5 (but actually 10) gift ideas....
(a day late, how typical....)
the season of giving is quickly approaching us so i thought i would ease your worried mind and give you some fantastic ideas! here are some ways you could spend you money this year and not only buy gifts for your loved ones but also give to those who made the product. here are a few organizations that you're not the only receiving a beautiful gift but you also are giving something in return...
1. fashionABLE - www.livefashionable.com
in ethiopia (and many other countries), prostitution is often linked with deep levels of generational poverty and financial hopelessness. lacking meaningful resources and a sense of hope, many women resort to prostitution as a means of supporting themselves and their families. these women are often desperate to leave the sex industry but remain trapped by a lack of opportunity and rehabilitative support. fashionABLE is a a non-profit organization that creates jobs making beautiful scarves for women living in poverty. in purchasing one of the scarves you are ABLE to provide opportunities, and these women are ABLE to have a new choice.
2. invisible children - www.invisiblechildren.com
this is an organization that i have always had a heart for. it started out with 3 young guys traveling to uganda just for a adventure but were quickly confronted by the war-affected children in this country. they made a documentary about the young children called 'night commuters' (young kids that walk miles each night to just sleep in a safe place) and child soldiers. children, as young as 6, are ripped from their homes and force to fight in the army. their documentary was originally just shown to close family and friends but but now, seven years later has been shown to millions around the world.
they non-profit organization, invisible children now builds schools in uganda, has a teacher exchange program, and much more. their work is incredible interesting and very honorable. check them out and see what kind of swag they have.
3. 31 Bits - www.31bits.com
it's a company out of california that sells beautiful ugandan bead necklaces. you can purchase all their items online as well as in their store if you happen to live in california. on their lovely website they have a section that tells the stories of the women who make the jewelry.
4. toms - www.toms.com
this was an obvious choice for making this list. not only because the work they do but also because i am the proud owner of these shoes and i love them! they are affordable, comfortable, trendy, and when you buy a pair they give a pair to a kid who needs shoes.
they are also partnered with charity:water. this means that not only does a kid get a pair of shoes, but they also donate to charity:water to help build water wells in ethiopia. so really this buy is a triple bonus. two pairs of shoes and clean water. perfect.
sari bari is a safe home where women, who have been exploited in the sex trade, can have their dignity restored and experience new life in the making. their products (purses, scarves and blankets/quilts) are hand made from indian saris. you can put in a request for different colors and then your product is made by women who have escaped a life of imprisonment in the sex trade.
two of my best friends had the chance to serve in india at sari bari and have brought back quilts and purses so i know first hand that all their items they make are absolutely beautiful and are made with love.
Thank you so much for the great places to shop this Christmas!
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