Subscribe Share Past Issues Translate Mankato First Fair Trade Town in Minnesota View this email in your Issue No.12, December 9, 2015 browser Stay Connected Visit MAFTTI.org Donate through MAFTTI's website We are pleased to know of your continuing interest in Fair Trade. We hope it will continue well into 2016 and beyond. This is a good opportunity to let you know that MAFTTI recently received final official notification of 501 (c) 3 non-profit status from the IRS and that, therefore, contributions in support of MAFTTI’s work are tax-deductible. Thanks in advance for any financial support you can offer before the end of the year. TEN THOUSAND VILLAGES – what’s in a name? Ten Thousand Villages is present in 40 states of the union, through nearly 80 stores carrying its own name and a similar number of ‘Alliance’ outlets (like The Fair Emporium in St.Peter). The name of the chain is only 20 years old, but the initiative that led to its growth dates back nearly 70 years to the vision of Kansas-born Mennonite Edna Ruth Byler (1904-76). During a visit to Puerto Rico in 1946 she was greatly moved by the poverty she encountered there as well as the quality of the lace work done by local women. By all accounts Edna Byler returned with a mission – to provide sustainable economic opportunities for artisans in developing countries by creating a viable marketplace for their products in North America. She began a grassroots campaign among her family and friends in Central Pennsylvania and elsewhere in the country by selling lace and other handcrafted products, initially from Puerto Rico, out of the trunk of her car. She went on to make concerted efforts to educate her community about the lives of artisans around the world. For the next 30 years, she worked tirelessly to connect individual entrepreneurs in developing countries with market opportunities in North America. From humble beginnings, Ten Thousand Villages as we know it emerged, now a 501(c)3 non-profit independent of the Mennonite Central Committee, its long- time sponsor. The inspiration for the name came from Mahatma Gandhi: "…India is not to be found in its few cities but in the 700,000 villages…we have hardly ever paused to inquire if these folks get sufficient to eat and clothe themselves with." That’s the point of Fair Trade – pausing to think about the story behind the product. The mission of Ten Thousand Villages is to create opportunities for artisans in developing countries to earn income by bringing their products and stories to our markets through long-term fair trading relationships. Today Ten Thousand Villages shops, Alliance stores and short term festivals stock their shelves and tables with colorful items imported from nearly 40 countries. For the fourth year running MAFTTI is very pleased to be giving a hand to Joyce Bucklin’s Ten Thousand Villages kiosk in River Hills Mall, Mankato, which is open until Christmas Eve. Joyce manages the Ten Thousand Villages shop in Mountain Lake, MN, a small community with a strong Mennonite heritage. At this time of year, especially, Joyce says “I am so happy to be involved in Ten Thousand Villages and especially pleased that Mankato has graciously invited us to share our products here. It is a mission I feel strongly about, that in giving gifts we are providing opportunities for artisans all around the world to help sustain their families. Thank you for your support.” Thanks also from MAFTTI to all those who are contributing with time in managing the kiosk – and everyone whose custom Ten Thousand Villages is pleased to receive, at Christmas and around. FAIR TRADE FOR PEACE IN PALESTINE The November Newsletter featured the World Fair Trade Organization and its new Guarantee System that many of its members are working on to demonstrate ever more thoroughly their Fair Trade credentials. Christmas thoughts lead to Palestine, where the WFTO has two members that have obtained the WFTO Guarantee – Holy Land Handicraft Cooperative Society at Beit Sahour and, nearby, Bethlehem Fair Trade Artisans. The WFTO is keen to see the progress made by these two organizations recognized because of the bleak political and economic context in which they are working. Leaders from both groups speak here about how working on a Fair Trade basis is creating hope and a sense of empowerment from the ground up. BFTA staff – Susan Sazori, Exec Director (left) HLHCS artist in wood Another Fair Trade group active in Palestine - and more familiar to MAFTTI – is Canaan Fair Trade. MAFTTI’s products list has included Olive Oil, Olive Oil Soap, Couscous, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Za’atar, all from Canaan Fair Trade. Located in Jenin in the north of the West Bank, 70-75 miles from Bethlehem-Beit Sahour, Canaan rapidly made an impact on the Fair Trade scene locally and internationally, as a quick look at the website will show. Canaan was founded in 2005. After seven years an impact study was done which, among other interesting things, links the Canaan story to that of Fair Trade coffee shops in Madison, WI. If time permits nothing else, the Executive Summary and the Afterword deserve to be read. In Israel, the old town of Kana near Nazareth, is home to Sindyanna of Galilee, a female-led NGO promoting “business for peace”. Established in 1996, Sindyanna is the only certified Fair Trade olive oil producer in Israel that operates among the country’s Arab population. Also holding the WFTO Guarantee, Sindyanna’s staff of Arab and Jewish women share a vision of peaceful coexistence producing organic and extra virgin olive oils, za’atar spice mixes, carob syrup, almonds, honey, olive oil soaps, and various traditional handicrafts. Sindyanna’s profits are channeled back into Palestinian womens’ education, encouraging sustainable agriculture, supporting organic farming and bridging cultural divides. Sindyanna also holds IMO’s Fair for Life certification. On the use of the Fair Trade Premium, Fair for Life comments that “Sindyanna of Galilee shows its commitment to Fair Trade by using the Fair Trade Premium entirely for social projects such as capacity-building of women in new skills, organising meetings with women cooperatives and supporting Arabic artists.” Sindyanna’s products are marketed in the USA largely via SERRV, Ten Thousand Villages, Dr.Bronner’s and may also be found in Whole Foods Markets. The Sindyanna website has some interesting, short videos here. PRODUCT NEWS – THINKING OF CHRISTMAS Chocolate Ever heard of barkTHINS snacking chocolate? Spotted and recommended by Marsha Murphy, you can find them at Hilltop Hy-Vee and perhaps elsewhere. The website suggests Barnes & Noble and Target as possible sources, but it all depends. While you’re thinking of chocolate purchases before Christmas, you may well come across new products that intrigue you. Spare a moment to look for a Fair Trade label. If it’s new, please let MAFTTI know. Fair Trade Chocolate available locally Labels to look for: barkTHINS/Fair Trade USA, Chocolove/Fair for Life, Endangered Species/Fairtrade International, Equal Exchange/Fair for Life, Green & Blacks/Fairtrade International, Lily/Fairtrade International, Moser-Roth/Fairtrade International, Pascha/Fair Trade USA Ice-cream Might Ben & Jerry’s also figure in the shopping cart quite soon? These three stories may be a year old but their Fair Trade message holds true today. CATCHING UP WITH MAFTTI We want to acknowledge a donation from coffee sales during Fair Trade Month from the Beans Coffee Company. Thank you, Clay and Eric. Eric Poppler and Clay Sharkey MAFTTI has been glad to get to know Beans in recent times and wishes the company well in its small- scale coffee roasting venture and sales at the Mankato Farmers’ Market and online. STOP PRESS Rumor has it that a big story about its Fair Trade ambitions will come out of Gustavus Adolphus College early next week. Copyright © 2015 MAFTTI, All rights reserved. MAFTTI Newsletter No.12, December 9, 2015 Our mailing address is: [email protected] unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences.