Jump for JOYN!

Volunteer Nikki here, and I’m betting that if you’ve been to the store recently, you’ve probably seen some cute bags and clutches from JOYN!

JOYN is a company based in Rajpur, India that does way more besides adding to your bag collection.

What I love about JOYN is that they provide their workers with more than just a salary. Handouts aren’t enough to pull people out of poverty.

It takes at least 12 people to make one JOYN bag.

The company employs people to card and clean, spin, and weave cotton into fabric. An artisan dyes the fabric, and then another stitches it together to make a bag. JOYN provides a numerous amount of people with employment, but they go further. They provide their workers with a daily meal plan, education for their children, English and vocational training, and medical care.

Many of these workers had nothing to begin with. Some of them were beggars who had no education, skills, or sense of identity. Many of them suffered from hunger, abuse, leprosy, drug addiction, and chronic illness.

Society tends to label these people as outcasts. Because they’re poor or because they make unwise decisions or because they’re sick. Generally speaking, people aren’t willing to reach out to others who struggle on these levels because we have a negative perception of them even though these people really don’t have any control over their circumstances.  

I like companies like JOYN because they challenge that way of thinking. Through these companies, impoverished people are able to redeem themselves and develop a sense of dignity that they never had before. Their work just shows that everyone deserves hope and a future no matter what their background is, and I think that’s a wonderful thing.

Raju has polio, and like many disabled people, he was forced into begging at a young age. With JOYN, Raju was able to master a skill and make a living off of it. He no longer feels limited by his disability and continues to work hard and be independent.    

Ajay started out as a block printer, but he now handles shipping and invoices occasionally. Ajay struggled with addiction, but he overcame it and started working at JOYN. He has been sober for over a year now.

 

Guddu is a block printer who was born hearing impaired. Through JOYN’s medical plan, Guddu was able to receive hearing aids. Because of this, his speech has improved and he is able to learn English.

These are just a few people whose lives have been changed by JOYN. If you want to support these awesome folks, stop by the store sometime and check out our wide selection of JOYN bags. We recently ordered products from their Fall/Winter collection, and they could be yours!

So many gorgeous prints!

These are just a few of the ones coming in. They’re so beautifully made! The work put in by the artisans who made these wonderful bags blows me away.

We hope to see you all in the store very soon! And we hope that these awesome fair trade purses make you jump for JOYN!

Your Fair Trade Friend,

Nikki

Fair Trade Essentials for the Undergrad Newbie

Hello Fair Trade Warriors!

My name is Nikki, and I’ve been a volunteer at One World Market for about two years now. In the fall, I will be starting my undergraduate studies at Elon University! GO PHOENIX!

Going to college means no longer being in Durham during the school year, which also means only volunteering at the store for a few months in the summer (if there was a significantly sadder emoji, I’d use it here). I’m very bummed about leaving, but I’ll be sure to enter Elon with some fair trade flair.

Here are my fair trade essentials for college:

I love this messenger bag from Cambodia!

It’s super cute and I love the green color. I can put my laptop and books in it, and it even comes with smaller pockets to hold my cellphone and pens and pencils. It’s the perfect school bag with a great cause behind it.

Malia Designs, the company that made this bag, aims to fight human trafficking in Cambodia by rescuing women and teaching them a trade, such as making bags like these. Providing these women with economic opportunities gives them financial stability, which makes them less vulnerable to prostitution and human trafficking.

This ID holder from The Village Experience is perfect for holding my Phoenix Card.

And it matches my satchel, too!

Both of these items are a part of the Opportunity Collection. They were made by tsunami victims in Thailand. These artisans make these products to aid economic development and support their community and local orphanage.

Textbooks are heavy and expensive, so a lot of people are turning to electronic versions of textbooks that can be found online for free. This ABAN tablet sleeve is great for holding any e-reader or tablet.

These sleeves were made in Ghana, and the proceeds benefit young mothers enrolled in ABAN’s school. These products have a huge social impact, focusing on the empowerment of women. This e-reader sleeve is also environmentally friendly! The pouch at the bottom is made from a recycled water sachet. 40 tons of water bags are thrown into the streets every day. Just imagine how much of a positive impact these products have on the environment!

When I was thinking about how I wanted to decorate my dorm, I immediately thought of the beautiful star lanterns hanging all over the store.

They’re a fun way to light up my room and add a splash of color to it. And chances are, my roommate will love it too. It’s a win-win.

These lanterns were made in India by partners of Om Gallery.

And how could I possibly attend Hogwarts Elon as a Gryffindor Phoenix without showing my team spirit during our Quidditch matches basketball games? I’m bringing my Sseko Sandals with me (of course), and I had to pick out straps in my school colors so I can rock them on campus!

With so many color options, there are plenty of ribbon combinations for repping any college. There are also some awesome ties that involve two different colors on the Sseko website. My personal favorite is the “Two-Faced” tie found here.

Sseko employs young women in Uganda to make these shoes, allowing them to become financially stable and giving them the opportunity to attend college. In an impoverished and male-dominated society, organizations like these play a huge role in empowering women. It’s comforting knowing that as I make my way through campus wearing my Ssekos, another girl in Uganda is able to do the exact same thing because I, and a couple of other people, decided to invest in her education with one purchase. In my opinion, there are few things more awesome than that.

So, there you have it! All the fun, fair trade items every college student needs. Hopefully, I’ve inspired some of you to take one or two of these (or all of them) with you on move-in day. Either way, have a wonderful summer and good luck next fall! Let’s go, Class of 2019!

One Sandal–Six Different Looks

In honor of Triangle Restaurant Week last week, we paired up with 6 local eateries to highlight their specials. We used our FAVORITE Fair Trade Ribbon Sandals in the collaboration, and we illustrated 6 different ways that you can wear one sandal.

By changing out the ribbons and the ties, you could wear the same sandal every day of the week and never wear the same look twice! Just in case you missed a tie, or wanted to learn one of the tying techniques, we’re recapping them on the blog today!

Day One – Braided Crown

 

Braided Crown with Silver Sparkle Ribbon /// Learn this tie here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb6tN2jq-8U

Day Two – Floppy Ribbon Flip-Flop

Floppy Ribbon Sandal with Chroma Chiffon Ribbon /// Learn this tie here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwfpRr1oJag

Day Three – Sseko Sparkler

Sseko Sparkler with Teal Cotton Ribbon /// Learn this tie here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca7kD6whh0M

Day Four – Sidewinder Slip-On

Sidewinder Slip-On with Olive Green Cotton Ribbon /// Learn this tie here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPBOx0ft77A

Day Five – Classic Sseko

Classic Sseko with Navy Ikat Silk Ribbon /// Learn this tie here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyQ0sKG4msA

Day Six – Zebra

Zebra Tie with Roseline Chiffon Ribbon /// Learn this tie here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdGaVDbPp2c

Sseko sandals are handmade by talented women living in Uganda. Sseko began as a way to generate income for high potential, talented young women to continue on to university. And it is working! Every woman who has graduated from Sseko is currently pursuing her college degree or has graduated from university and is on her way to making our world a more beautiful place.

In addition to the university-bound team, Sseko also employs women from all walks of life. By creating an environment of dignity, honor and dedication, Sseko Designs provides the opportunity for women in East Africa to end the cycle of poverty and create a more equitable society.

We believe that every woman has a dream. When she has the opportunity to pursue those dreams, we are collectively walking towards a brighter and more just and beautiful world.

It helps that the sandals are super cute and comfortable too!

Shop the sandals in the store on 9th Street, or online HERE.

Thanks for supporting Fair Trade!

Your Fair Trade Father’s Day Shopping Guide

As we head into June, One World Market is getting prepared for Father’s Day! To make your job as the shopper a little bit easier, Fair Trade Warrior and One World Volunteer, Joseph, has pulled together a Father’s Day Shopping Guide. Enjoy!

First, we have a newly arrived Maroma Men Scent called Cedar Lavender. Along with that new scent, we of course have our regular soaps and other scents. Or, if you cant decide, we have the Body Essentials kit that includes soap and fragrance.

When Dad gets up in the morning, what better to have his daily coffee in than these awesome hand-made and hand-crafted mugs from Cameroon, Nepal, and Kenya!

Each of these mugs are unique and one-of-kind items with their own stories. Dad will definitely look great drinking out of a fair-trade mug! Also, Dad cannot just have a fair-trade mug- he has got to have fair-trade coffee! We are stocked here with coffee from Beanpeace, Counter Culture, Equal Exchange, and others. No more tired mornings with our coffee!

To make sure his electronics don’t feel left out, make sure to grab tablet and laptop sleeves from Vietnam, India, Ghana, and Guatemala. Don’t forget about our messenger bags hand-crafted by tsunami survivors in Thailand.

Sometimes Dads need a little more color. Here at One World Market, we are loaded with PACT socks, underwear, and shirts. Each piece of clothing has such a vibrant design that will certainly make dad stand out! Most of the socks are knit together in wind factories. These socks are one-size-fits-all and are only knit with non-GMO organic cotton on family-run farms. No sweatshops, no toxic ingredients- just socks!

Does Daddy have a sweet tooth? We sure do! We have a huge variety of chocolates and so should you. We also have a nice range of oils such as basil oil and garlic oil. These fair trade sweets and oils are just begging to come home with you!

As the cherry on top to prove you are really dad-icated to this Father’s Day, don’t forget about the fair trade cards! These cards are sure to bring your papa a big smile! Plus, they are all blank inside so you will have plenty of room to write a sweet and long letter.

So, if you’re in the Bull City, be sure to stop by One World Market to make sure your dad has a fantastic fair-trade day!

Your Fair Trade Friend, Joseph

Dining Alfresco in Fair Trade Style

Hot summer days call for cool cocktails, and we are loving this super simple Gin Cup. Refreshing and not overly sweet, the light pink hue looks sweet in our handmade glasses from India.

Gin Cup Ingredients:
Gin, sugar syrup, Campari, sweet vermouth, mint, lemon juice, pink grapefruit juice

Method:
Place the mint sprigs and sugar syrup in the bottom of a glass. Stir about to bruise the mint slightly.

Fill the glass with ice.

Add the lemon juice and gin and stir a frost should begin to form.

Finally add a measure of Campari and sweet vermouth, followed by a glug of grapefruit juice and serve!

Want a warm weather non-alcoholic option? Hand squeezed lemonade is always a hit!

Homemade Lemonade Ingredients:
6 lemons, 2/3 cup fair trade sugar, water

Method:
First scrub the lemons in warm water, then take the zest from 3 of the lemons using a potato peeler or zester.

Remove any white pith with a sharp knife – this is important to prevent the lemonade tasting bitter.

Now put the zest in a large bowl and add the squeezed juice of all the lemons and the sugar.

Pour in in 2½ pints (1.4 litres) of boiling water, stir well, cover and leave overnight in a cool place.

Stir again the following day, and taste to check the sweetness, add more sugar if needed.

Strain with a coarse sieve and pour into bottles using sterilized corks, then chill thoroughly and serve.

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Stop in the store to see even more gorgeous recycled glassware – we have tons of different styles, shapes, and designs, all Handmade and Fair Trade by our talented artisans in India!

A Party with Sole – One World Market and Sole Hope

 

To celebrate World Fair Trade Day on May 11th, we are throwing a party – a party with SOLE!

One World Market is teaming up with Sole Hope, an amazing organization changing lives in Uganda, to host a Cutting Party. Not familiar with a Sole Hope Cutting Party? Here to tell you all about it and a bit more about what Sole Hope it working to accomplish, is one of our amazing Volunteers and Certified Fair Trade Warrior Diana!

Take it away Diana:

Last month, I had the pleasure of staying at the Sole Hope guesthouse in Jinja, Uganda. While there, I was able to talk to the interns and staff and learn more about the incredible work Sole Hope is doing in Uganda.

The guesthouse is just part of the Sole Hope story, which began when Asher Collie saw a video (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajdVs3s2k3U) about the jigger problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Jiggers (NOT the chiggers we know here in the South) are small parasitic sand fleas that burrow into skin and lay eggs, causing painful wounds in infected people. Jiggers often find their way into the bare feet of children and adults in Uganda, making it difficult and painful to walk, play, or go to work or school. Jiggers can also cause infections like gangrene and tetanus, which can be fatal if left untreated.

Image: Sole Hope

Inspired by what she saw, Asher, her husband Drü, and their three children, moved from Asheville, NC to Jinja to become a part of the solution. Now, everyday in Uganda, big green vans emblazoned with the Sole Hope logo drive to villages to perform foot-washing clinics, where staff and volunteers work to wash villagers’ feet and remove jiggers.

Image: Sole Hope Instagram/Gary Chapman

The worst cases of jiggers are taken to the Outreach House in Jinja. Here, they receive needed medical care, plus education about jigger prevention. As a teacher, I love the education piece of the Sole Hope mission. Simply removing jiggers and washing feet is a short-term solution. Teaching people how to prevent jiggers is a long-term solution.

Image: Sole Hope Instagram

When kiddos and adults leave the Sole Hope outreach house, they get a brand new pair of shoes to protect their feet from jiggers. This is where WE come in! The shoes that each person receives are made from recycled jeans! Volunteers around the world cut and donate old jeans to be made into shoes to empower people in Uganda to live a healthier life! PLUS, the shoes are handmade by fairly paid Ugandans in a factory on the Sole Hope campus in Jinja! The #fairtradewarrior in me loves that part of the Sole Hope mission! Simply giving a kid a pair of shoes is a short-term solution. Giving people sustainable and fairly paid jobs is a long-term solution.

Image: Sole Hope Instagram/Kayla Cervenka

So, we hope you’ll join us this Saturday, World Fair Trade Day, to be a part of the long-term solution! Bring some old jeans to One World Market’s first-ever Sole Hope Shoe Cutting Party! You’ll be supporting a great organization and empowering some pretty amazing people in Uganda!

Image: Sole Hope Instagram/Mary McLeod