Meet Mustafa...

With a strong mind and precise hands, Mustafa once provided for the family he was born into, and now provides for the family he has created. The passing of Mustafa’s father forced him to leave school and begin work by Grade 5. As the eldest in the family he took on the responsibility of providing for his mother and siblings. It is easy to see that Mustafa is a man who turns hardship into opportunities.

He has an evident entrepreneurial spirit, having tried his hand as a vegetable seller and a steel box maker before joining Village Artisan. As the steel boxes he made are now being used less and less among his people, his work began to die out. With a growing family, it was crucial for him to find dependable work.

Today, Mustafa works in dignity at Village Exports to provide for his wife, Rafia, and their 3 small children. Although he is without formal education, he has an uncanny grasp of numbers and geometry. He started by hand making books and now has been fully trained in the operation of the cutting machines. Mustafa skillfully cuts each piece of paper that adorns our lovely handmade paper products. He is a key man in VA's paper product creation, as the outcome of each piece depends upon the precision of each piece of paper cut. Now Mustafa has found a permanent place for work as well as the challenge that his sharp mind had longed for. As they should be, Village Artisan is very proud to have Mustafa as a part of their team. He, as well as his paper products, are works of great worth.