We are desperately trying to help our soapstone artisans that have lost everything (except the clothes on their backs) due to the recent civil war, & ethnic cleansing from the Dec 07 elections.
It was not only the family I am speaking of, but many families that formed the group ... Fatrine Self Help group, that have lost their lively-hoods and everything.. making it very difficult to start over... for the ones that actually made it out with their lives.
We are asking for donations any size, (don't forget $1, $5 and $10 donations all add up) so if we all try to give just a little.. we could save their lives.
Please write checks to:
KENYAN ARTISAN RELIEF FUND
and send checks to:
TD Banknorth
Kenyan Artisan Relief Fund
PO BOX 1460
North Conway, NH 03860
We can also take Visa/MC by phone
603 356 5100 or 603 356 5112
Paypal works too!
Giftsoflife@aol.com
PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR "JOSEPHS ANGELS" PAGE, OR "JOSEPH AND THE FATRINE SELF HELP GROUP" PAGE, IN THE LEFT SIDE MENU, FOR UPDATES ON FUNDRAISERS AND INFO ABOUT THE GROUP AND JOSEPHS FAMILY.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED MAKE OUR MUSIC BENEFIT, MAY 10, A SUCCESS!
CHECK FOR RAFFLE WINNERS ON OUR FUNDRAISER PAGE.
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Welcome to our marketplace of Fair Trade handmade crafts and handmade African baskets.
With all the horrors taking place around the world, and the overwhelming feeling of not being able to help.. this is my attempt at trying to help in some way. I am so saddened and sickened by the current genocide of Darfur, and the Rwandan genocide of '94.. the ongoing battles in the Middle East, and the horrible living conditions for so many families around the world.. that I felt I had to do something.
The Rwandan genocide lasted 100 days and claimed the lives of over 800,000 people. The number of people killed in Sudan’s Darfur conflict has reached into the hundreds of thousands and is climbing daily—updated stats, and info on how to help with this ongoing genocide, can be found at www.SAVEDARFUR.ORG.
If we can HELP ONE WOMAN, FEED HER FAMILY.. then that is one GIFT OF LIFE! How awesome!
Your purchases of handwoven Rwanda baskets, or baskets from Rwanda..handmade cards, and other handcrafted Rwandan gifts, will help support the survivors, women and children of the Rwandan genocide... to start with.
Your purchases of baskets from Uganda, support NAWOU- National Association of Women Organizations in Uganda. This is a network of groups, mostly woman and disabled people that produce baskets mainly from banana fibers, raffia, and palm leaves.
The South African Baskets are made by Ilala Weavers... a group of about 2000 weavers, both men and women, and helps them attain self suffiency, and also has helped an age-old Zulu tradition that was in danger of being lost.
TEMAK -Teen Mothers and Girls Association of Kenya, is an organization working for the rescue, rehabilitaion, and economic empowerment of girls and young women. Your purchases of recycled jewelry (dancing girl pins, dancing girl earrings, and copper wire bracelets), painted bookmarks etc, and other crafts help to support this wonderful program.
We are a work in progress, and are always looking for artisans to help... if you of a group, please let us know.
Gifts of Life
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Rwandan Peace Basket
Originally the Rwandan Peace Basket, "Path to Peace Basket" or Friendship basket was used for celebrating weddings, carrying gifts, foods, and even secrets from one woman to another. The pattern represents two friends walking along a path, stopping to chat with others, and then continueing on their journey. We also have these Rwanda baskets in Christmas colors of green and red.
$45.00
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Handmade baskets from Rwanda
These are some of our beautiful, handwoven Rwanda baskets.
The quality of all of these handwoven baskets from Rwanda, is just extraordinary. Some of these baskets will take a woman a week or longer to make. All are unique, and may very slightly in size. Each is a piece of handcrafted art, in traditions passed down for centuries, from mothers to daughters. Shown here is a sample of Peace baskets, sisal bowl with lids, tradition black and natural colored baskets, and the sisal fruit plates/bowls.
Rwanda Baskets price range from $45.00 to $60.00
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Baskets from Uganda
These are some of our baskets from Uganda, made by NAWOU. National Association of Women Organizations in Uganda, a network of groups who specialize in craft production. The largest numbers of which include Nubian women and groups of disabled people. Their baskets are mostly made of banana fibers, raffia, and palm leaves... creating beautiful handwoven baskets to treasure for years to come. This picture makes it hard to tell, but these are fruit bowls with depth, and not flat, as they appear. They are beautiful in person, and the colors are vibrant, and done with natural dyes.
$24.00 each
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Handmade baskets from South Africa
These Ukhamba (Beer Baskets) are handmade by Zulu Weavers of South Africa. They are beautiful pieces of art, each unique, and tightly woven to hold beer for guests. These baskets are used to hold beer for welcoming guests into ones home. The baskets will be refilled, but filled less and less, until your welcome has worn out, and you get the picture! You can be sure that if you drink all of your hosts beer, they will be at your home tomorrow, to help you drink all yours!
Baskets from South Africa run $24.00 and up.
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Our dream to help one woman, man, child,...family, at a time make a better life though the FAIR TRADE sales of their handmade African baskets and other handmade crafts. We are helping people - help themselves. Basket weavers making handmade African baskets, Zulu baskets from South Africa, baskets from Uganda and Kenya, and the very popular, baskets from Rwanda (Rwandan Peace Baskets), keep alive family traditions that have been passed down for centuries. Some artisans are supporting themselves by making wonderful unique pieces of art using recycled products, or products that most of us might just throw away.
Our dream is for a better quality of life for people who are working hard to make it happen. I AM ONE GRANDMOTHER WHO BELIEVES THAT IF EACH ONE OF US TRIES TO HELP.. SOMEHOW.. WE CAN MAKE A BETTER WORLD FOR ALL OF US TO SHARE!
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