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

Our Picnic Essentials + Ricotta Cheese Dip Recipe

Sunny days in Durham have us dreaming about nights at the DBAP cheering on the bulls, weekends spent at the Eno River, and of course: picnics at Duke Gardens!

Truly one of Durham’s treasures, Duke Gardens is a great spot for a morning walk or an impromptu picnic – particularly in the Spring when the azaleas are in bloom.

The best part about picnics is that you can eat whatever you desire – whether it be simple sandwiches or something fancier, if it fits in your basket or tote it works!

One of our favorite portable snacks is a simple recipe that includes our new Fair Trade Lemon Crushed Olive Oil from the West Bank. Delivering a mouthful of zesty lemon with a smooth finish, it easily enhances dishes without all the work of zesting!

Try this delicious Ricotta Cheese Dip at your next picnic. Serve with bread, pita chips, or fresh veggies – your choice!

In a bowl combine:

2 cups ricotta cheese (for a real treat, use full fat) 

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1 sprig of rosemary, finely chopped

Mix well to combine.

Drizzle the top with Canaan Fair Trade Lemon Crushed Olive Oil and Red Pepper Flakes

Serve!

Running For A Better World – The Great Human Race

This March 28th, One World Market is running in the Great Human Race! We are pleased to have over 10 excited volunteers, customers, board and staff members running this 5k on the One World Market Team!  You can learn about each of us and our passion for fair trade on our official GHR page!

For the past twenty years, the Volunteer Center of Durham has set up a 5k for non-profits in the Triangle Area to make the world a better place. Every non-profit is able to set up a team of people to run in the 5k at Northgate Mall early on March 28th.

To help get everyone motivated and excited for the 5k, the non-profits try to FUNdraise as much money as possible! All of the money raised by the members of Team One World Market goes to help artisans and farmers all around the world. We are trying to raise up to $5,000 this year and we need your help! If you love One World Market and love helping artisans earn the fair wages they deserve, then feel free to donate to One World Market here. It is super easy to donate. The website is very easy to navigate and with just a few clicks, you’ve helped us change the world!

As volunteers for One World Market, my sister and I are happy to be running this year! In just a couple of days, we hope to end world hunger one step at a time! Why am I running? Well… running may not be my cup of fair trade tea, but I would do anything to support One World Market and help artisans receive the credit and money they deserve! Having the opportunity to change the world for the better and to support those who need help at only age fourteen, is a miracle. I mean, what is better than fresh air and a good jog with some of the best fair trade warriors supporting those in need?

Last year, we also had fun participating in the Great Human Race. Below are Brandy, volunteer coordinator, and Katie, assistant director, two of our best fair trade warriors getting ready for the race.

Everyone here at One World Market on Ninth Street is pumped for the 5k! We love all of your support!  Join us.  Together, we can change the world!

Your Fair Trade Friend, Joseph

Prosperity Candle: “Strong Women Lead To Strong Nations”

Our life here in the United States is much different than life in other countries. Myanmar (also known as Burma) is a self-governed state in southeastern Asia where Htoo, Moo Kho, and Naw all escaped their villages.

The quote “Strong women lead to strong nations” by Zainab Salbi helps describe these women. These three women are all Burmese refugees who were able to migrate over to the United States to earn money and to have a healthy and happy family.

Moo Kho

For example, Moo Kho (left), at a very young age, had to quickly leave her village in Burma and she had to stay in a refugee camp for four years. She and her family had to forget about their past lives because there was nothing left of it. Eventually, she was able to come over to the United States. She began working at Prosperity Candles and earned her very first paycheck at the age of 33. She is in management and trains other refugees just like her. Currently, she lives with her husband and her healthy two children.

Htoo

A refugee at the young age of four, Htoo (center), had to run through the jungle to leave her village. Her family was involuntarily forced out of their village by soldiers. Never again did she see her village. Spending 13 years in a refugee camp, she was able to come to here. When she was 20, she started working at Prosperity Candle and received her first paycheck. Now with the money she deserves, she has been able to follow her dream of going to high school and becoming a well-trained chef.

Naw

Naw (right) was born and grew up in a refugee camp after her parents had to leave their village. After coming to the United States, she works at Prosperity Candle to help provide for her family of two.

One World Market is now selling candles handmade by these miraculously talented women! Every purchase of a candle helps women earn their well deserved money to raise their families and pursue their lifelong dreams!

One World Market in Durham is now selling five scents in three different forms of candles. To start out, the first scent is Awaken which smells like citrus and teakwood, Unwind which smells like lavender and chamomile, Inspire which smells like lemongrass and sage, Renew which smells like ginger white tea, and Reflect which smells like Himalayan bamboo.

First, we have Inspiration Travel Tins with all five scents. These nice tins all have very heart lifting quotes that help describe the women making these extraordinary candles. These tins have a secure screw-on lid that is very easy to take on or off. These tins are great for cute little gifts that would be a great birthday or even for your special someone!

Next, we have these fashionable candles that are encased in glass. Also like the tins, each one of these candles have touching quotes that will surely brighten your day! These candles will look great in any room! Everyone who gets a smell of Prosperity Candles will love them!

Then, we have these candles that were hand poured into these beautifully painted ceramic bowls. The special thing about these bowls is that once you use up the candle, you can repurpose the bowl! The inside of the bowl is painted as well and it will look as nice as décor or as a bowl for your treasures.

Come on over to One World Market in Durham, N.C. and get your Prosperity Candles to help these amazing women pursue their dreams!

Your Fair Trade Friend, Joseph

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

Iced Peach Rooibos Tea

 

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!

My Summer with One World Market

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!

**********

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!