Artisans win UNDP’s merchandise innovation challenge

Three women-led artisan businesses have won the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office’s first-ever Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) Merchandise Innovation Challenge.

After a highly competitive selection process, Kavara WoodArt, Matemosi Artisans, and Sigavou Studios emerged as the three winners, each receiving cash prizes along with the opportunity to supply official UNDP event merchandise.

Eremasi Rova and Mereia Tuiloma-Rova from Sigavou Studios were grateful for the opportunity to participate and showcase their unique designs.

“At Sigavou Studios, we are committed to the sustainable development goals for our island nation. We are thrilled to be one of the suppliers for UNDP. The artwork created by Sigavou studios is 100 percent inspired by our people, our culture, our beautiful coral reefs, our tropical forests, and we channel all these into the artwork that we create,” Rova said.

Fellow winner and Kavara WoodArt’s creative artist and director, Christy Pickering, said: 

“Seeing that a lot of timber or parts of the log were wasted because they could not be utilised, Kavara Wood Art was then born creating sustainable products out of the cut wood pieces turning them into beautiful products. Giving them life through our products is what we hope to achieve.”

With a dual purpose of driving economic opportunity and reducing environmental impact, the MICE Merchandise Innovation Challenge brought together artisans and small businesses from across Fiji and the Pacific. 

Participants demonstrated their expertise in creating sustainable products aligned with circular economy principles using materials such as locally sourced fibres and natural resources. These unique products showcase the Pacific’s commitment to blending tradition with sustainable innovation. 

Koto Matemosi from Matemosi Artisans said they were privileged to be able to showcase their traditional masi products:

“I am thankful for the opportunity provided to me to continue to the designs and legacy of my late mother. As a masi artist, I wish to advocate on preservation and sustainability of our environment.” 

Alongside the three winners,10 creatives and artists will now embark on an extensive journey within the UNDP’s Supplier Development Programme (SDP). This tailored programme will support their growth and integration into local supply chains for the MICE sector, expanding business opportunities while encouraging sustainable practices across the Pacific region. 

Head of Solutions Mapping with UNDP Pacific, Sagufa Janif, said: “This project is close to my heart, not only for the opportunities it creates for artisans but also for its role in strengthening a circular economy across the Pacific. Our winners’ work not only reflects our heritage but also prepares us for a future that is sustainable, prosperous, and proudly Pacific.” 

[From an original release by UNDP]