Give a gift that keeps on giving, Ten Thousand Villages organizers say
A craft fair in St. John's is hoping to entice shoppers still searching for that perfect item, to purchase the gift that gives twice.
Local volunteers set things up Thursday morning, ahead of the first day of the fair that afternoon.
Organizer Sister Mary Tee says the event is more than just your standard craft fair.
"It's not solely about making money or the value of profit, it's the value of human life," she said.
All of the items for sale are hand-made by artisans and artisan groups in dozens of developing countries. Seven out of 10 of the artisans are single mothers.
"It's like a give and a take, and a giving and receiving. And that's what we're all about really — giving and receiving," said Tee.
By buying from Ten Thousand Villages, you're also giving a gift to the producers.- Brian Elliot
Brian Elliot, the co-ordinator for Ten Thousand Villages in Atlantic Canada, said he's met some of the artisans, and knows what a big difference it makes in their lives.
"The one that comes to mind first was a woman I met in Calcutta. We were talking about one product she made, greeting cards actually, and she told me that she could feed her children twice a day because of the craft she sold — which tells me that she couldn't feed them otherwise," said Elliot.
Making a difference
Ten Thousand Villages is a project by the Mennonite Central Committee, a global non-profit organization.
The idea behind the project is to create an alternative to the sweat-shop labour commonly seen in developing countries.
"One year we used as our tag line, the gift that gives twice," said Elliot.
"By buying from Ten Thousand Villages, you're also giving a gift to the producers."
Ten Thousand Villages used to have a store in St. John's, but it, along with many others across Canada, was forced to close due to high operating costs.
An annual craft fair has been organized instead, with the Sisters of Mercy running it for the last eight years.
According to Sister Tee, it's been a big success; the first year, they sold $7,000 worth of crafts. Last year, $35,000.
The fair will be open again at The Lantern in St. John's on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., and again on Dec. 5 from 10 a.m. until 8:30 p.m.