Hand carved 11 piece baobab wood nativity set from Malawi, with tallest piece measuring approximately 7-3/4" tall. Malawi is one of the poorest nations in the world.  With a population of 15 million people, a full 74 percent live below the income poverty line of $1.90 per day. Droughts are the biggest culprit of their poverty. More than thirty percent of rural households rely on agriculture for their livelihood. With the severity of the recent droughts, their crops are not growing and their harvests insufficient to support their family. Some of them are relying on wood carving to supplement their income. Each carver focuses on one piece of the nativity set, carving that figure and only that figure, so a 6 piece set employs 6 men, a 10 piece set employs 10 men. 

These figures are carved from baobab wood. Baobab has a unique waxy finish that will whiten over time. The pieces can be enjoyed as is, or buffed gently with a paper towel to achieve the darker look of the wood.