World culture gifts are Fair Trade

A small, black sign propped amid second floor walking traffic turned heads and sparked interest at the Indiana Memorial Union on Thursday.

“Live fair, make fair, trade fair, buy fair,” one student read to her friend. The two turned right into the Christmas light-illuminated Frangipani Room, where the fifth annual International Fair Trade Market was in full swing.

Displays of beaded necklaces, knit scarves, embellished ornaments and hand-stitched drums from around the world attracted guests of all ages and backgrounds.

A woman paused by one table and turned a shiny, pearl necklace over in her hand.
“Those are freshwater pearls from Thailand,” said Emily Hammock, a Village Experience employee from Indianapolis.

Hammock explained that the necklaces, along with a variety of other hand-crafted objects, were fashioned by Thai women formerly imprisoned in sexual slavery.

“The program gives them a chance to get back on their feet and support their families and community,” she said.

At a table nearby, Elsie Rotich, an IU-Purdue University Indianapolis staff member, sat behind a selection of multi-colored jackets, purses and earrings from Kenya.

Rotich said all proceeds from her sales went to support HIV-infected patients through the Imani Group, a charity program within the IU-Kenya partnership.

“We train the poorest of the poor in paper-making, tailoring and other skills,” she said. “After three months of learning, they can choose to stay with Imani or get a microloan to start their own business.”

Rotich said men and women involved in the program receive medical treatment and eventually develop financial stability from fair trade sales.

Senior Alexa Brummel said benefitting others is always a good reason to spend money.

“The items are so beautiful, and it’s cool that everything’s homemade,” she said. “I can’t decide what to buy.”

Brummel said she stopped by the sale after a speaker specializing in fair trade addressed her global textiles class.

“I’m glad I came to check it out,” she said. “It’s such a great cause.”