In 2004 a group of adult polio victims, many of whom were begging on the streets in Dar es Salaam Tanzania, came together with help from Blue Mango Photography, funds from The Dar es Salaam Charity Goat Races and great support from big companies in Dar who donated their scrap metal, and established a welding workshop. Here, with training from a local welding expert they learnt how to weld and, using recycled scrap metal, started very quickly to make animals, birds and boats which were sold locally.
After a few months we were very lucky to have Heather Cumming, a professional artist/welder from Scotland, come to Dar es Salaam for two months to train the Welders in the finer art of metal sculpture. After her visit we held an exhibition and with the funds raised we officially launched the project and registered as the WONDER WORKSHOP, a Tanzanian NGO. Since then we have gone from strength to strength and are now training more and more disabled Tanzanians as well as producing world class metal artwork. We are fully self-sufficient and are expanding rapidly to keep up with demand.
In the last 3 years we have expanded the workshops to include a handmade recycled paper project, handmade wooden toys, natural handmade soaps and recycled glass bottle beads. We currently employ 40 people on a full-time basis as well as a further 4 in our out-sourcing satellite workshop. The sales of the items sustain the project and pay all the members all a good salary so that they can support themselves and their families. In the future we hope to continue to expand the project and have more polio victims come and join us as well as start exporting and exhibiting our work overseas.
As well as undertaking special commissions, Wonder Workshop products are available from our workshops in Dar es Salaam, where you can meet the artists and see the welders, paper-makers, carpenters, soap-makers and bead-makers in action.
OPENING TIMES: Monday-Friday from 8.30am-5pm, and on Saturdays from 9am-2pm.
LOCATION: 44 Galu Street in Ada Estate (near Mbuyuni)
DIRECTIONS: To get there from town drive towards Namanga and after the junction of Haile Selassie and Ali Hassan Mwinyi take the first left into Ruhinde Road. Then take the second road on your right (there is a sign on the corner)and we are the third gate on your right (sign on the gate).
By purchasing a piece of Wonder Workshop art you are supporting this group of disabled Tanzanians, enabling them to have a sustainable source of income and better standard of living as well as helping us to promote recycling as everything we make is made from recycled waste.
DAR ES SALAAM STOCKISTS:
The Wooden Keepsake in Oysterbay
Mawazo Gallery at the YMCA
Zantaani in Seacliff Village
Ethnic Beads, The Souk, Slipway
The Cotton Club, Seacliff Village & Shoppers Plaza
A Novel Idea Bookshop, Slipway, Seacliff & Shoppers Plaza Branches
Out of Africa, International & Domestic Terminals at DSM Airport
ZANZIBAR STOCKISTS:
Memories of Zanzibar, Zawadi Chest, Sai-Fa (near Serena), Matemwe Beach Village.
ARUSHA, MOSHI & KARATU STOCKISTS:
Trade Routes, TFA Shopping Complex, Arusha. Scardle Gifts;Moshi, Tanzania Journeys;Moshi, Fine Artz;Karatu
MAIL ORDER: If you would like to purchase a piece of Wonder Workshop art but are unable to visit our workshops or one of our stockists we are able to ship our things to you anywhere in the world. Please browse through our online catalogue and send us an email at info@wonderwelders.org with the items you are interested in, we will then let you know the prices plus the shipping to your destination.
Please Note: The prices quoted on this website are excluding VAT (applicable in Tanzania only at 20%) and any carriage charges.
We are currently at maximum capacity in our present location, we are also having to move out of the house we rent as the landlady wants to develop it. We hope to buy a larger premises from which to operate from so that we have a permanent base for the Wonder Workshop and therefore a secure future for its current and future employees and trainees. If you think you can help and are interested in helping us fundraise and would like to read our proposal please drop us an email to info@wonderwelders.org. Thank you for your support!