Fair Trade Buys Goats

Yunnan, South-Western China

goat_in_hainanWhen is a goat worth more than a goat? An odd question, perhaps, but for one group of women in South-Western China, the answer is empowering! In our fair trade marketplace, we sell handiwork made by these women and, with the profits returned, they have just bought new goats. The goats produce three very valuable things: milk for their families and for extra income, new baby goats that will spread the benefit to more in their community, and lastly…ahem… fertiliser! (The manure produced by their goats means they don’t need to buy fertiliser for their farms, cutting costs and makes their produce organic.) The goat project, kick-started by our ‘fair trade premium’ payment, began with a new goat for 10 families, but as they produce more baby goats, the project is expected to help 200 families in Yunnan! We love the multiplier effect of fair trade.

Turning Trash into Treasure

Haiti

tree-of-lifeIt’s true what people say. Recovery from a disaster can take decades. Haiti is one example. Six years on from their devastating earthquake, in January 2010, the country continues to battle to find full recovery. More than half the population lives below the poverty line and jobs are scarce. Yet fair trade is having an impact. Creative Haitian artisans have found
a way to take used metal drums and recycle them into beautiful works of art. For many of the artisans with fair trade organisation, Comite Artisanal Haitien, the money they earn making these crafts is their sole income.

 

Angels of Hope

Mongolia

img_3789MONGOLIA: Made from broken glass bottles, these angels are produced by Mongolian women whose lives are affected by alcoholism. With proceeds going to support families of recovering alcoholics, they show that from the very thing that breaks lives, something beautiful and full of hope can be formed.

 

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Life is a struggle for Wang Ping Fen and her husband. They live with their three children in the mountains of Yunnan Province, where sweeping craggy slopes meet the vibrant colors of Yunnan’s many ethnic minority cultures, brimming with embroidered textiles, different dialects and traditional dance and song. While rich in cultural heritage, it’s an area that sees great material poverty. Many families like Wang Ping Fen’s survive on a salary of less than US$50, leaving them vulnerable to disease, malnutrition and poor education.

Someone once asked Wang Ping Fen what her greatest desire was. Her answer was simple: she wished to own a sofa – a soft and comfortable place to sit at the end of a long day’s work in the fields. The humble dream became a real possibility, when Wang Ping Fen was given the chance to join a project called Threads of Yunnan. The hand-embroidered ornaments, homewares, jewellery and cards, designed with a modern international market in mind, are inspired by the beautiful traditional designs and motifs of the different minority cultures of Yunnan.

After some time making handicrafts with Threads of Yunnan and carefully saving her earnings, Wang Ping Fen was able to purchase her sofa! Delighted as she was, however, there was something she earned that was even greater. Before taking on the handicrafts job, Wang Ping Fen couldn’t read, write or do basic arithmetic. Threads of Yunnan offered her the chance to take part in their educational and development programs. When, at last, Wang Ping Fen wrote her name for the first time, she had tears in her eyes.

You can see the handiwork of the craftspeople employed by Threads of Yunnan in our Global Handicrafts shop, where we stock embroidered hanging ornaments, greeting cards with lift-out decorations, jewellery and bags.

Shop Now!

Browse Global Handicrafts’ full online range here or visit our shop at Crossroads Village to walk through our colourful global marketplace, with even more handmade delights from around the world, all of which care for the people who made them.

SHOP

China Snapshot

Population: 1.35 billion

Capital: Beijing

Population below international poverty line of US$1.25 per day: 11%, or 157 million people

China is experiencing rapid economic growth, but the benefits have not reached millions of people in rural areas. People who are already poor are the most vulnerable to death, injury and loss of livelihood when floods and earthquakes hit.

Natural disasters in China affect more than 200 million people every year.

China_S1359U_6

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