What is “purchasing power”? If you are
a consumer (and who isn’t) it means, simply,
how much product you can get for
your money. None of us wants to waste
our hard-earned money. But what if your
hard earned money, through your purchasing
power, also helped out someone
else? Someone who, if not given opportunity,
might only earn $1.00 a
day?
World Crafts Fair Trade in Kidron
features products made by artisans
that are part of co-ops ensuring they
are being paid fairly, have good working
conditions, preserve cultural traditions,
denounce child-labor and
factory lockups. By selling Fair Trade
products, World Crafts provides
steady employment to artisans around
the world. These artisans then also have
“purchasing power” – the power to send
their children to school, put food on the
table, repair their house or purchase a
flock of chickens.
For example, in the village of Nyamarambe,
Kenya, proceeds from sales of
soapstone carvings fund a K-8 community
school. Members of the Nyabigena Soapstone
Carvers Cooperative decided they
wanted to provide quality education for
school drop-outs and abused children in
their area. Since 2007, they have funded
the building, teachers and partial scholarships
for the most impoverished families.
Currently more than 150 students attend
each year. Your purchase of a soapstone
carving also helps artisans buy food, pay
for health care and cover their portion of
school fees for their children.
(SERRV.org)
In Vietnam, Huynh Thanh Tung works
with 14 artisans in a large slum area where
few employment opportunities exist.
Through their work with Mai Handicrafts,
they earn twice the average income in their
community and receive product design assistance.
At the age of 35, married with
one child, Huynh has many reasons to appreciate
a stable livelihood in recycled
paper craft.
“This is about my future,” Huynh explains.
“So I am thankful for those who are
interested in my products.” (SERRV.org)
Your purchasing power can help empower
needy people around the world!
See more at World Crafts, 13110 Emerson
Road, Kidron Ohio,
330-857-0590,
www.worldcraftsfairtrade.com. Stop in
on September 17th through the 19th for
the 25th Anniversary sale!
Written by www.ohacg.com