Living Gift Festival
Last year, over $841,428 was raised on behalf of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), helping families around the world meet basic needs for good health and a decent living. Countries such as India, Burkina Faso and Nepal received some 25,547 Living Gifts. Roughly translated, this means:
- 9,929 families received vegetable seeds and fruit seedlings (Good Growing Project);
- 9,947 abandoned or orphaned children received healthy meals for a month (Care for Kids Project);
- 3,844 families benefitted from clean water distribution (Care for Creation Project);
- 704 children gained the opportunity to go to school for a year (Make a Dream Come True Project).
The Living Gift Festival is an annual event at Ten Thousand Villages. If you would like to make a donation to similar projects year-round or read about how this year's projects are progressing, please visit the website for Mennonite Central Committee.
To support this year's festival, click here.
Top of PageWorld Fair Trade Day
The impact that individual consumers can make on issues of poverty and climate change is immense. From the moment we wake up in the morning, we can contribute to the betterment of people across the globe simply through the products we buy and the businesses we choose to support. As a sustainable model for change, Fair Trade provides us with a viable way for being part of the positive change we want to see in the world.
On Saturday May 9th, organizations around the globe celebrated World Fair Trade Day by drawing attention to individuals and groups who have helped make Fair Trade what it is today - an effective model for economic and environmental transformation.
World Fair Trade Day events took place in over 70 countries as well as across Canada. Throughout the day, Ten Thousand Villages stores welcomed customers with live entertainment, product samplings, special discounts and more.
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Cyclone Sidr Response
Bangladesh is in the midst of recovering from cyclone Sidr which slammed into the country’s southwestern coast on November 15. This intense storm killed more than 3,000 people, ruined hundreds of thousands of homes and caused massive damage to crops. In total, more than seven million people are thought to have been affected.
Ten Thousand Villages Canada has donated $6,000 to Mennonite Central Committee in order to help Prokritee’s artisans in the Agailjhara region recover from their losses. Ten Thousand Villages purchases a variety of handmade paper and handmade paper items from artisan groups in this area, as well as terra cotta, jute and bamboo products.
MCC is organizing a $500,000 response, including the rebuilding of up to 1,500 houses. Donations will be accepted through all MCC offices and on their website. Contributions should be designated for “Bangladesh Cyclone Disaster Response.”
For more information, please call your nearest MCC office via 1-888-622-6337.
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Trees For Life - Planting Peace
Trees For Life is a planting project initiated by Zatoun, a registered nonprofit that sells Fair Trade extra virgin olive oil and olive oil soap products from the West Bank. Founded in 2003, most of Zatoun's products are sold through grassroots networks and alternative retailers across North America.
Ten Thousand Villages is matching proceeds from the sale of Zatoun oil so that $2 from each bottle purchased in our stores goes to support Trees for Life, helping Palestinian farmers to renew olive groves that have been destroyed as a result of ongoing conflict in the Middle East. To date, Zatoun has planted over 25,000 olive trees and hopes to plant thousands more each year.
To purchase Zatoun olive oil, click here or visit a Ten Thousand Villages store near you. To learn more about this project please visit Zatoun’s website.
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School Kits
Education is the key to the future. Ten Thousand Villages is committed to supporting children around the world go to school. School kits are just one way we help. For more information click here, or contact your local store to learn more.
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Gift of Hope
At Ten Thousand Villages, talented artisans are at the heart of our work – and now you can reach out to them in more ways than one! Our Gift of Hope program is in its initial stages of development and will provide you with the opportunity to donate money towards capacity building projects for our artisans around the world. To learn more about this budding project, contact your local store. If there is no Ten Thousand Villages in your area, please call 1-877-BUY-FAIR and choose the “retail store” prompt.
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Make Poverty History
Ten Thousand Villages actively supports the Make Poverty History campaign. For more information, visit the Make Poverty History website. To order bands, click here.
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