Empowering artisans around the world
Fair trade purchase opportunities to help support others
Summerside Presbyterian Church is making a difference in the lives of artisans around the world by selling handcrafted gifts and home décor.
The Ten Thousand Villages event, to be held at Summerside Presbyterian Church 130 Victoria Road, offers an opportunity for citizens to make a difference by shopping fair trade. Shoppers will also learn more about skilled artisans in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Its 14th year sale will showcase an assortment of musical instruments, pottery, jewelry, baskets, toys, crèches and hand loomed textiles. The Ten Thousand Villages festival sale will be held on Friday, Nov. 2, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 3, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The recycled sari throws are made in the Hajiganj workshop through Pokritee, Bangladesh, a fair trade organization. There are 117 women working at the workshop. Najmeen is 29 yearsold and has been working there for five years, producing this type of product for the last two years. Before joining, she was not making enough money to provide for her family’s basic necessities. Since working with Pokritee, she has become financially stable and able to support her family, including paying for her children’s education. To Najmeen, fair trade means, “fair wages with dignity, financial solvency for fulfilling my dreams.”
Ten Thousand Villages works with artisans who are unemployed, or underemployed. They create opportunities for artisans in developing countries to earn an income by bringing their products and stories to markets in North America.
“By holding this sale, we’re giving customers in Summerside a chance to buy unique products while helping people in developing countries to meet basic needs for themselves and their family. Together we are making a difference,” said Wendy Gallant, sale organizer.