Hope Bolivia  ~  Village Artisans  ~  Global Mamas  ~  It's a Cactus  ~  
Bomolulu Workshop

Working within a local community to develop free-trade products to be distributed globally, the Ramseys report that the soap and honey produced by the women in a cluster of villages has been successfully marketed and exported.  The current focus of the company, Village Artisan, is on extracting essential oils from herbs like lavender for products that require fragrances and special scents. Village Artisan was created out of the realization of what Westerners could contribute to the already gifted but struggling communities of Asia. Through developing innovative designs, raising the standard of quality, linking local artisans with the global marketplace, and advocating for sustainable development, a whole new paradigm has come to multinational business: a company with a conscience. Artisans from several villages now have the finances for education and better health for their families. Women are also empowered through dignified work and participation in decisions. Since the conception of Village Artisan, the result has been the transformation of not only the individual lives of previously impoverished women and children, but entire communities.

Global Mamas is the name brand for goods produced through the efforts of Women in Progress, an international not-for-profit organization assisting women of Africa in attaining economic independence. All proceeds made by Global Mamas' sales go directly to the women producing the merchandise and to the business development programs carried out by Women in Progress.

Global Mamas is the name brand for goods produced through the efforts of Women in Progress, an international not-for-profit organization assisting women of Africa in attaining economic independence. All proceeds made by Global Mamas' sales go directly to the women producing the merchandise and to the business development programs carried out by Women in Progress.

Global Mamas is currently a cooperative of 26 small businesses in Ghana. With employees and apprentices, Global Mamas directly benefits over 150 people through producing hand-made clothing and accessories. New businesses will be included as more items are added to the Global Mamas product line. Global Mamas enhances the international marketplace with unique, high quality, handmade apparel, and at the same time provides sustainable livelihoods for women and girls in Africa.

Global Mama's reduces the economic inequality of women by significantly increasing the revenues and profits of woman-owned businesses in Africa. This in turn increases employee wages, generates new jobs and improves the standard of living. We believe that helping women gain economic independence is the most effective way to reduce dependence on foreign aid and steadily create a prosperous society.

Sales of Global Mamas' products provide dignity to African women who are now able to earn an honest living through the production of handmade batik products. By helping women to help themselves, Global Mamas is taking small steps towards helping end Africa's dependence on foreign aid and creating a sustainable society.

In Haiti, the traditional art of converting oil drums into wall sculptures is a true mark of both man's imagination and his resourcefulness in the face of dire economic circumstances. Using 55-gallon oil drum cast offs, the artist first removes both ends of the drum, reserving those pieces for smaller sculptures. Next, he stuffs the drum with straw, igniting it to burn out any residues. When it has cooled, he slices it down on e side and pounds it into a flat four by six piece of metal "canvas". With a stick of chalk, the artist then draws his intended design onto the metal sheet. Finally, he applies a hammer and chisel to the task; cutting, shaping, and contouring the piece to its completion. It's a Cactus enables these artisans to create better lives for themselves and their families through trade.

The government of Kenya offers no aid or welfare for the disabled. They are left to fend for themselves. For the handicapped, life is hard. They are an extra mouth to feed, sometimes passed from family member to family member, always unwanted, always a liability.

The Bombolulu Workshop for the Handicapped, located in Mombasa, Kenya, works with some 150 disabled men and women artisans to help them overcome their physical limitations and empower them economically and socially to become fully integrated members of their communities.Bombolulu started in 1969 as a rehabilitation project sponsored by the Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya.

The workshop trains artisans in jewelry making, weaving, woodwork and crafting to provide them with a dignified way of earning an income. Profits from the sales of its first project- copper jewelry-were used to purchase Bombolulu Gardens, a 12-acre farm on the outskirts of Mombasa that functions as an agricultural training center for the disabled. At Bombolulu, priority is given to working with the most severely disabled and to those from the poorest families. Organizations such as Bright Hope International and Serrv International provide a vehicle in which Bombolulu can sell its items to people around the world.