Today, I am so very honoured to feature Work of Worth, and have them feature my Curated Collection on their site! If you’re just joining us for 31 Days of Making Purchases That Make a Difference, check out these posts to get caught up on my intentions and heart behind this series:
31 Days of Making Purchases That Make a Difference
We have so much available to us in North America, and most parts of the world. Even in the developing world, much has changed over the years in the name of progress and moving forward. Yet still, very much also remains the same – factories still pay unfair wages and provide unsafe environments. Women are still sold as slaves. Little children are still starving and water remains in short supply. We take for granted how much protection we have, how much the little things to us are actually a really big deal – little changes we can make in the way we do things that can carry a greater impact around the world.
You don’t realize it, but you can make a difference. You can change a life. If not by personally touching them or doing something for them, then by supporting organizations, businesses and individuals who do. Work of Worth is one such organization that exists to do just that – connect the Western world to the global market.
Work of Worth: Using the Power of Commerce to Free the Oppressed
Work of Worth’s commitment is to get entrepreneurs, artisans and businesses in the developing world connected to the Western market – that’s us!
They import and sell fair-trade items, which provides us with some amazing quality, hand-crafted products, and in turn promotes the success of these businesses. Not only that, but WoW is working hard to put into place specific guidelines for the manufacturers to follow in order to ensure fair and safe treatment of employees and workers:
WoW is creating and implementing a “Work of Worth” certification process. Going beyond “fair trade,” a Work of Worth certification or approval would indicate that a product is manufactured by a company that aligns with WoW’s ethos of non-discrimination, paying a fair wage and modeling respectful treatment of their workers.
The Impact
Companies working with WoW employ men and women from all over the world –
We want to value their work so that they may create a more valuable future for their families and future generations.
Mustafa was forced to leave school by grade 5 to provide for his family when his father passed away. Now, with a family of his own, though he has no formal education, he is very skilled and talented in numbers and geometry. He started making books by hand, and now uses his skills, working with Village Artisan to cut each piece of paper for WoW paper products. “He is a key man in VA’s paper product creation, as the outcome of each piece depends upon the precision of each piece of paper cut.”
When her father left, Neda‘s family was struggling to pay school fees and dowrys for 5 girls, as well as just buy food. Village Artisan recognized the need and trained them all in beadwork. “The greatest blessing for me is that, now, my whole family can work with me at home, and I haven’t had to send any one of my girls out to work!”
Check out the WoW blog for more stories on the lives of the artisans, as well as how you can become an advocate for fair trade!
The Goods
The products available through Work of Worth are top-notch! Paper and leather products, jewelry, sari scarves, handmade soaps, shirts and totes – all in beautiful colours and created by skilled artists.
WoW asked me to put together a special collection of my favourites to share with you – I felt like a super-special, fancy schmancy designer putting this together. It was so much fun, but so difficult to choose just a few!
Click on the photo above for the details and links on the items so you can check them out too! And make sure you check out the other Curated Collections from these lovely ladies.
To hear more about the Work of Worth team, check out God Centered Mom‘s podcast with WoW COO, Kristi Griem.
