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View Alaffia Products
Today, Africa is considered the poorest continent on Earth. Seventy-seven percent of Africans live on less than $2 per day, and women and children make up the majority of this number. Along with low-income and high unemployment rates, African families must also cope with the impact of diseases such as AIDS and malaria, and increasing problems with air and water pollution including access to potable water. Further, Africans are still experiencing colonial legacies that impede their well being, such as the systematic exclusion of women from the formal education system and lack of adequate market information to trade their products fairly.
The founder of Alaffia, Olowo-n'djo Tchala, grew up in poverty in Togo, West Africa. Feeling morally responsible to dedicate his life to empowering communities in Africa, he has chosen to promote indigenous African natural resources that are culturally, spiritually, economically and ecologically sustainable. Traditionally handcrafted shea butter fits these criteria. It is a renewable resource of African origin; shea trees are wild, requiring no chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Since it is an integral part of many savanna communities, there is a wealth of local and traditional knowledge about making shea butter. The fair trade of Alaffia's handcrafted shea butter and shea butter skin care products empowers and brings income to communities in Togo, while making indigenous, sustainable and effective skin care available to the global community.
Alaffia's efforts extend beyond their African communities and resources. The same care and philosophies are applied when crafting their creams, lotions, and soaps in Olympia, WA. Combining their handcrafted oils with other high quality ingredients, including pure essential oils and food grade preservatives, Alaffia creates their final products by hand in small batches. Alaffia believes customers should have access to body care products made with unrefined, natural ingredients free of harmful chemicals such as parabens and petroleum derivatives.
Fairly traded, handcrafted Shea Butter benefits the communities that produce it as well as the communities that purchase it. Members of Alaffia's Agbanga Karite/Alaffia Shea Butter cooperative gain pride as they are able to use their traditional knowledge and skills to support their families. Customers benefit because they are receiving an authentic product directly from the source. As part of Alaffia's Fair Trade philosophy, they use 10% of their sales for community enhancement projects in Togo, West Africa and locally in Washington State. This money goes towards supporting things like educational scholarships, promoting AIDS and malaria outreach, donation of funds and supplies to schools, giving bikes to kids that would normally walk many miles to school, medical materials and medicines, and more. Along with their Shea Butter cooperative members and volunteers from around the world, Alaffia has recently founded a non-profit organization, the Global Alliance for Community Empowerment (GACE) to conduct their community enhancement projects. You can read more about GACE and their current projects at the GACE website: www.empowermentalliance.org.
Want to round out your Valentine's Day shopping with a fair trade or eco-friendly gift? Here are a few cheap and easy options:
1. Equal Exchange Spicy Hot Cocoa: This is Equal Exchange's deliciously spicy twist on hot cocoa that combines cocoa with cinnamon and cayenne pepper for cocoa with a kick! For centuries people have been mixing chocolate and spices...
2. Imagine Create Become Ring: The vendor that Wedge Worldwide purchases these products from aspires to create inspiring jewelry, which is rich with culture and craft, while using conscientious business practices and Fair Trade...
3. Fair Trade Recycled Cosmetic Bag Set: We love these colorful and highly durable Cosmetic Bags made from recycled rice and feed bags. Each hand-crafted piece is unique! These bags provide a sustainable living to Cambodian weavers and producers, many of whom...
4. Recycled Paper Picture Frame: The Recycled Paper Picture Frame is created mainly from reclaimed magazine paper, coiled to create a colorful, unique surface each time. They are recyclable, non-toxic,...
5. Douglas Fir Tip Tea: This delightful tea has a refreshing lemony flavor and sweet, forest-like scent. While any Douglas Fir needles will freshen up your water when you’re out hiking in the woods, the succulent...
6. Sigg Outdoor Cutlery: Practical and space saving, this 4-in-1 high-grade steel tool is easily detachable to become 3 separate eating utensils and a bottle opener. Perfect for fine dining on-the-go or camping!
Practical and compact...
Also do not forget about our Shipping Promotions that we have going on:
Natural Body Care Products Shipping Promotion: Spend $70 on Natural Body Care products and receive free shipping on those products. This includes all products under the Natural Body Care category of Wedge Worldwide: Facial Care, Body Care, Baby Care, Hair Care, Men's Care, and all sections of the individually listed vendors.
Promotion for Local Shipping: We are currently offering a free upgrade to Priority Mail (2-3 day service) on orders shipped locally. "Local" applies to packages shipped to the following states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The promotion excludes shipment of our Rain Barrels.
From Cooperative Grocer #146, January - February 2010
B Y D A V E G U T K N E C H T
On November 18, dotCoop, the sponsor of the .coop domain name, announced its first Global Awards for Cooperative Excellence.
The winners Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd. , a fertilizer production and distribution cooperative based in India.
In this category—cooperatives with over $50 million in revenue or assets—honorable mentions were: Cabot Creamery Cooperative of the U.S. and Credit Cooperatif of France.
National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA), a U.S. cooperative of over 110 retail food co-ops. In this category—cooperatives with $1–$50 million in revenue or assets—honorable mention was given to Wedge Community Co-op of the U.S.
Pachamama Coffee Cooperative, a U.S.-based cooperative owned by 150,000 coffee farmers worldwide. In this category —cooperatives with under $1 million in revenue or assets—honorable mention was given to CAC Santa Maria Magdalena of Peru and FESAN of Chile.
Additionally, judges gave special recognition to the Co-operative Press Limited in the U.K., the world’s oldest cooperative newspaper.
The dotCoop Global Awards are given to cooperatives that demonstrate a strong commitment to the cooperative business model, with mission and practices clearly demonstrating this commitment, especially on their websites. The awards, chosen from over 50 applications from around the globe, were presented by dotCoop Board Chair Louie Doering at the International Co-operative Alliance General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.
NCGA wins
Among the activities NCGA conducted over the past year that factored into its recognition:
- Supporting the development and implementation of a www.go.coop website to promote co-ops and to demonstrate the important role that co-ops in all sectors play in everyday lives.
- Sponsoring an online video contest, My Co-op Rocks, for which co-op staff, members and shoppers were invited to create and enter a two-minute video that reflects the reasons they love their co-op, at www.mycooprocks.coop.
- Hosting a 2009 “Co-ops Rock!” benefit concert to raise funds for the Cooperative Disaster Relief Fund, which provides financial relief for farmers impacted by weather events and natural disasters.
- Serving as founding member and major financial sponsor for The Alliance for Employee Benefit Cooperatives, a coalition of cooperative organizations committed to advancing health care and benefits coverage for American workers and families.
- Establishing a Developmental Cooperative, a subsidiary co-op aimed at helping its member co-ops obtain capital and strategic support for expansion and/or new store projects.
The Wedge gets honorable mention
The Wedge Co-op, in receiving honorable mention, was cited for programs including:
- Developing IS4C open-source software for retail co-ops.
- Operating Co-op Partners Warehouse, a regional distributor.
- Establishing WedgeShare, a philanthropic fund.
- Purchasing an organic farm, Gardens of Eagan.
- Emphasizing local food, products and businesses.
- Partnering with Spire Federal Credit Union to offer a low-interest Visa card.
- Helping initiate the Sow the Seeds fund to assist sustainable farmers.
- Launching a new nonprofit, the Organic Field School.
- Continuing support of school children’s lessons through Midwest Food Connection.
- Returning over $5 million cash in patronage refunds over the past 10 years.
taken from cooperativegrocer.com
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