WorldCrafts’ focus on providing a sustainable income for impoverished artisans around the world and helping to free women from human exploitation expands this year with seven new artisan groups and more than 60 new products introduced in 2013.
WorldCrafts is a division of Woman’s Missionary Union that develops sustainable, fair-trade businesses among impoverished people around the world. Begun in 1996, WorldCrafts’ vision is to offer an income with dignity and the hope of everlasting life to every person on earth.
Earlier this year WorldCrafts introduced products from two new partners — Sema Leatherworks in Kenya and Shelano in India. The following five additional new partners in Indonesia, Kenya, Uganda, Sri Lanka and Thailand made their debut with WorldCrafts in the Fall/Winter 2013–2014 catalog, which was released Aug. 1.
1. Ayu Sewing Project was created to help impoverished Indonesian women learn a trade they could use to support their families. According to Andrea Mullins, director for WorldCrafts, these families live from month to month and barely make enough money to feed their families, much less provide for other needs such as schooling. By making only a few scarves per week, these mothers are increasing their monthly income by 40 percent. The women use the money to pay for their kids’ schooling, as well as family medical and rental expenses.
2. Back to Africa in Kenya began in 2008 as an offshoot of Heart of the Bride Ministries Inc. The objective of Back to Africa is family preservation and care for families at risk. The artisans, most of whom are single mothers and/or refugees, lived in extreme poverty before they began creating Back to Africa jewelry.
3. ChildVoice International provides healing for children — particularly girls — of war-torn countries such as Uganda through its emphasis on sanctuary, psychosocial and spiritual counseling, education, skill building, reintegration support and access to basic health care. ChildVoice’s programs are designed to also help the girls return home. “Approximately 93 percent of the girls served in the last few years are back in their communities, raising their families and working in meaningful jobs, not dependent on aid or outside help,” Mullins said.
4. Gospel House Handicrafts in Sri Lanka was established in 1983 in order to provide employment and training to young adults in the field of making wooden toys, utility items and ornamental handicrafts. They are currently providing full-time employment for numerous artisans and part-time employment for additional workers.
5. Samaritan Creations in Thailand exists to rescue, restore and empower women by the grace and love of God by offering women an alternative income to prostitution. Through entrepreneurial training and funding, Samaritan Creations empowers women to return to their hometowns to plant churches, alter the local economy and forewarn people of the trap of prostitution.
WorldCrafts also introduced four new party themes this fall: Amazonian Affair, Harvest Celebration, Mosaic of Missions and New Year Party. All party themes and party downloads have been updated to include information regarding the season and new artisan groups.
Choosing a theme is the first step to throwing a WorldCrafts party, according to the WorldCrafts website. Parties can be thrown as a small gathering in a home, as part of a normal women’s group gathering or as a large churchwide party.
The WorldCrafts site offers instructions on how to plan a party starting with selecting a theme, choosing a place and a date, recruiting volunteers, ordering catalogs and sending invitations.
During the party, WorldCrafts products are displayed on tables with country cards that tell the story of the artisans who made the products. The host (or a volunteer recruited by the host) may provide international snacks — possibly from recipes offered at worldcrafts.org/pdfs/parties/WCrecipes.pdf.
Guests mingle, eat and browse the WorldCrafts tables before a DVD is shown featuring footage of artisans making the products. Partygoers can then finalize their purchases using catalog order forms to be turned in by the host.
To have products in time for Christmas orders must be submitted by Nov. 15.
“All jewelry products are now packaged in a unique WorldCrafts jewelry box complete with an insert card that features the story of the artisan who made the product,” Mullins said. “These boxes are perfect for gifting WorldCrafts jewelry items.”
All purchases, she said, help fight poverty.
“Each time you purchase a WorldCrafts fair trade product or host a party, you are making an eternal impact on impoverished men and women around the world,” Mullins said.
For more information, visit www.WorldCrafts.org.
(WMU, TAB)
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