Belinda

Co-Founder & CEO

Based in Kabul, Belinda oversees design, production, Artijaan's women's networks and artisan collectives

  • Belinda’s French-Yemeni-Djiboutian heritage has greatly influenced her appreciation for the diverse cultures, religions, and traditions that exist in the world.

    Inspired by her love of travel, culture, and craftsmanship, @artijaan.co is a dream that she has had for many years and the culmination of her lifelong appreciation for ancestral techniques and handmade objects that tell a story. Her abiding wanderlust led her to travel with a purpose and she always returned with a suitcase full of treasures and unique stories.

Pierre-Emmanuel

Co-Founder

Based in Paris, Pierre-Emmanuel is in charge of our creative directions and operations in France

  • Pierre-Emmanuel is the co-founder of Artijaan. With a background in design, he worked for 8 years in China, in the brand identity and communication sector. Back in France, he decides to embark on entrepreneurship with a cause and takes part in “Mapatho” project, a patient platform intended to facilitate the daily lives of people affected by chronic diseases.

    In 2021, he co-founded with Belinda: Artijaan, a project that embodies many of his aspirations.

    He is passionate about craft techniques, wooden construction, and handmade objects that translate a unique history. He greatly values preservation of traditional skills used in making of such objects.

    Pierre-Emmanuel currently lives in France, where he is responsible for the communication and the branding of this project.

Hannah

Storyteller

Based in Rome, Hannah is Artijaan’s storyteller

  • A writer and photographer, Hannah has always appreciated how storytelling illuminates and connects us to a world beyond ourselves. Early in her career, she spent three years living in Kenya. While exploring the bustling Maasai markets of Nairobi or the sun-soaked streets of Lamu, she developed a deep appreciation for the way handmade objects bring richness and beauty to everyday life.

    In 2021, she began looking for ways to respond to the unfolding situation in Afghanistan and saw Artijaan at the vital intersection of social enterprise, cultural preservation, and conscious consumption. In a world where value is often placed on rapid and cheap production, she admires the mindful, slow approach to handmade crafts.

    She is currently based in Italy and writes stories for Artijaan’s online platforms.

Michael

Field researcher

Based in UK

  • Michael is a documentary filmmaker, anthropologist, storyteller and conflict researcher. He has worked in humanitarian aid, as a journalist, and as a field researcher in the Middle East, West Africa, Latin America and Central Asia. He speaks Arabic, Farsi, French, German, Spanish and Italian.

    After spending much of his life exploring the root causes of conflict, more recently he has spent time with indigenous communities around the world to better understand wisdom traditions, and how the modern world can learn from and exchange with different forms of knowledge. Artijaan for him represents a powerful bridge between worlds, cultures and peoples through stories, craft and heritage, which can help us refashion globalisation into more equitable and human forms of exchange.

Clémence

Business developer

Based in Paris

  • Passionate about craftsmanship and sustainable practices in the manufacturing sector. Clémence Sangaré is committed to empowering artisans in developing countries by fostering ethical production practices and developing market access. With a diverse background spanning marketing, social enterprise leadership, and international consulting, she has worked extensively in France, Uganda, and various regions across Africa. 

    Clémence’s journey began in the fashion industry, where she recognized the urgent need for sustainable changes and fair trade practices. 

    Since then, she has worked alongside refugee artisans and local communities through social enterprises and UN initiatives to promote handmade products that honor traditional craftsmanship while making ethical production available to independent brands and their customers, thereby establishing sustainable and trust-based relationships between artisans and retailers.

Learn more about our artisan partners

We collaborate with skilled artisan in Afghanistan to create handmade, traditional crafts.
By working directly with makers, we aim to build sustainable employment opportunities for our partners.