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The Gift: A Hand-Beaded Glass Bracelet
Same Sky, a trade-not-aid initiative, sells a wide range of jewelry made by women in Sub-Saharan Africa. We especially like these bracelets. Prices range from $30 to $425.
Why it’s Great
Same Sky trains and employs HIV+ women as artisans. The women earn 15 to 20 times the average Sub-Saharan wage; 100% of net profits are reinvested to train and employ more women.
How to Get it
Go to www.samesky.org
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The Gift: A Chic Scarf
Global Goods Partners, a fair trade company, sells a variety of products handmade by women all over the world. The scarves are woven by women in Cambodia, Guatemala, India, Nepal, Peru, and on the Thailand-Burma border. Prices range from $25 to $160.
Why it’s Great
Global Goods Partners uses its sales profits to support economic opportunities for women and to effect social change in the home.
How to Get it
Go to www.globalgoodspartners.org
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The Gift: Colorful Earrings
Bajalia Trading Company sells authentic, handmade, fair-trade products from India, China, Africa, Afghanistan, and other countries. Check out these turquoise and freshwater pearl earrings from Turkey ($149.95).
Why it’s Great
When you buy from Bajalia you are supporting fair wages and good employment opportunities for economically disadvantage artisans and entrepreneurs.
How to Get it
Go to www.bajalia.com
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The Gift: The latest FEED Bag
Activist Lauren Bush Lauren has been helping alleviate world hunger for years with her famous FEED bags. The newest addition to the FEED Kenya collection, this handmade natural burlap and cotton bag features a hand-beaded strap, FEED logo, and fringe. The red and purple lining is an iconic Masai tribal print. Cost: $150
Why it’s Great
Proceeds from the FEED Foundation’s Kenya collection sales support a co-op of women and deaf Kenyans. The purchase also provides 50 schools with meals. (For more on Lauren Bush Lauren, see the Woman of the Week).
How to Get it
Go to www.feedprojects.com
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The Gift: Trendy Nail Polish
Go funky, sparkly or girly with nail color from Julep’s “Powered by Girlfriends” collection featuring Blues for a Cause ($28), Pinky Promise set ($29.99), and Winter Collection 2012 set ($34).
Why it’s Great
A portion of sales revenue from all nail polish goes to organizations that support women. Past charities include The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood, The Heart Truth, and Girl Up.
How to Get it
Go to http://legacy.julep.com/PoweredByGirlfriends.htm or www.sephora.com
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The Gift: Breast Cancer Ear Buds
These fun pink ear buds, only $9, come in a meaningfully chic shade of pink.
Why it’s Great
One-hundred percent of the purchase price goes to Avon Breast Cancer Crusade which raises funds and awareness for education, screening and diagnosis, access to treatment, support services, and research to fight breast cancer.
How to Get it
Go to http://shop.avon.com
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The Gift: A Motivating Stainless Steel Water Bottle
Fight Like a Girl Club Official Gear offers clothing and other products emblazoned with empowering slogans. This 25oz sports bottle, $18, says “Fight Like a Girl”—and will keep you hydrated all day.
Why it’s Great
Proceeds from Fight Like a Girl Club merchandise go to assisting uninsured and under-insured women who need funds for treatment.
How to Get it
Go to www.fightlikeagirlclub.com
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The Gift: Mmmmmm…. Chocolate
Global Girlfriends sells a wide variety of artisan-produced gifts, from bath treats to clothes to jewelry. Our sweet tooth led us to the Divine Chocolate After Dinner Mints ($8) and the Holiday Bars ($5 each); the latter come in dark chocolate truffle, dark chocolate with hazelnuts and cranberries, milk chocolate with spiced cookies, and toffee and sea salt.
Why it’s Great
Global Girlfriend products are women-made, fair trade, and eco-friendly. The organization donates the funds from each purchase to Camfed (Campaign for Female Education). Each purchase funds 1% of a micro grant for women in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana, and Tanzania.
How to Get it
Go to www.globalgirlfriend.com/store
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The Gift: Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Mix
Claim you made ‘em from scratch; we won’t tell. Yummy chocolate chip oatmeal cookies can be baked up from this mix for only $6.50.
Why it’s Great
The Women’s Bean Project offers transitional jobs in gourmet food manufacturing to women. Cookie mix purchases fund WBPs programs to help women secure jobs and teach the skills they need to keep their jobs.
How to Get it
Go to www.womensbeanproject.com
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The Gift: Red Ruby Mineral Shea Butter Lipstick
This pout-enhancer from Pür Minerals is in a fun holiday color—and only $16.
Why it’s Great
Pür Minerals donates 75 percent of proceeds from each lipstick purchase to Go Red For Women®, the American Heart Association’s initiative dedicated to raising awareness about women and heart disease.
How to Get it
Go to www.purminerals.com
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The Gift: A Hand-Woven Throw Pillow—or Two
Mercado Global sells hand-made goods from around the world to support local women artisans. These throw pillows—from $50 to $80—are hand-woven by rural indigenous women in Guatemala.
Why It’s Great
Mercado Global brings women artisans’ handmade goods to western markets to raise money to break the cycle of poverty. For each dollar earned, the organization reinvests 90¢ back into business and leadership training for the artisans.
How to Get it
Go to www.mercadoglobal.org/collections/home
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The Gift: A One-of-a Kind Bowl or Basket
Each unique Indego Africa basket and bowl features striking colors and traditional motifs. The wood is hand-carved from jacaranda trees; the weaving uses needles and fine plant threads. All work is done by women of the Abaharaniramajyambere Cooperative in Buhare, Rwanda. Prices range from $44 to $60.
Why It’s Great
Proceeds go to Indego Africa’s partner cooperatives to support women artisans in Rwanda by funding training programs in management and entrepreneurship, literacy, technology, and health.
How to Get it
Go to http://shop.indegoafrica.org/
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The Gift: Washable Sanitary Pads
Lunapads makes washable, reusable, eco-friendly cloth pads. $11.99 for a 3-pack of pads and liners.
Why it’s Great
For every One4Her product you purchase, Lunapads donates one pad to a girl in Uganda. Ugandan women make the donated AFRIpads, so each purchase also supports local employment.
How to Get it
Go to http://lunapads.com
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