Earrings from Rwanda
Hands Up Not Handouts
Why is it that so many of the world's talented ladies are busy working, cooking and bearing children yet despite this, lives in poverty (a whopping 70% of women)?
Hands Up Not Handouts Helps Sustain Women--and Sustainable Communities
Thank the green gods there exists a group trying to turn this statistic around--Hands Up Not Handouts (HUNHO). The organization draws upon impoverished women's native artisan skills and materials to help transform them into community business leaders by supporting the production and retail of their crafts. The proceeds then loop back to the women to help continue a self-sustainable cycle for them, their families and community--minimizing the chances of their turning to un-eco sources of income (for example, deforestation). (A reminder of the strong link between poverty and poor environmental management.)
Urban-Chic Earrings & Cool Wrist Cuffs
The two first girl power cooperatives to land a space on HUNHO's e-commerce website? Rwanda and Palestine--and their collections are equally gorgeous. Urban-chic, over-sized, spiraling earrings handwoven with love from Rwanda's renewable resource sweet grass and wrap/cuff bracelets from Palestine that simultaneously scream rock star and harken back to old-school friendship bracelets. The colorful embellishments instantly jazz up a plain Jane outfit. Budget conscious shopper will too get jazzed over the affordable $40-$50 price point.
Ladies, support your hard-working sisters. And fellahs, I think I speak for women worldwide when I say, we'd be oh so grateful for a gift of bright red or hot pink earrings (as pictured) or a rock-star red cuff bracelet for Valentine's Day!
