For generations, Nigerien weavers have made complexly woven cloth. Recently, almost all of the highly skilled weavers who remain are not working because they lack access to materials, organisation, and the urban market. Dispositif d’Initiatives pour les Métiers de l’Artisanat (DIMA)’s project proposes to preserve handweaving in Niger because it is a unifying symbol of national pride shared by the many ethnic groups of Niger as well as the diaspora. 

Activities include formalising a weaving curriculum to maintain quality and preserve traditional knowledge in training, making training available in rural areas, improving sustainability of raw materials, improving productivity and ergonomics, and developing and marketing products to expand income opportunities.