October 7, 2005

It matters where you shop

International Gift Faire Oct. 14 - 15

Looking for a unique gift or something unusual to put the finishinig touches on your living room?

Uganda weavers transform raffia and banana leaves into baskets traditionally used for gift giving to friends and family. They will be available at the International Gift Faire.

For 17 years Bay Area Mennonite churches have sponsored the International Gift Faire, giving local residents an opportunity to make an impact on a world in which 1 billion people live on $1 a day.

The International Gift Faire is an affiliate of Ten Thousand Villages, the oldest and largest fair trade organization in the U.S., providing jobs and a market for more than 60,000 artisans in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Income helps artisans pay for better nutrition, education, health care and housing for their families. Crafts are purchased from organizations working with craftspeople who are struggling to find markets. Artisans are encouraged to set a fair price for their products, covering labor, materials and livelihood with dignity. Up to 50 percent in cash advances are made when an order is placed, and payment in full when an order is shipped.

What makes Ten Thousand Villages different is the direct contact and relationships with actual craftspeople who need work.

Skilled basket weavers in Uganda, for example, transform simple raffia and banana leaf into beautiful, functional art for your home. Their exquisite baskets, which are traditionally used for gift giving to friends and family, offer the women an opportunity to earn a livelihood with dignity and share their heritage with you.

Items such as this vase from Vietnam, this pillowcase from India and this Singing Bowl from Nepal can be found at the Ten Thousand Villages International Gift Faire.

The women receive prompt and fair payment for their baskets through Ten Thousand Villages artisan partner Uganda Crafts, located in Kampala.

Betty Kinene, Uganda Crafts director, said, “Ten Thousand Villages is doing a lot to improve the lives of many women in Uganda. When I look back over the years, many women came to Uganda Crafts with no hope for the future.”

This organization has grown from a single Mennonite central committee volunteer marketing Puerto Rican embroidery from her home in Lancaster County, Pa., to a network of 150 stores and 175 festival sales in the U.S. and Canada.

Fairly traded folk art and handicrafts from 30 developing countries will be on sale at the International Gift Faire on Friday Oct. 14, from 9 a.m. to 8 pm, and Saturday, Oct. 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The fair will be held at Lincoln Glen Church Fellowship Hall, located at 2700 Booksin Ave. in San Jose.

For more information, visit www.internationalgiftfaire.com or www.tenthousandvillages.org.