Nominate Lulan Artists for AMEX funding

Lulan is a very cool and effective project is helping promote weaving as a development effort. The combination of open architecture with this is innovative and something that could create a neat case for other efforts.

American Express is currently offering $2.5 million dollars in funding to support exciting and innovative ideas that make a difference in the world. They will be selecting 5 'Members Projects' for funding.

In many parts of Southeast Asia young women are left with little option in gaining employment. Unfortunately thousands, some as young as 12, are trafficked and lost into the sex trade every year. Last month Cameron Sinclair Visited Bangkok with http://www.lulan.com/lulan/index.php Eve Blossom of Lulan Artisans to find a way to help scale her successful model of local empowerment through social enterprise. By expanding her fair-trade weaving cooperatives throughout South Asia collectively we can affect the lives of thousands of families.

Architecture for Humanity is partnering with http://www.lulan.com/lulan/index.php Lulan Artisans, for a Members Project entitled,
END HUMAN TRAFFICKING THROUGH SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS.

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Now Lulan Artisans is ready to expand, hire thousands of weavers and
build innovative off-the-grid weaving centers whose profits will
support these artisans but also provide health care and schooling for
their children.

Architecture for Humanity and its' designers will provide innovative
off-the-grid weaving centers that respects tradition but represents a
new way forward. Each building will not only be an anchor for these
artisans but will signal change has arrived. Building designs will
shared openly with anyone wanting to replicate them through a Creative
Commons licensing mechanism on the Open Architecture Network. This way
innovation is shared and more communities can benefit.