a pro-bono basis. The development of packaging solutions and particular logos for each craft village has also been voluntarily contributed by the Korean National University of Arts.  

The project management benefitted from a light structure: Only one full-time staff member at UNESCO works as a project manager. No field office was established and no investments in hardware, cars or equipment were needed. Almost the whole project budget went to the product activities such as training, cost for materials of the sample products in product development, and field missions.

The collaboration with government organisations, committed NGOs, academic institutions and private sector firms, rather than hiring special project personnel and consultants, has significantly contributed to keeping down the cost of this project. More importantly, this model has encouraged ownership by the local management agencies the project, encouraging them to play a facilitating role in supporting the policy and promoting opportunities for local craft communities to cooperate with different institutions.