Malaria infections worldwide now number around 350 to 500 million cases a year, with over a million deaths, mostly among the young in Africa.

Public health professionals know that long-lasting insecticide treated bednets prevent transmission of malaria by protecting families that sleep underneath them. Knowing that, what do you do: freely distribute these nets, which cost between $1-4 to produce and distribute, or try to sell them, albeit at cost? Which strategy do you think will reach more people? Which strategy will prove to be more sustainable over time? Who should pay for this? (African public sector expenditures on health range from $6-21 per capita and in theory can cover everything from HIV/AIDS to schistosomiasis to family planning and delivery.)

A recent Business Week article captures the essence of the debate. On the one hand,

Advocates of free distribution worry that selling bed nets—even at heavily subsidized prices as low as $1—puts them out of reach of poor people and slows uptake. Indeed, a recent study in Kenya found that free distribution of bed nets raises their use to 66% of the population, compared with just 7% when they are sold commercially.

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There is no place more fascinating to visit in a new county than a market, especially markets that sell locally crafted wares. These artisanal goods often require skilled handiwork and substantial amount of time to create. Many global travelers find indigenous crafts beautiful, exciting, and irresistible. It is easy to imagine creating a business to sell such wonderful stuff in more lucrative markets, but as more than one traveler has learned: finding a long-term market in the US or Europe takes the same kind of innovation and management skills as any other business.

That’s why it is so exciting to read how several US designers and photographers, Rwandan women, and Macy’s.com to make these beautiful Rwandan peace baskets available in the US.

The skeptical among us - those who are admittedly not likely to be reading a Posipeople blog - will ask how do we know that this is not a one-hit wonder? How can this be sustained? It is true that anticipating consumers’ fickle tastes does not come naturally, but many artisan businesses have become adept at applying design trends and business practices to their labors.
And organizations such as US-based Aid to Artisans are dedicated to working with artisan groups to strengthen their design and business skills. (Confession: I did some consulting for ATA several years ago. I was so impressed by the organization that I began giving back to them.)

New retailers such as Viva Terra and Novica also respond to (and influence) consumers’ desire for attractive, fairly traded products. Personally, while I would love to visit Rwanda, I am glad to know that I don’t have to go that far to find such lovely baskets.

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About the Author

Bea Bezmalinovic Dhebar is encouraged by the creativity, diversity, diffusion and fusion of ideas taking place among people around the world. She is particularly interested in the ways in which new entrepreneurial ventures - whether led by business, government or non-governmental organizations - can make a difference in our quality of life. Bea has worked extensively on international health and development issues with organizations as varied as Management Sciences for Health, the NetAid Foundation, Harvard Business School, Harvard School of Public Health, Partners in Population and Development, Save the Children, Aid to Artisans, the US Agency for International Development, the Overseas Development Council, and the International Center for Research on Women. She has lived or worked in more than 25 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Bea received a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and recently returned to get an MBA from Babson College. She is fluent in Spanish and has some knowledge of Portuguese and Bengali.