ORE Indigenous Craft Fair generates G. 108 million in Paraguay

The second edition of the ORE Indigenous Art and Craft Fair, held on August 8 and 9 at the Staudt Cultural Space, generated over G. 108 million in sales and attracted 1,441 visitors.

The event featured 32 artisans representing 31 communities from 12 different indigenous peoples across 11 departments in Paraguay. Saturday saw the highest attendance with 980 visitors and G. 61 million in sales, while Sunday recorded 461 visitors and G. 47 million in sales, a 4.5% increase compared to the previous year.

A significant outcome of the fair was the advancement of financial inclusion for indigenous producers. Through a partnership between the Paraguayan Institute of Handicrafts (IPA) and ueno bank, 22 point-of-sale (POS) terminals were provided, facilitating 263 electronic transactions via debit cards, credit cards, and QR codes. This initiative resulted in 11 artisans entering the formal banking system for the first time.