Meet One of Our Fair Trade Artisans from Awamaki Labs, Peru

Working at over 4,000 meters (over 12,000 feet) at the Kelkanka cooperative in high mountain region Peru, Eustachia Huaman Zuniga is one of the hard-working and interesting artisans who craft our Ivy Hobo Bags in our purses and handbags collection. Eustachia is working for the fair trade, economic opportunity Awamaki Labs company. She is one of 19 women at the Kelkanka cooperative who produce very high quality wool textile items. Her place of work is a rugged two and half hour drive into the mountain region of Peru. Awamaki Labs is headquartered near the famous Machu Picchu U.N. World Heritage site.

Eustachia likes to volunteer for the harder wool crafting orders, and is known for her bubbly and warm personality. When asked what motivates her to work hard each day, she points to her heart and says mi corazon, my heart. She is a mother of six, and alongside of her textile crafting job she helps her husband in his seasonal farm work. She is the main provider for her family.

Below is a picture of Eustachia posing near her home.

Awamaki works with over 150 women and their families across five cooperatives, providing education and skill trainings, enabling them to transform their communities. Awamaki facilitates economic opportunities that give these artisans access to a broader market so they may sell their fair trade products.

Enjoy your shopping and be sure to recommend us to your friends. Shopping for a Change is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization.

SFAC’s Sponsored Preschools in Bangladesh Loved by Kids, Moms

The two preschools in Cox’s Bazar on the Bay of Bengal coast of Bangladesh that SFAC helps fund are doing very well. The two schools, which are part of the Pebbles knitting centers, opened in February 2015 to great fanfare and anticipation. Seven months later, we’re proud to share this update.

Austin Miller is the Pebbles U.S distributor and he recently spoke to moms with children at the preschools. He reports:

I did speak with a lot of the moms and they were very thrilled to have a pre-school for their children. They see at as a big benefit of their work with Pebble. The concept of pre-school is relatively new in Bangladesh, especially in the rural areas. Kids that are going on to the standardized school system, from these preschools, are performing much better. This is preparing them for a much better future and is key for poverty prevention. Because there is a mass of children from one rural area who are being educated it is also instrumental for community building efforts.

Here are some quotes from the mothers:

"We are very glad our children have the unique opportunity to attend this type of school, where they can study while we work"

They are not only safe at the school but also learning lot of things from the school. Now they can write their own name in Bengali which they would typically not learn for another two years.

"Our kids are cheerful in the morning, reciting rhymes that they learned at school as soon as they wake up"

"Previously our children were disruptive and a bit unruly in the morning and we could not concentrate on our household work, but now they spend their time getting ready to go to school in the morning.

“In mountain areas like ours, we often worry about our children falling or getting accidentally injured, but now we know they are safe because they are in school."

Please enjoy the recent photos of the schools.

Visit our website to shop for the highest quality items available that range from jewelry, accessories, baby and kid products, travel cases, scarves and wraps, and more. Click here for a great summer collection of home décor.

If you’re looking for fair trade gift ideas for this summer, go here.

Enjoy your shopping and be sure to recommend us to your friends. Shopping for a Change is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Some of the Fair Trade Lady Artisans from Acacia Creations

Acacia Creations is one of the many wonderful vendors we’re proud to work with in supplying the jewelry items we carry.  The AC jewelry are fair trade in that their artisan worker are paid a more-than-living wage from monies earned by sales through  online stores such as Shopping For A Change. They are also eco friendly, an important distinction in today’s world of almost all mainstream goods to cause damage to the environment in their manufacture.

The home of Acacia Creations is in Kenya, Africa, having been established since 2007. We have had a relationship with Acacia Creations since 2010, and we carry their beautiful Barefoot Trade Bracelet as part of our jewelry collection.

Below is a picture of 4 of the artists who craft by hand the Barefoot Trade Bracelet and many other jewelry pieces.

Visit our website to shop for the highest quality items available that range from jewelry, accessories, baby and kid products, travel cases, scarves and wraps, and more.

Enjoy your shopping and be sure to recommend us to your friends. Shopping for a Change is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization.