James, also known as Pop, has always been passionate about music and handicraft. Since the age of 16, he developed an interest in making objects from local and natural materials. He collected shells on beaches to make creative jewellery and decorative items. His first experience as a professional artisan consisted in making and fixing musical instruments for a group of musicians; he was amazed the first time he heard the sound of a rain stick and created one with bamboo and rice.

The shy and talented artisan that he was has come a long way since joining the project in xxx. Pop’s experience with Beautiful Localhands has boosted his self-confidence and skills. He has also developed and improved many new handicraft techniques. Moreover, he has shown leadership skills as the wood workshop team lead, in charge of orders, maintaining deadlines, supervising the quality of products and organising tasks for the team of artisans.