AFRICA HEARTWOOD PROJECT - DRUM BUILDER TIPS

Activity Update: Andy returned from a three week trip to Ghana in Oct 2008, during which he personally distributed over $600 in tips among the Africa Heartwood Project artisan team. "It was a total pleasure to take 100% of the donated funds and give them freely on your behalf, as tips from the heart. I return with a message of deep gratitude and genuine surprise of the artisans for the generosity of all those who donated tips. The money really does make a difference in the lives of individuals and their families. Thank you!" -Andy Jones, Director, Africa Heartwood Project

While the artisans who crafted your percussion instrument are compensated better than fair trade standards, we still wanted to create an opportunity for you to make a direct connection with those who made your instrument. For most musicians, there is a connection between you, the instrument, and the music that is produced. We want to add another dimension of that connection - the one between you, the instrument, and the breathing human being who made it in West Afrca. We have broken the boundaries of the traditional online marketplace by making purchase experience as personal and direct as possible. You and the people who will hear you play are the ultimate beneficiaries of the skill and labor of the individuals who spent their time and energy to build the finished product you are about to enjoy. We encourage you to include a tip - any amount - to be distributed proportionately to the African men, women, and/or children who had part in crafting the instrument.

We guarantee full transparency as your tip is handled personally by DjembeDirect and Africa Heartwood Project owners, and placed directly into the hands that made your instrument. We guarantee that 100% will be used for this purpose, with nothing being deducted for overhead or administrative expenses, not even the credit card transaction fees required to accept your donation. It is as close to you personally putting a bit of cash into the strong and calloused hands of the craftsman as it can get.

At this time all donation tips given through this portal will be distributed to individual African artisans at the AHP workshop in Ghana. We are working on building close enough relationships with the carvers and craftsmen in Mali, Ivory Coast, and Guinea, where a few of our instruments come from.

Meet just a few of the current and past, full and part time artisans and workers with Africa Heartwood Project in Ghana:

ISAAC Ring maker, welder, raw materials sourcing, General Manager.	FOSTER Drum finishing, bearing edge..	EVELYN Drum oiling, loops and verts, cleaning, skin prep.
JUDITH Axatse and bag maker, Isaac's wife, mother of three.	KWEKU Artistic design carver, mask maker.	KAMAL Expert drum shell carver.
NANA Rings, Bearing Edge, Loops, Head	KOFI Drum shell carver	MAX Drum shell carver
RAFIU Expert drum shell carver.	THE CHILDREN Always eager to help with anything!