Two years ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to go to Haiti as part of a program to view Macy’s Heart of Haiti products and meet the artisans behind the beautiful art. It was an incredible trip in many ways as it opened my heart and mind to a different side of Haiti that is often not discussed in the press. Instead of seeing tragedy, hardship and destruction I saw amazing resilience, hope and creativity through the arts. While many challenges remain for the people of Haiti – it still is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere – there also lies opportunity and beauty especially through its vibrant, dynamic arts much that is made from repurposed materials that would otherwise send up in the trash.
One such community that is ingeniously using scraps of metal to create beautiful works of art is Croix-des-Bouquet a neighborhood in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Over 60 years ago, Georges Liautaud began a movement in creating metal art from recycled products that became the thriving metal artisan community of Croix-des-Bouquet.
Metal art decorates all of Croix-des-Bouquet creating a sense of pride and accomplishment within the community.
Croix-des-Bouquet is a community of metal artisans near Port-au-Prince
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Today, Croix-des-Bouquet has over 1,000 metal artisans making their fabulous metal art with over 60 different shops and studios creating social change and opportunity in this growing community in Port-au-Prince. Croix-des-Bouquet is where the most famous, accomplished metal artisans reside who have traveled the world with their art and have become instrumental within the community by creating apprenticeship opportunities for Haitians to learn their trade.
My Gifts that Give Back Gift Guide has been the most viewed post on my blog for over a year straight which says a lot since I have been blogging for almost six years and have well over 1,000 posts. It has become so popular that I created a permanent page on my blog of Gifts that Give Back and am updating it all the time with new, inspiring organizations.
The wonderful news is that business is booming for these organizations and I am utterly blessed that I have played a small role in helping give back. From buying a handmade scarf that helps send a girl to school in India or a candle made by Syrian refugees, there is so much you can do to help out.
Even better is that Gifts that Give Back don’t have to be only for adults. There are also several wonderful gifts that give back to and for children. Without further ado, here is a list of some of the best gifts for children that help other children around the world. Continue reading →
I am always looking for inspiring social good enterprises to feature on my blog. This past month, I had the opportunity to speak with Jessie Yoh, Co-Founder and CEO of b.a.r.e. soaps, an all natural, socially conscious soap and candle company that helps women and children in Uganda and India. b.a.r.e. stands for “bringing antiseptic resources to everyone” and was built on the idea that something as simple as a bar of soap can effectively help prevent the spread of diseases and illnesses while improving overall health and hygiene.
b.a.r.e soaps was inspired by Jessie’s friend Clare Li’s mission trips to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Uganda where she witnessed the desperate need for basic health necessities. After every mission trip, Clare returned energized to make a difference but was never sure how. The idea behind b.a.r.e. soaps didn’t arise until August 2012 when Clare was in Uganda, and brainstormed an idea to make her own soap and use proceeds to invest in developing communities that lacked basic sanitation.
b.a.r.e. soaps
After Clare returned to the US, she pitched her good friend Jessie her idea. Jessie, a business major, hopped on board immediately. Upon further research, the pair realized that there was a problem also at home. The soap we typically buy from our local grocer or drugstore isn’t really soap. In actuality, it’s made with synthetic and artificial compounds. Thus, a two-fold mission for b.a.r.e. soaps began: First, to educate and provide an all-natural product for those at home, and second to create a sustainable sanitation program for the children in Kaberamaido, Uganda. While working full-time, the pair launched the business in September 2013 and have been changing lives ever since.
Jessie pumps a well located within the Carepoint grounds. This well is shared amongst the community, and there is always a steady stream of women and children pumping water from ti
Empty Jerry cans await to be filled at the Carepoint well.
Clare conducts a soapmaking trial run during a trip in 2014. The women were interested in learning how to make soap to sell to others. Unfortunately, lye, a crucial ingredient in soap making, is hard to find in Kaberamaido, which makes this endeavor a huge challenge.
Children from the Carepoint show off their coloring after Clare conducts a handwashing 101 workshop
What better gift is there than teaching your child the spirit of giving this holiday season! Why not create a family tradition that gives back by supporting one of these amazing organizations with holiday gifts that help people around the world?
A few years ago, I began highlighting different organizations that offer wonderful gifts that also give back to a cause. Given how popular the posts have been, I created a permanent Gifts that Give Back page on my blog and last holiday season that page alone received 10,000 views in the months of November and December! I was thrilled to know that these amazing organizations and causes were getting more customers from my blog. Without further ado, here is my updated 2016 Holiday Guide of Gifts that Give Back. I hope you enjoy and please comment if you know of any I’ve missed and please share with friends. Happy Shopping!
The Red Sari scarf
Goodbye Malaria women and children’s slippers
Leh Reversible Scarf in Red
Eyerus Necklace
Egyptian Sapphire Bracelet by Bird + Stone
Dreambuilder Cuff bracelet by Bird + Stone
A blanket from Siestas for Fiestas Photo Credit: Mariel Hannah
“Do one thing everyday that scares you” – Eleanor Roosevelt (Elana’s favorite quote)
I am amazed by the number of millennials who are not satisfied with the ordinary 9 to 5 job and instead have taken a chance to make a difference in the world. One such woman is Elana Reinholtz, the young social entrepreneur behind Bird + Stone. Elana left an aspiring career in finance in the heart of Manhattan to help single women in Kenya through her company, Bird + Stone.
Bird + Stone is a socially conscious jewelry company with mission aligned products designed to inspire, educate, and most importantly help shape the dreams of deserving women who aspire to be independent and financially stable. As a social enterprise, Bird + Stone uses jewelry as a funding vehicle for micro-loans and financial training, and invests in single mothers in Kenya to start farming businesses to help lift themselves out of poverty. It is a beautiful concept and has shown much success in changing lives.
Elana teaching business classes to women in Kenya
Today October 11th, in honor of International Day of the Girl, Bird + Stone is partnering with Girl Up, a campaign of the UN Foundation, to help fund access to and education for the 62 million girls out of school around the globe. Each bracelet will give $3 to Girl Up programs for girls to become leaders in their communities and get access to school.
To see the new Girl Up and Bird + Stone Bracelets launched today, click here.
New Girl Up Bracelet by Bird + Stone
I had the opportunity to chat with Elana and meet her in person in NYC to learn more about the inspiration behind Bird + Stone and why she views micro-loans as a way of changing lives in Kenya. Here is what she had to say. Continue reading →
A year and a half ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to go to Haiti as part of a program to view Macy’s Heart of Haiti products and meet the artisans behind the beautiful art. It was an incredible trip in many ways as it opened my heart and mind to a different side of Haiti that is often not discussed in the press. Instead of seeing tragedy, hardship and destruction I saw amazing resilience, hope and creativity through the arts.
Our group, #Bloggers4Haiti
It was with a heavy heart that I followed the news of yet another tragedy in Haiti, the destruction and death from Hurricane Matthew. Hundreds more have died, thousands have lost their homes and their livelihoods once again, and the devastation left behind is just another setback in a country that seems to constantly take one step forward two steps back.
As the US and others rush in with aid to help Haiti, it is often asked how one can best help Haiti. Although humanitarian aid is absolutely necessary, tragically a lot of good intentions behind aid aren’t always fulfilled. Selecting the right kind of organization to donate to is even more important than ever.
The “Gingerbread” homes and slums that raise up the mountains behind luxurious Pétionville.
“Colorful yoga mat. Eye-catching home décor. Bohemian table runner. Comfy beach blanket. Each purchase provides a homemade Christmas meal for an impoverished family in Mexico.” – Siestas for Fiestas
Many people travel to enjoy the gorgeous beaches and resorts of Cancun, Mexico however few people think about the other side of Mexico often unseen behind the luxury. The countless number of Mexicans living in poverty, lacking opportunity to find sustainable employment, feed their families, and send their children to school. For Chris and Jesenia, a husband and wife team from Los Angeles, it took an unexpected and serendipitous move to Cancun to realize how much need there was in the community and how passionate they were to make a difference.
It was there in Cancun where Chris and Jesenia met Pastor Arturo Guzman and his congregation at Fe, Amor y Esperanza whose passion for helping the community changed Chris and Jesenia’s life. Upon returning to the US, Chris and Jesenia founded Siestas for Fiestas, a boutique blanket shop that sources textiles directly from Mexico and handcrafts all products in Los Angeles, CA. For each one sold a Christmas meal is provided to a family living in poverty in Cancun, Mexico.
I had the opportunity to speak with Jesenia and learn more about the inspiration behind their company and what their vision is for the future. Here is what she had to say.
Meet Chris and Jesenia, founders of Siestas for Fiestas. Photo credit: Mariel Hannah
Me: Why did you and Chris move to Cancun?
Jesenia: We were leading busy lives working in LA and had always wanted to live in another country. I was working in the wedding planning industry when a short-term position opened up for me to work in Cancun, Mexico with a California-based company who wanted to expand internationally. Since both Chris and I are native Spanish speakers and had been to Cancun before and loved it, it sounded like the perfect opportunity to try something new. We moved to Cancun in January 2015 and stayed for about six months. While we were there we met a Pastor that was working on an amazing project to help feed his congregation and we wanted to help.
Chris and Jesenia with Pastor Arturo and the congregation in Cancun. Photo credit: Mariel Hannah
Me: How did you meet Pastor Arturo Guzman and get connected with church?
Jesenia: Chris and I had a woman taking care of my grandpa in LA and when I told her we were moving to Cancun, she asked me to deliver some things to her nephew, Pastor Arturo Guzman, who lived there and was a Pastor at Fe, Amor y Esperanza. We met him and told him that we wanted to find a church to attend. We started going to Fe, Amor y Esperanza that very first Sunday and continued to go the entire time we were in Cancun. Pastor Arturo and his family became our family. We were so incredibly inspired by him and the work he was doing to help others.
What inspired you to start Siestas for Fiestas?
Jesenia: Pastor Arturo shared with us an especially personal and heartfelt mission: The church’s ongoing Christmas project to feed families living in poverty. We were inspired by his heart for this project and began brainstorming ideas on how we could help. One day we were out shopping and saw beautiful Mexican textiles and I thought “Why not use the colorful textiles of Mexico to make and sell blankets?” I bought some materials and made 16 blankets thinking I would sell them to friends to raise money for the project. I ended up selling all the blankets instantly and little by little, kept making and selling more. Before I knew it, Siestas for Fiestas was launched and we have been making blankets ever since.
Chris and Jesenia hold up one of their blankets. Photo credit: Mariel Hannah
About 230 km (143 miles) away from Bangalore lies the Bandipur National Park in the district of Chamarajnagar. Tucked around the stunning Western Ghat Mountains in Karnataka, Bandipur National Park is regarded as one of the most beautiful parks in India and is home to many types of wildlife including tigers, elephants and gaurs (a type of bull) as well as the predominantly indigenous communities that surround the park. Together with Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala and Nagarhole National Park in the North, it creates the India’s largest biosphere reserve popularly known as the ‘Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve’ and is an important part of India’s efforts towards eco-conservation.
Bandipur National Park was founded in 1974 under the Indian Government in efforts to conserve the tigers and wildlife community, however, in the process of establishing the park the tribal populations who has lived in the forests of the reserve for centuries were moved off of their land and into the villages and hamlets that surround the park. They had lost access to their traditional way of life as forest dwellers and were moved into subsistence farming on dry plots of land.
Morning at a water body inside the Bandipur Tiger Reserve (Photo credit: Nithila Baskaran)
Meet Elisabetta Colabianchi, Founder of Kurandza, a non-profit social enterprise that invests in the future of women in Mozambique.I have featured her work and organization before on my blog and include their products under my Gifts that Give Back Guide. Kurandza uses education, entrepreneurship and sustainable development programs to help create opportunity and change for women and their communities. A devastating two-year drought in Mozambique has caused widespread hunger inspiring Elisabetta to shift gears and focus on hunger relief. Here is her heartwarming story.
Percina and Elisabetta, two wonderful friends who met in a village in Mozambique while Elisabetta was a Peace Corps volunteer. Photo credit: Nicole Anderson of Sorella Muse Photography
“Kurandza: To Love”: Written by Elisabetta Colabianchi, Founder and Designer, Kurandza
I’d known there was a hunger crisis in Mozambique, but what really got to me was hearing that HIV positive mothers were faced with choosing between letting their children starve or nursing their children past the recommended time despite the risk of passing on HIV.
Prior to founding my non-profit organization, Kurandza, which means “to love” in the local Changana language, I lived in Mozambique as a Peace Corps volunteer for three years. While there, I worked at a rural hospital counseling mothers on the prevention of HIV transmission to their babies, and had successfully prevented the transmission to hundreds of children.
At first, I thought that maybe the mothers who continued to nurse despite the risk were doing this because they forgot their training. Or I thought perhaps I hadn’t taught them very well after all.
But when I counseled one of these mothers over the phone last month from my home, now living thousands of miles away in California, I realized she knew exactly what she was doing, and that it hurt her to do so. She knew that by continuing to nurse her child past the recommended time, she was putting her baby at risk to contract HIV. She knew that when a child contracts the HIV virus, it often leads to mortality.
(1). The decorative edge of a sari used to provide comfort and protect to loved ones. (2). A Shelter.
I first learned about Anchal Project a few years ago from a fellow social good blogger who lives in Louisville, Kentucky where Anchal Project is based. After looking at their beautiful website and learning about their philanthropic model, I bought my first scarf and fell in love with the beauty and exquisiteness of their unique products and the story behind each scarf. I have been promoting their products on my Gifts that Give Back page for years and finally this week I had the opportunity to speak with co-founder and CEO Colleen Clines about the inspiration behind Anchal Project and what she has done to help women escape poverty and prostitution in India. Little did I know, her own personal story was equally as inspiring and powerful as her work heading Anchal Project. Here is the story.
This Mother’s Day, why not consider a unique gift that also gives back to a mother in return? I have compiled a fabulous list of ideas that include beautiful products handmade by women as well as donations that support mothers around the world.
Here are some of the loveliest gifts that give of the season for that special mom in your life.
Beautiful handmade products that give back to mothers
Bloom & Give
Bloom & Give sells beautifully handcrafted scarves and bags made in India using techniques passed on from generation to generation. Each product is designed in the US by one of Bloom & Give’s designers, and made in India with love. Bloom & Give donates 50% of their profits to support girls education programs in India through their partner Educate Girls to improve the lives of girls in Rajasthan. Here are a few new products:
BARI INDIGO SILK COTTON SCARF
BARI LILAC SILK COTTON SCARF
Maya Hamsa Blue Tote
Mother’s Day Special: Bloom & Give has graciously offered my readers a 20% discount off their purchase. At checkout , please enter the code: THIRDEYEMOM.
Designing Change Stitch by Stitch” Anchal creates absolutely stunning scarves, pillows and quilts each handmade out of recycled saris by Indian women rescued from prostitution. Here are some of their latest products:
Connected in Hope is a nonprofit social enterprise & lifestyle brand that empowers vulnerable women and families in Ethiopia to rise above poverty. Connected in Hope currently employ 80+ artisans, providing them with sustainable, predictable incomes. One hundred percent of the profit generated from product sales is reinvested in programs that benefit the artisans and their families. Profits fund Connected in Hope’s innovative preschool and kindergarten, adult literacy classes, community education events and health care programs.
FASIKA FOLDOVER CLUTCH (CAMEL)
FASIKA FOLDOVER CLUTCH (CAMEL)
Enat Scarf with FASIKA FOLDOVER CLUTCH (CAMEL)
Mother’s Day Special: Connected in Hope is offering free shipping on all Mother’s Day orders over $100 with coupon code: FORMOM. To view special products for Mother’s Day click here.
All Across Africa currently works with over 3,000 artisans in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi, paying artisans up front for the goods at many times what they could sell them for in a local market. This sustainable income allows them to send their children to school, feed their families and even create savings accounts. In addition, money goes back into the communities in the form of education and training programs. All Across Africa believes that job creation is the solution for the rural poor in these countries. Check out their beautiful handmade and fair-trade goods here. You are bound to love the products and the amazing work All Across Africa is doing.
Here are some of their beautiful products that would make lovely gifts for your mom.
Humanity Unified is a for-profit enterprise that donates 100% of net profits to Humanity Unified International, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to lifting vulnerable populations out of poverty. Together with local NGO, Aspire Rwanda, they are developing a food security project that will benefit 100 women living in poverty. The project will provide a women’s farming cooperative with the education, tools and training necessary to generate livable incomes, so that they can be self-sustaining and provide for their families after one year. These beautiful Mala bracelets are a wonderful gift for your mom.
The Resilience Mala
The Transcendence Mala
The Strength Mala
Set of two Malas
Special Mother’s Day Discount: Humanity Unified is offering 10% off any item. Just enter the code: 4mom when checking out.
Kurandza is a purpose-driven fashion company that creates handcrafted jewelry and accessories with women in Mozambique. Their mission is to empower women, the majority of whom are HIV positive, through education and employment opportunities. In addition to receiving fair wages for their work, profits from sales go back to this community to fund development projects.
Currently Percina Miocha, the Director of Kurandza in Mozambique, is currently visiting the United States for the first time! It’s been her dream to visit the U.S. since high school, and she’s finally realizing this goal. She’s preparing to return to Mozambique this week and will bring new skills and lots of memories back with her! She’s enjoyed her time so much that she plans to come back every year.
Here are some new products for your mom.
Special Mother’s Day Discount of 10% off with code “thirdeyemom” on orders placed before Mother’s Day.
Your purchase of a fashionABLE scarf creates sustainable business for women in Africa. Our commitment as a non-profit is to the development of people — fashionABLE works with women who have been exploited due to the effects of poverty. So, when you purchase a scarf you are providing jobs, and then we send the net profits back to holistically rehabilitate more women.I had the opportunity to visit fashionABLE in Ethiopia and it is an amazing program!
This Mother’s Day, why not honor your mom with a gorgeous Tirhas leather Saddlebag?
Thistle Farms is a social enterprise of women survivors of prostitution and drug addiction that would provide an opportunity for a sustainable income and life for the women. Based in Tennessee, Thistle Farms houses a natural bath and body care company, Thistle Stop Café, a paper and seeing studio and a global marketplace called Shared Trade. Today, Thistle Farms employees more than 50 survivors and benefits over 700 women a year. Proceeds support Thistle Farms and the residential program, Magdalene. The community provides housing, food, healthcare, therapy and education for two years, without charging residents or receiving taxpayer money.
Here are some of their wonderful products for your mom including such lovely ideas as the Thistle Farms Bug Free Candle (Made with nature’s best ingredients for repelling insects – organic rose geranium oil, geraniol, cinnamon leaf oil, citronella and clove bud oils), the Lilly Gift Set (Uniquely handcrafted planters from Freedoms Promise in Cambodia. Freedom’s Promise seeks to combat human-trafficking in Cambodia by providing fair wages and safe working environments for women artisans), and the Blessed Hope Nepal Bracelets (Their new roll-on bracelets from Thistle Farms’s Global partner in Nepal, come in an array of vibrant colors and feature hand-crocheted beads in intricate patterns).
For the mom who has everything but wants to give something special:
The Miracle Foundation:
There are millions of orphaned children in the developing world, many of whom languish in sub-standard institutions without access to basic food, clean water, clothing, schooling and medical care. That’s why The Miracle Foundation, a non-profit organization that empowers orphans to reach their full potential by turning orphanages into places where children thrive, is launching its unique Mother’s Day campaign. The 501(c)(3) charity, which revolutionizes the way orphanages are run, funded and managed, hopes to raise funds by May 8th to pay the annual salaries and room & board of the housemothers working in its orphanages.
Children at one of the orphanages The Miracle Foundation supports in India. Photo Credit: Lynne Dobson
A child and a house mom at one of the orphanages The Miracle Foundation supports in India. Photo Credit: Lynne Dobson
Spiritual development is part of the The 12 Rights of the Child that form The Miracle Foundation’s philosophy of nurturing children to their fullest potential. At Anbarasi Children’s home, these girls pray after returning from school. Children at one of the orphanages The Miracle Foundation supports in India. Photo Credit: Lynne Dobson
Each of Miracle’s housemothers acts as a mom to the 20 orphaned children in her care, creating an environment where they can truly thrive. These incredible women raise the boys and girls the charity supports into smart, strong, compassionate and self-sustaining men and women.
“This Mother’s Day, instead of giving her flowers, candy, or dinner at a nice restaurant, we invite you to honor your mom by spending the same amount of money in a much more meaningful way,” said Caroline Boudreaux, Founder of The Miracle Foundation. “Participating in our campaign will engage both of you in the lives of less fortunate children in the developing world. What better way to pay tribute to your mother than by helping provide a mom to those who don’t have one?”
Caroline Boudreaux, Founder of The Miracle Foundation, in Delhi. Photo Credit: Lynne Dobson
Here’s what your Mother’s Day gift can do:
$25: Feeds a housemother for one month
$60: Funds a housemother for one month, including food, salary and room & board
The Adventure Project is a non-profit that “adds venture” to offer education, tools and resources for people to become entrepreneurs and change their lives. The Adventure Project partners with some of the leading non-profit organizations on the ground, focusing on the world’s greatest issues affecting people in poverty such as the environment, health, hunger and water.
Currently The Adventure Project is running a campaign to provide safe, clean drinking water to women in Uganda.
“There are 4.5 million orphans in Ethiopia. What if we each helped them in a small, tangible way? The total effort would be substantial.” – Josh Allen, founder of WO Design.
It was during a life-changing service trip to Ethiopia in the fall of 2012 that Josh Allen, a young dad from Bozeman, Montana, was exposed firsthand to the hardship faced by widows and orphans in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Josh went to Ethiopia as a delegate with the Global Leadership Summit and was introduced to various non-profit organizations around Addis Ababa, the nation’s capital. He spent a day with Bring Love In, a non-profit organization that helps to provide orphans and widows with a loving, stable home. Josh was instantly moved by the program and the amazing success they had in giving both unwanted orphans and widows a second chance at life and love.
He returned home to Montana driven to make a difference and help support the orphans and widows he met at Bring Love In. Already a successful retailer Dee-O-Gee and developer of dog toys, Josh found a way to bring his expertise and desire to help orphans and widows together by the creation of his company, WO Design (which stands for Widows and Orphans Design).
In the fall of 2014, Josh launched WO Design with his first product, the WO Bone, that is made in his hometown of Bozeman, Montana. For each dog toy purchased, two meals are provided to widows and orphans at Bring Love In in Ethiopia. Nine months later, he added another product, the WO Disc and by the end of 2015, over 5,000 meals have been provided to widows and orphans at Bring Love In.
