Relief Beads for Darfur

Relief Beads For Darfur
by Jessica

“Relief” – What does this word make you feel?

To me, this tiny word “relief” has the ability to be extremely powerful when it causes us to experience two completely different emotions. At first thought, the word implies a darker past full of pain, distress, and oppression – but as we begin associating it with alleviation from this pain and we are eased from our sadness. That is why I think “Relief Beads for Darfur” is such a fitting name for these beautiful bracelets. The artisans behind the assembly of these Relief Beads for Darfur carry a dark history full of oppression and distress on their backs, but the product that they make symbolizes the strength these women have emerged with after they have battled their life’s hardships. The beads of the bracelets reflect the artisans’ journeys, as each bead is made from sand and are each uniquely hand-painted to transform them into beautiful pieces of jewelry.

    Most of you hear about conflicts in Darfur through a voice coming out of the radio or a face on a TV screen. While we sympathize with the people living in Darfur, it sometimes becomes hard for us to find a way to help them. Sadly, with everything else happening in the world and in our everyday lives, it becomes easy for these tragic incidents to fade away to the backs of our minds over time. Wearing the Relief Beads for Darfur helps us to remember what is going on in the country and connects us more closely to the people who made them. It also gives us an easy way to help out people in Darfur:

- 1 Relief Bead feeds a malnourished child for 1 week
- 5 Relief Beads brings a malnourished child back to good health
- 10 Relief Beads restores the well-being of 2 malnourished children
- 100 Relief Beads saves the lives of 20 children

It is so amazing how much support these Relief Beads have received. Thanks to celebrities like Mandy Moore, Jessica Biel, and Zac Efron plus individuals like you who support this campaign, the people of Darfur are experiencing some relief. Won’t you be a part of it? Shop now >

Hi, my name is Jessica. As an upcoming senior in high school, I enjoy interning at Shopping for a Change. I've been gaining experience in marketing, interviewing people worldwide, and now blogging! I hope that you guys enjoy reading my blog post and become more aware of what's going in Darfur and how you can help!

SPECIAL 10% and 20% Discount Sale

As part of our Holiday Gift-Giving spirit, we're offering a special purchase discount for all items on our Shopping for a Change site. If you spend $50.00 to $99.99 you will receive a 10% discount at checkout for the total of the items bought (not the tax, if applicable, and shipping). If you spend $100 or more you will receive a 20% discount at the checkout for the total of items bought (not the tax or shipping again).

This HOLIDAY SPECIAL is running from today, December 11, through December 31st.

So, please join us for your holiday gift giving, with discounts, or buy something for yourself. Remember, you're also helping third world artisans and U.S. nonprofits. Thank you and Happy Holidays.

Look at the famous fair trade designers we're carrying:

• The Andean Collection
• The Leakey Collection
• Same Sky
• Gone Rural
• Pure Handknit
• Fredd & Basha
• Aid for Trade

Big Sales and Interest at the Ladies Night Out at Domenico Winery

 The Ladies Night Out event was well attended even though it rained fairly hard—but that didn't keep the ladies away. There were about thirty vendors that included goods and services being offered.  We were the only nonprofit organization.  People loved our business model and were excited to choose a U.S. nonprofit organization to receive a portion of the net proceeds from their purchases.  In three hours we sold over $1600 in accessories, home decor and apparel. We were asked not to bring our jewelry this time since there were already several jewelry vendors there, but they will be hosting a spring event prior to Mother's Day, & they want us to make our jewelry the focus for that one.

Biggest sellers of the night were the new Peruvian Embroidered Belts from Jenny Krauss, our Bamboo Fruit Bowls, the Teak Cheese sets, & Horn and Bamboo Salad Servers all from Be Home, our Scarves and Animal Kingdom Coin Purses from Fredd & Basha, and the Small Ceramic and Grass Bowls, trivets, and placemat sets from Gone Rural.

Current Holiday Activities

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have passed us by, and this gift-giving and celebration-of-our-oneness season is going so fast. Thanksgiving came and went last week. Whew. I truly hope all of you had much to be thankful for and enjoyed the feasting and conversation and hugging that comes with our late November holiday. I've been busy at Shopping for a Change, and I do have much to be thankful for, with much gratitude to all of you who have helped support us in many ways. Today, Thursday, November 29th, I am participating with other venders at the Domenico Winery's Ladies Night and a Night of Giving benefit event. The winery is turned into a giant Annual Holiday Boutique and we'll have our booth set up for greetings visitors and talking about our items and the philosophy of fair trade. Men are welcome too, as long as they shop for their lady. Admission is free. If you're in the San Carlos, California area, come on by. Check out domenicowinery.com for directions.

Our accessories collection has some nice new items added to it. Check out the Chunchu scarves, hats and fingerless gloves—trendy, very warm and perfect for the winter season. Each is sold separately. They'd make great gifts for girls or women.

Another beautiful and multi-functional item to consider for your holiday shopping is the Zulugrass Trio set of three similar-colored necklace strands that can be used as a necklace, choker, bracelet, waist belt or anklet bracelet. Three color sets to choose from: grasslands green, mother earth natural and pure water blue.






And don't forget we do have fifteen items on holiday sale. And we also have gift certificates. Often, the best way to buy for someone is to give them a gift certificate. All they do is come to our site and put in their gift certificate code for an item(s) at the same total value as the gift certificate.

Not Too Early for Holiday Shopping

Our hearts (and donations) go out to all the people in five states of the eastern seaboard who are displaced, have no power or heat, and lack food and gas in the wake of the superstorm Sandy. There has been an inspiring coming together of community spirit and helpfulness in the affected east coast areas that reflects our mission as well: helping those in third world countries (and here in the U.S.) in a spirit of sharing and helping to build lives. Our fair trade gifts and accessories provide helping hands to many communities living at poverty level. And we are unique in giving part of the profit from each gift to U.S. based nonprofits.

It is now only seven weeks to the holiday gift-giving season. Usually the holiday celebrations and gift-giving bring on a feeling of connected warmth and good feeling toward others. Yet, there is also a shade of commercialism associated with the holidays. Buying gifts can turn into a harried adventure of buying overly-commercialized gifts.

Fortunately, there are handmade, handcrafted gifts  that are more intimate and more expressive of our feelings of shared goodness and special giving. And these gifts—when they are fair trade—not only express a handcrafted care, but also help women, men and children in poor villages or towns who are working hard, being creative and disciplined at their crafts. They work and carry great hope toward creating a better life for themselves and their community.

We’ve started our Shopping for a Change Holiday Sale in this opening week of November. We’ve got fifteen items so far, each priced to save you money as you shop for gifts. Each item is unique and made entirely by hand using eco-green elements.

Among our outstanding items are the Angeline Suede Hobo Bag. This bag is from Fredd & Basha, comes in two colors, is hand stitched and combines leather and suede with decorative features, and includes two zippered pockets.

Another special gift item for men is our Organic Cotton Men’s Polo Shirt. This handsome, comfortable shirt comes from Tompkins Point, crafted from 100% organic cotton that is prewashed with an organic softener—for a great feel.

We hope to see you at our Shopping for a Change market for all of your gift-giving.









Shopping for a Change® (SFAC) empowering others, transforming lives® is a web-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization where artisans (predominantly women) from developing countries, sell their handmade creations enabling them to earn a sustainable income and lift themselves from poverty. The net proceeds subsidize community improvement projects abroad as well as help fund select U.S.-based non-profit organizations of the web shopper’s choosing from SFAC’s partner list.