Iced Peach Rooibos Tea
Ingredients
2 c. Equal Exchange Organic Rooibos, brewed strong and cooled to room temperature
2 c. peach juice (or other fruit juice to mix things up!)
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 peaches, thinly sliced
a handful of fresh mint leaves
Directions
Combine ingredients in a large container and stir well. Serve over ice.
And Enjoy!
Volunteer Jesus started volunteering with One World Market this summer, and in that short time he has put in a ton of hours! In fact, this Wednesday, August 13th, he will have completed 60 Volunteer HOURS!! We feel so lucky to have had him here this summer, and asked if he would write a reflection on his time spent at One World.
Take it away Jesus!
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I began volunteering here in late June, and it has been a great experience from the very start. The volunteers and staff members are very welcoming and have forgiven my not-so-infrequent mistakes. The staff and volunteers, along with the customers, the good fair trade does, and just the general atmosphere of OWM have made this summer worthwhile and one I will never forget.
Even if I wanted to, (which I don’t) I could never forget the first time I ever dressed up as a banana and then ate one!
That’s canabanalism! Now, how is eating and dressing up as a banana related to fair trade? The answer is a whole bunch of—no pun intended—fair trade bananas, banana games, prizes and a special day dedicated to the celebration of said bananas. Silly yet serious, this event was fun for both volunteers and customers. They had the opportunity to dress up as well and almost had as much fun as I did!
It’s this exact atmosphere of goofiness, seriousness, and a form of serenity that makes me love this place so much. We are able to help the world by supporting fair trade, and we have fun doing it.
Most days, 364 to be exact, are not banana day, so I am not in costume during my volunteer hours. Instead, I come in a tank and shorts, put on my name tag, and my outfit is complete. On these days, I sometimes unpack items and put prices on them, essentially unwrapping Christmas presents and playing with stickers. If I’m not doing that, I’m tidying up, ringing someone up, or writing my first ever blog post. *cough* *cough* this one. It doesn’t matter what exactly I am doing though because I enjoy every second of it.
Fair trade does a lot for so many people, and by being here, I’ve learned that. This cute little card I just bought
with its adorable characters and hilarious puns is more than just a “cute little card.” it is a story. It was made by a human being, a woman in the Philippines who escaped prostitution and is now working in a safe environment creating quality goods. Wow, in just a few moments that cute little card just got a lot deeper. It is only one of the thousands of stories behind the items carried in the store. With products from over 70 countries, every story is different and each deserves to be heard and respected. That is what fair trade does.
In my own personal life, I’ve noticed that as consumers we quickly forget that the food we eat, the clothes we wear, all of the processed goods we buy and use on a daily basis are made by human beings. We read the label, “Made in India,” on the back of our shirts and snip snip, it’s gone because it’s too “scratchy.” For all we know, a child systematically deprived of an education made that and a hundred other shirts in a sweatshop for a lousy ten cents a day with that tag being the only sign to show for all the effort. And with a couple of snips even that is gone. Fair trade makes sure that doesn’t happen. The adult artisans who make the products work under safe conditions for fair wages and are not deprived of their basic human rights. Their children don’t work in factories making t-shirts, they go to school.
Being at OWM has allowed me to be a part of the fair trade process, and it has been very rewarding in multiple ways. I know that I am a part of a large group of caring individuals who are helping to better the lives of people all over the world. That in itself is one of the biggest rewards I have ever received and one of the best gifts I could ever give.
By giving up some of my time, I am helping lives and enjoying myself in the process. Even better, I get to meet other caring individuals of all backgrounds. OWM has helped this summer be one of the best, most productive and most rewarding summers ever.
Jesus will be returning to the NC School of Science and Math this Fall as a Senior. Look for him volunteering again over his winter break during our busy holiday season!
Here at One World Market, we have gone cuckoo for Nkuku! Make your kitchen one of a kind with these beautiful and unique pieces of stainless steel enamelware. We have something for you whether you like light, neutral colors or bright, bold colors.We have an array of colorful cups, mugs, intricately designed trays, bowls, and more.
Do you want to keep your kitchen looking calm and cool? No problem. Come and take a look at our bird themed cups and mugs. Each piece of enamelware is hand painted by an artisan in India. Even though they have tranquil colors, they will make your kitchen shine!
More of a bright and punchy color person? We have that too! Each cup has little baby birds who will certainly make you smile. These light cups are very easy to handle and will look great in your cabinets.
Not much of a bird person? Then we have flower enamelware just for you. Each cup, mug, pitcher, tray, and tiffin have nice red and blue flowers that will certainly brighten your day. These pieces are great for meals at home, picnics, or other fun activities.
Need a new lunch box before the school year? Want a new lunch box for your job? Then come on over! A tiffin is a small but appetizing meal somewhere between breakfast and lunch. Tiffin carriers are small meal holders which are very popular in India. People strap their carriers to their bikes or carry it around since it is small and easy to hold and handle. You can easily place it in a messenger bag or purse if you are having a picnic or going to work. Kids can easily strap it to their backpack so it is ready for lunch. The carriers have a clip that keeps the three containers sealed. When your child goes to school with this creative lunch box, all the kids will be talking about it and want to get their own! Come get these fair trade and hand-painted tiffin carriers before they are gone.
Yep, we have the whole set. The bowls are just the perfect size! Not only are they useful but they are attractive too!
These nice jugs are great for some tasty lemonade on a hot day, plus they are appropriately sized jugs and sure to hold your favorite drink.
Complete the set with our matching trays! Compliment the cups and bowls with our hand painted trays with small detailed birds or decorative red flowers. Serve your meals with style with our new Nkuku enamelware.
Nkuku is a fair trade company that helps struggling artisans in Kashmir, India. Working at Nkuku helps these artisans gain money to help them continue their lives and get new jobs. Every piece of stainless steel enamelware is hand painted.
Since we only get these Nkuku products once a year, come on over to One World Market in Durham, NC to get your enamelware before they are gone!
Your Fair Trade Friend, Joseph
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Joseph is a volunteer with One World Market and we are so excited to have him join our Blogging Team! Look for many more posts from Joseph in the future.
One World Market is a Fair Trade, Non-Profit Retail Store located in Durham, NC. Shop with us at 811 Ninth Street or online at www.shoponeworldmarket.com
It’s safe to say that summer is here in Durham, NC and that leaves all of us at One World Market dreaming up cool treats for hot days. When we aren’t running a quick errand to Ben & Jerry’s for a Fair Trade scoop…or two, we’re trying our hand at easy recipes.
Our friends at Taza Chocolate recently posted a killer recipe for Chocolate Dipped Frozen Banana Pops that had all of us drooling on the computer screen.
Enjoy!
6 medium bananas, with peels on
2 bars (6 oz.) Taza 60% Dark Stone Ground Chocolate
approximately 1 cup each of 2 or 3 assorted toppings, e.g. chopped nuts, flaked coconut
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 popsicle sticks
1.) Cut unpeeled bananas in half width-wise, and stick on to popsicle sticks (keep the peel on while you do this!)
2.) After cutting and sticking all of the bananas, take off the peels and place bananas on a parchment lined cookie sheet and place in the freezer for about 90 minutes.
3.)While bananas are freezing, prepare toppings as needed. I used roasted salted peanuts (roughly chopped), flaked coconut (toasted lightly in a pan),
4.) Place the prepared toppings on separate shallow plates, then coarsely chop the chocolate and melt it slowly in a heavy-bottomed pot on the stove-top, over low heat, stirring often to avoid clumps and burning.
5.) Line a baking sheet or platter with parchment paper to place the banana pops on after dipping.
6.) Once chocolate is smooth and lump-free, remove it from the heat. Take frozen banana pops out of the freezer and dip, then roll immediately in the topping of your choice! It gets a bit messy, so set them on the parchment-lined baking sheet or platter.
7.) After all bananas have been coated and topped, place them back in the freezer for 30 minutes to for the chocolate coating to harden.
Recipe and Photo Provided by Taza Chocolate. Originally posted here.
With the recent spike in temperature, we here at One World Market have been LOVING this super easy and refreshing Peaches and Green Tea Smoothie from our friends at Equal Exchange.
To make this tasty treat you’ll need:
Ingredients
Simply brew tea in water, then freeze tea in ice cube trays. Blend together tea ice cubes, peach and ice cream or yogurt until frothy.
Enjoy!
Meet Achiro Paska, an artisan in Uganda, and a member of the Ember Arts Artisan Group.
Nearly all of the women we partner with through Ember Arts are mothers, and part of the privilege of working with them is the opportunity to see their children grow throughout the years. The women of Ember frequently have babies and toddlers teetering through their office, and during training sessions, older children stop buy regularly to deliver messages from home and watch their mothers at work.
Achiro Paska's two youngest daughters, Emily and Evelin, have been staples at the Ember Arts office over the last few years, and she was happy to be asked to show them off and speak more about their lives.
When prompted to share her favorite part about being a mother, Paska couldn't choose; from pregnancy to teenagers, so far, she's loved it all. With six children from ages 14 months to 14 years, she has certainly seen motherhood from many different angles. While she admits to getting annoyed when her children are quarreling with each other, most days she is happy to see them playing well together. They even have a favorite game that she couldn't quite explain through her laughter, apparently it's so funny that even the thought of it makes her giggle.
Paska herself was left with relatives at the age of three, and grew up without a mother. She is determined to live her life differently, no matter what sort of trials she faces. Her advice to other mothers is "Love your children, whatever you are facing, and educate them. If you educate and love them it is good, because they are the future."
She is most proud of her children when they do well in school, and working to earn money for their school fees is her greatest concern. Her dream is that they will all finish their educations and never have to struggle the way she did growing up.
We are thrilled to be partnering alongside hard-working mothers like Paska, and so grateful for the support of all the women- mothers and otherwise- that help make those dreams a reality.
Happy Mother's Day and thank you for supporting Fair Trade!
Relatives of the victims cry as they attend prayer, paying tribute to the victims of a building collapse at the graveyard at Jurain in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Over 290 unclaimed bodies were buried / Photo Credit: Abir Abdullah EPA
On April 24th 2013, 1,133 men and women died after the structure of their garment factory crumbled on top of them. At least 2,500 were injured, along with an estimated 800 children left orphaned.
Victims were left begging for compensation, terms which still haven’t been met. And as many of the clothing companies sourcing production from Rana Plaza distanced themselves from the disaster, time passed and many were left forgotten.
An eight story building housing several garment factories became a mountain of rubble, clothing and people, and our eyes began to open. After this tragedy, One World Market began researching and sourcing Fair Trade clothing. We felt it was more important than ever to create a local market in Durham where ethical fashion could be found.
We started small with beautiful dresses that were handmade in the Congo from Mamafrica.
Then we branched out to simple separates, lovely tunics, and block-printed dresses handmade in India from Global Girlfriend, Jinja Fair Trade, and Symbology.
We instantly felt connected with the artisans who made our clothing. But even more, we felt incredibly disconnected from the “Fast Fashion” we had been wearing for so many years.
It can be so easy to overlook the tiny tag hanging in a shirt or stitched into a pair of pants. But when you’re wearing a Fair Trade garment, that tag becomes a source of pride ! Fair Trade – Handmade – it matters.
This Thursday, April 24th, we hope you will join us in asking the question:
Who made your clothes?
In cooperation with Fashion Revolution, you can choose to wear one item of clothing inside out. The idea is that then when someone asks you or points out that you’re wearing an article of clothing inside out, you can then engage in a meaningful conversation about where your clothes were made. And the horrors that occur every single day in every single part of the supply chain that creates a cheap piece of clothing.
Together we can use the power of fashion to catalyze change and reconnect the broken links in the supply chain. Wear your clothes inside-out to help start the beginning of an industry-wide transformation towards a more sustainable future.
Show us your inside out clothes on Instagram by tagging it @Fash_Rev @OneWorldMarket and #InsideOut
Join us! Join the Fashion Revolution!
