Thai Tribal Crafts has just concluded its financial year and each of you has contributed to these results. The decline of the world economy, as well as a very unstable Thai political situation in 2010, has continued to affect our operation. We have struggled once again this year, even though our sales total came to $294,207.29, representing an increase of $9,015.24, or approximately 3.16 percent, over a year ago. These sales also enabled us to purchase $235,339.77 worth of products from our producer groups and other TTC cooperative partners, which is good news.
TTC must try to sell more in order to buy more from our artisans. Therefore, in 2010, we continued and expanded our local markets by opening a new Fair Trade Shop in Chiang Rai City in cooperation with Akha Crafts, one of our producer groups. We participated in the Bangkok International Gift & Bangkok International Houseware (BIG+BIH) fairs in the hope of making more contacts with international buyers. We developed our social media networks, such as Network Blog, Facebook and YouTube, to get more contacts, as well as to provide information to our existing customers for use in their own marketing strategies. In spite of these efforts, due to the weak economy and the Thai political situation, our actual sales turnover was well below our expectations. Having publicized in these new venues, we hope that our sales will increase and we will be able to buy more from our artisans.
As a certified member of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), promoting Fair Trade is our goal. The following activities have taken place in the past year to promote Fair Trade in Northern Thailand: 1) We were invited by Chiang Mai University to present our organization and its Fair Trade activities during a Social Enterprises workshop; 2) Far Eastern University sent their business students to TTC to conduct a case study on Fair Trade; 3) Rajmonkol University sent their students majoring in fabric design to do product development for social enterprises by using the principles of Fair Trade; 4) and we presented our organization and its Fair Trade activities to many overseas students and visitors.
I wish to thank our artisans for their beautiful handicrafts. The customers and overseas partners who have made purchases that have allowed the employment of many needy tribal artisans are also much appreciated. I extend my thanks to our staff for their hard work and commitment to our mission, as well as to the Board of Thai Tribal Crafts for its support and direction.
In all we do, our aim is to raise the economic level of the tribal people of Northern Thailand by giving them regular orders at fair prices, increasing their market opportunities, and providing knowledge in business principles. These tools help them to escape the poverty in which they live.
We look forward to your continued support.
Sincerely,
Harry Wathittayakul,
Managing Director
Thai Tribal Crafts Fair Trade Co.,Ltd.
December 2010
Thank you Harry for the good work you do with all the TTC co-workers. Thank you to the producers in the villages for their beautiful handicrafts. I think the financial annual statement that you should be taken as an example of transparency.
ReplyDeleteRonny Hermosa.