Hand in Hand: How One Bar of Soap Provides Clean Water

In developing countries, many people will die of illnesses such as a respiratory disease. These sicknesses can be prevented with soap and water. Many people do not have access to soap bars which can lead to fatal illnesses. One World Market has recognized this problem and is here to help with our new partners: Hand in Hand! Hand in Hand is a company that makes fair trade soap bars and bath salts, sugar scrubs, lip balms, and lotions with fair trade ingredients that also provide more.

Photo Source: Hand in Hand

For every soap bar you purchase from Hand in Hand, one soap bar and one month of clean water will be donated to a child in a developing country. 50 square feet of rainforest is saved every time you purchase a bar of soap or bath salt bottle from Hand in Hand. 

Photo Source: Hand in Hand

With the help of loyal customers like One World Market, Hand in Hand has donated over 100,000 bars of soap to children in Port-au-Prince Haiti through their buy a bar, give a bar program, and they have put in a well to provide clean water to over 240 families each and every day for a decade!

Hand in Hand Soap's first well in Haiti! from Hand in Hand on Vimeo.

We have many choices of bar soap for you to choose from. We have Lavender, Wildflower and Fern, Rose Water, Orange Blossom, Sea Salt, and White Tea. With a new school year, we want to make sure everyone is clean and ready!

 

Hand in Hand also has bath salts made with fair trade ingredients. When you purchase one bottle of bath salts, 50 square feet of rainforest are saved. This salt is hand harvested from the Andes Mountains in South America. This Bolivian Rose salt is naturally pink and was buried under volcanic ash for millions of years before there were humans on Earth. Like the soap bars, with the purchase of this bottle, lotion, hand soap, and the sugar scrubs, a child in a developing country will be given one bar of soap and one month of clean water.

Come and check out Hand In Hand’s vegan sugar scrub made with organic materials. You have the choice of Lavender or Wildflower and Fern to keep your skin looking fresh and clean. These sugar scrubs do not have palm oil and they were all made with fair trade ingredients.

Want to keep your skin looking even nicer? The moisturizing lotion has two amazing scents: Lavender and Orange Blossom. If you are not sure what this nice and vegan product may smell like, come on over and use our tester bottles.

Why not wash your hands with vegan hand soap made with organic and fair trade ingredients? Buy either Lavender or Orange Blossom hand soap to keep your hands clean and safe from germs.

Keep your lips happy and healthy with Hand in Hand’s Shea Butter Lip Balm. The winter season is coming up and the weather is about to get cooler so it is the perfect time to buy your lip balm so you can get prepared! Your lips will thank you after you use your shea butter lip balm made with organic and fair trade ingredients.

Come on over to buy Hand in Hand products! Next time you are drinking a nice cold glass of refreshing water, stop and think about how many people in developing countries do not have access to clean water. Every time you purchase a Hand in Hand product, a month of clean water and a soap bar will be given to a child in a developing country.

Your Fair Trade Friend, Joseph

A Canvas Out of an Oil Drum

                          

Joseph Jean Peterson is a twenty nine year old Haitian artisan who owns his own workshop: The St. Charles Bird Workshop. He opened the workshop with with his mother and older brother in 1997, having previously apprenticed with Jean Roosevelt Bauchard.

Supporting his wife and two kids is his main priority but he also enjoys teaching new apprentices the art of metal work. Joseph is well aware that his work is important not only to his family, but to his community as well. He says, “I helped many people to learn this sculpture. My dream is to have a larger workshop and give more people work. I trust in God that my dream will be realized.”

We are so excited to have some of Joseph’s pieces at One World Market. A particular favorite is his rendition of a sun blowing in the wind.

                      

It’s hard to imagine that this gorgeous, flowing work of art was once a large, bulky oil barrel. But it did.

                         

Using recycled 55-gallon oil drums, Joseph first removes both round ends of the drum and places these inside the cylinder along with dried banana or sugar cane leaves. He sets this on fire, to burn off any paint or residue.

                                 

When cooled down, the artist then cuts the round drum from top to bottom. The flattening process is a sight to behold, as one of the artists’ helpers will climb inside the drum and using all his weight, push with feet, legs, arms and shoulders to open it up.

                     

It is then pounded into a flattened "metal canvas" of approximately 3" x 6". With chalk, the design is drawn onto the metal sheet.

                     

Now, the real art work begins. Using hammer, chisel and various primitive tools, the shape is cut and the various decorative patterns are pounded into the metal, creating a unique and treasured piece of art.

                      

The finished design is signed by the artist and coated with a protective finish.

So much work goes in to each unique piece, and the proceeds go to support more than just the single artisan. For more information on other Haitian artisans, come by the store today!