Shopping with a Purpose

If you're looking for beautiful beads, would you be interested in knowing that your purchase helps send 300 girls to school? Would you like to learn about opportunities to help artists and artisans in under-developed countries support their families and communities? We thought so.

Aid to Artisans
www.aidtoartisans.org
Aid to Artisans (ATA), an international nonprofit organization, is a recognized leader of economic development for the craft industry. By linking artisans to new markets and buyers to culturally meaningful and innovative products, ATA provides needed economic opportunities to artisans while preserving the beauty of global handmade crafts.

Bead for Life
http://www.beadforlife.org/
BeadforLife eradicates extreme poverty by creating bridges of understanding between impoverished Africans and concerned world citizens. Ugandan women turn colorful recycled paper into beautiful beads, and people who care open their hearts, homes and communities to buy and sell the beads.The beads thus become income, food, medicine, school fees -- and hope.

Beads for Education
www.beadsforeducation.com
BEADS' mission is to enhance the status of women in the community and to promote environmental awareness with a goal of preserving natural resources. BEADS programs provide school scholarships for African girls, promote business development for African women and support conservation through education. One Kenyan group generates income to send 300 girls to school! Click on the "Products" button to buy beautiful jewelry, bookmarks, nested baskets, wall hangings and much more.

Santa Fe International Folk Art Market
http://www.folkartmarket.org/
The Santa Fe International Folk Art Market is the largest international folk art market in the world with a mission to foster economic and cultural sustainability for folk artists and folk art worldwide and to create intercultural exchange opportunities that unite the peoples of the world. The Market hosts an annual two-day event in Santa Fe each July with an opportunity to buy from over 100 selected artists. Soon they will be building an e-commerce website, so check back often to learn when you can buy art online.

World Crafts Village
www.worldcraftsvillage.com
World Crafts Village is nonprofit and imports handcrafts from countries around the world and markets them in the US. When you purchase WorldCrafts you: assist more than 60 artisan groups around the world who live in poverty in providing for their families while buying meaningful gifts for your family and friends.