It’s not every day that you can buy a handcrafted necklace for yourself and a woven purse as a birthday gift for your sister — all while providing for a woman’s livelihood and maybe even freedom from the snare of sex trafficking. But that’s exactly what a purchase through WorldCrafts does — and so much more.
WorldCrafts is a nonprofit division of national Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) that develops sustainable, fair-trade businesses among impoverished people around the world. Since 1996, WorldCrafts has had a vision to offer an income with dignity and the hope of everlasting life.
This year’s addition of seven new artisan groups (see story, page 5) brings WorldCrafts’ total number to more than 60 groups, with more than 200 products coming from more than 30 countries — including the fall additions of two artisan groups — one in Guatemala and another in Myanmar.
Through its new Support Freedom campaign (see story, this page) WorldCrafts is attempting to dive in even further to reach and rescue women and children stuck in the sex-trafficking industry.
“A lot of people who know about sex trafficking don’t know what they can do to help,” said Emily Swader, marketing strategist for WorldCrafts. “WorldCrafts is something they can do to help. It’s a way to empower believers to be a part of the freedom story.”
Evils of the sex industry
WorldCrafts artisan groups are working to end the evils of the sex industry by providing a living wage to parents, making them less likely to be seduced by the sex industry, according to WorldCrafts director Andrea Mullins.
Some of these families live month to month and barely make enough money to feed their families, much less provide for any other needs like schooling or health care, Mullins said.
Southern Baptist representatives play a key role in connecting artisan groups to WorldCrafts. And as a member of the Fair Trade Federation (FTF) artisan groups can get in contact with WorldCrafts, and WorldCrafts can then ensure the groups are functioning as fair-trade businesses.
Former FTF executive director Carmen Iezzi said, “Fair trade is a trading partnership based on dialogue, transparency and respect that seeks great equality in the international trading system.
“What all that means is that our members are organizations that use trade as a tool for social justice — for helping people to help themselves to change their own lives, for respecting the environment and building capacity among the poorest of the poor.”
Paying fair wages
The federation’s members promote companies selling goods that, from start to finish, are produced in ways that are maximally beneficial not only to the consumer of the end product and the bottom line of the company selling it but also the originators of the product’s raw materials.
“It’s not about charity; it’s not about handouts,” Iezzi said. “It’s respecting the hard work that people do; it’s about paying fair wages; it’s about respecting the dignity of hard work.”
There are a few ways to support the artisan groups that work through WorldCrafts — host a WorldCrafts or Support Freedom party, buy products from the WorldCrafts website, shop at the WorldCrafts gift shop located at the national WMU headquarters in Birmingham or give to the Jackson/Reese Endowment or the Hayes Endowment.
Ann Reese, of Montgomery, who died in early September, started the Jackson/Reese Endowment several years ago. The endowment money, which has grown to nearly $150,000, helps offset WorldCrafts expenses like marketing and sales and allows WorldCrafts to be a strong nonprofit and help sustain its artisan groups, Mullins explained.
She also noted that people who become aware of WorldCrafts artisans can often visit a group while on a missions trip.
“It is a huge encouragement when someone from the United States (goes) over to see the work of these artisans. They really feel like they are forgotten people and that no one cares so when someone shows up to tell them, ‘We care about you,’ it really makes an impact,” Mullins said.
WorldCrafts products
A few of the 200 products available through WorldCrafts are:
- A banana fiber Nativity set from East Africa’s artisan group Kanzi, which donates a portion of sales to support orphans and children at risk in Uganda.
- A chai note box from India’s artisan group Village Artisans. Artists are mostly herdsmen who earn $1 a day. Village Artisans allows the men to use their talents in jewelry making and papermaking to earn an income, which in turn helps them rebuild their homes and dig new wells, two things impacted by a 2005 earthquake.
- A garden apron from Thailand’s New Life Center, where girls and women from the hill tribe minority groups of northern Thailand are provided with educational and residential services and vocational skills training. New Life Center also works with the Thai government to advocate against human trafficking.
- Tangerine tear-shaped earrings from Atlanta’s artisan group Refugee Beads. Refugee Beads exists to provide hope and needed income for refugees from Sudan, Bhutan, Burma and Egypt who have fled their countries to seek refuge in the U.S.
WorldCrafts recently added five new party themes — Christmas Celebration, Children’s Ministry, Exploring Africa, Decorator’s Delight and Support Freedom.
Any of these parties, along with 23 other themes listed online, can be planned by an individual, a small group or a large church, Swader explained. Resources to decide on a theme along with step-by-step instructions can be found at www.worldcrafts.org.
“We try to accommodate all different sizes and budgets (for a party),” Swader said.
A host can purchase samples to sell or simply provide catalogs at the party, Swader explained.
She suggested hosting parties in October or November in order to meet ordering deadlines in mid- to late-November for Christmas gifts. Most orders can be filled and shipped in five to seven business days, but Swader noted that some items sell out and are hard to replace in the inventory since they are handmade items mostly from overseas.
According to Swader, a Support Freedom party is similar to a WorldCrafts party but it specifically highlights the 20 artisan groups working to free people from trafficking.
“At a Support Freedom party you focus on that effort,” Swader said. “All things in the party lead to (freeing those trapped in trafficking). We have a prayer guide and … a call to action … and a video that can be shown at the party. All of those items are unique features of a Support Freedom party.
Susan Bartholomew, Baldwin Baptist Association WMU director for nearly 6 years, is an active WorldCrafts supporter.
A member of Pleasant View Baptist Church, Foley, Bartholomew said she focuses on encouraging people to become aware of WorldCrafts and what it does to help people around the world.
‘Where hope is not known’
Bartholomew was able to visit artisan group Thai Country Trim in Thailand in 2011 and artisan groups in India in 2014.
“These are places where hope is not known,” she said of India and Thailand and other places WorldCrafts has artisan groups. She shared the story of a woman she met that came consistently to work and learn from an artisan group in Kolkata, India.
Her husband later caught her with a Bible and burned her eyes out with hot wax, but she continued to go to the artisan group to hear about hope and learn a new skill, Bartholomew said.
She noted how many artisans risk their lives to break out of the vicious cycle of their surroundings and poverty.
“You may not be physically there training these women and men but by throwing a WorldCrafts party or purchasing products you are supporting them and making a difference in their lives.
“God created us to be His hands and feet and if you can’t go to the missions field or if there are other hindrances that you have, you can still support people through WorldCrafts,” Bartholomew said.
Swader said when you buy a product through WorldCrafts, “You’re not just purchasing a great piece of jewelry or a great gift, you’re eternally changing the life of someone around the world.”
(ABP contributed)
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