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Living Compassion
Ten Thousand Villages
By Lindi Wells
Henri Nouwen once said that it is through prayer that we are most
intimately connected. Truly, prayer has the power to unite people
across oceans, from different worlds, who would have never encountered
each other. Through this power, strangers become brothers and sisters.
It is this same power that can connect us to people all over the
world.
Ten Thousand Villages is an agent that is fostering this power. Much more
than an organization that buys and sells unique, hand-crafted products, Ten
Thousand Villages is an agent which creates relationships by connecting people
across oceans from different worlds. Ten Thousand Villages establishes
relationships with local artisans in developing countries, buys their products
at a price that enables sellers to provide for themselves and their families,
and sells these handicrafts to people in North America. Each native piece is
made up of much more than simply the materials used to create it; rather, each
piece tells a story, a story about the artist’s family, culture, and heritage.
It is the sharing of these stories that builds relationships between buyer and
seller.
One such story is the one expressed through Shantha’s hand-made palm leaf
baskets and streamers. These crafts tell about Shantha’s former life in
southern India, her struggle to provide medical care for herself and her
children, her disappointment at being unable to afford to send her
children to school. But they also tell Shantha’s new story; they tell
about how Shantha and women just like her have partnered with Ten
Thousand Villages to receive consistent, livable wages in exchange for
their handicrafts. They express Shantha’s relief at receiving medical
care for her family and Shantha’s excitement as she anticipates her
daughter’s entrance into school. Instead of being filled with anxiety and
discouragement, Shantha’s new story is one filled with confidence and
hope.
Ten Thousand Villages not only facilitates the sharing of stories like
Shantha’s with people over the world, but they are actively a part of
transforming these stories into ones of joy and hope. By adopting the
principles of fair trade, Ten Thousand Villages is sharing these stories
and building relationships. Over the last 60 years, they have supported
the work of artisans in over 30 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America,
and the Middle East. Ten Thousand Villages strongly believes in
connecting with artisans: “To practice fair trade in accord with the Ten
Thousand Villages principles of operation we need to know the artisans
and groups we work with around the world… In addition, we have always
sought out artisans who are particularly disadvantaged and without ready
access to resources or assistance.” This methodology connects consumers
to artisans by building relationships and exercising business practices
that benefit people rather than maximize profits.
Ten Thousand Villages believes that “It is important where you shop.”
The vast majority of our shopping does little to foster the kind of
relationship that Ten Thousand Villages seeks to bring in its methods of
operation. Because that relationship is lacking, most of our bought
products carry little, if any, sustainable value. Indeed it is difficult
to find this kind of value in a world of disposable diapers, plastic
dinnerware, and paper towels. The value of the handicrafts from Ten
Thousand Villages lies in the relationship that is built. In this
relationship, people become more than “buyers” and “sellers”; they
become “exchangers.” One exchanger shares a story, the other gives
support that offers hope for a better life.
For more information on Ten Thousand Villages, go to their website
at www.tenthousandvillages.com.
Learn more about fair trade
at www.ifat.org.
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