News, events and more!

Enriching Lives in Ghana
11/13/09
After visiting basket makers working with SERRV partner Trade Aid Integrated in northern Ghana, staff member Cheryl Musch wrote about her visit.

After bumping down a red dirt road, we stopped to meet with the Tomasake-Boyine (which translates to “We believe in God.”) weaving group in Sumbrungu. They do not have a craft center, so they had pulled wooden benches to sit on under a big tree at the side of the road. We were greeted with dancing. One woman danced at a time, going faster and faster, ending with a hard stomp of one bare foot on the ground. Then another got up to do the same.

When the dancing was done, we talked about basket making, and what it means to them and their families. In northern Ghana, the poverty rate is about 75%. Families grow milo and corn. Abane Atule, one of the women, said, “Basket weaving is the only way to get cash for food, school, and other basics. We grow food, but it is for us to eat.  Having money at planting season benefits us because we have money for seeds.”

Visiting artisans gives life to why SERRV does what we do. We often say that buying from SERRV gives producers money for food, for school, for health care. And sitting under this tree, we talk about one woman, Abane Atule, and talk about money for food for her family and earning for school uniforms and supplies for her children.


New Bag from Partner in Afghanistan
11/04/09
We are thrilled to announce the first product from our new partnership with Rubia, an organization commited to empowering Afghan women while respecting Afghan culture and values and preserving traditional crafts. 

The Natural Kabul Bag (pictured at left) has a limited quantity this fall, but be sure to watch for more items from Rubia next year!





Provide Emergency Relief in the Philippines
11/04/09
Devastating typhoons that hit the Philippines in October resulted in severe flooding and significant damages to SERRV partners CCAP and SAFFY. Their facilities were flooded, and products awaiting shipment, office equipment, showroom and supplies were submerged in the flood, representing losses of over $80,000. Please learn more and donate to help the relief efforts here.



SERRV Gives Scales to CAH
10/28/09
We were pleased to provide our partner CAH in Haiti with a gift of two scales used for shipping parcels to the US.

"On behalf of the 'Comité Artisanal Haïtien- CAH' I want to thank SERRV for the gift of two scales you graciously offered us...Once again, SERRV has kindly helped CAH perform more efficiently in a specific important aspect of its work to benefit the Haitian artisans."
- Gisèle Fleurant, Director, CAH








The Real Secret Ingredients? Dedication and Passion
10/20/09
Last week, Cheryl Musch, SERRV’s Director of International Development, visited farmers working with the Kuapa Kokoo cooperative in Ghana.  These small-scale farmers provide all of the cocoa for Divine Chocolate. Cheryl describes her visit to one village to meet with the farmers below:

It’s drizzling when we drive into the village of Amankwatia to visit cocoa farmers. The roads are dirt.  Along the road, women walk balancing loads on their heads. Chickens and goats dart across the road.

The houses are basic, made of mud brick, and no electricity reaches the village. There are a few buildings made of concrete block. They are the most important in the village—the cocoa farmers’ building and the schools.

We are met by 20 farmers, men and women. This is the beginning of the cocoa harvest season, and they are taking time from their work to talk with us about their cocoa society and their work with Kuapa Kokoo.

It is clear the farmers have passion for what they do and for their work with Kuapa Kokoo. They talk about how important it is to them that their society is democratic and transparent. They tell us about the corn mill and the new secondary school they have been able to build because of fair trade premiums that result from their work with Kuapa Kokoo.

We walk in the rain, down the road, to the cocoa trees. All of the farmers have small plots of land, and in addition to cocoa trees, have plantain trees, palm trees, and fruit trees.

Cocoa pods grow on the trunk of the tree, from the ground to nearly the top. They show us how they harvest, with a long pole for the yellow pods high in the tree and a machete for the lower pods.  They break a pod open, showing us the milky cocoa beans inside. We see a heap of beans fermenting, sealed from air and pests under banana leaves. They tell me the secret of their excellent cocoa is in the fermentation process. Later, we see beans drying on mats in the village.

We meet again with the farmers, to learn more. At the end of the meeting, the groups says, “Thank you for your support.  We forgive you this time, but next time, bring chocolate!”

Spooky Balls Now on Sale!
10/15/09
Our delicious Spooky Divine Halloween Balls were just marked down to only $3 a box. Now is a great time to stock up for fun favors and gifts for friends.




Halloween and Harvest Gifts
10/09/09
Find fun items for fall here, including brand new Spooky Divine Halloween Balls. Also, be sure to take a look at our clearance deals like our Black Cat Candle Holder, Pumpkin Lantern, and Black Cat Candy Dish. Happy Harvest!







SERRV Is Turning 60!
09/21/09
SERRV staff, board members, customers, friends and volunteers came together last weekend for a celebration in New Windsor, Maryland, where it all began. The events recognized past supporters and employees, how SERRV's work has grown and changed over the past sixty years, and were filled with great music and food. Thanks to all who shared in our celebration! 

          
From left: SERRV Board Chair Marsha Hoover shares some words; SERRV staff Kathy, Mike and Diane; a special gift from metal drum artisans working with CAH in Haiti.


09/10/09
Learn more about our 60th Anniversary.







New Partnership with Women's Group in Afghanistan
09/01/09
We are pleased to announce a new partnership with Rubia Handwork in Afghanistan. Rubia is a nonprofit organization that began working with women Afghani refugees in Pakistan in 2000 on income generation through embroidery and literacy. In 2003, as refugees returned to Afghanistan, Rubia moved with them and continues to work with women in handcraft production, literacy and health awareness education, and sustaining cultural heritage through crafts. We want to provide them with temporary support in this time of great need to help boost their sales in the U.S. by helping Rubia develop new products and providing a market for the women's work. Watch for handcrafts from Rubia in the future!

See How Crafts Are Made
08/26/09
Check out these great slideshows of SERRV's artisan partners at work.

Chocolate Can Be Bittersweet….or Divine!
08/11/09
Child slavery in the cocoa fields of West Africa is commonplace. In early August, fifty-four children were rescued from slavery in the cocoa and palms fields in the Ivory Coast.

The children were as young as 11 years old, endured hazardous working conditions, labored 12 hours a day without pay and received no education. With Ghana and the Ivory Coast producing around three quarters of the world’s cocoa, it is believed that hundreds of thousands of children are working illegally in the plantations across these two countries alone. This is the bitter side to most of the chocolate consumed around the world.

This is where Fair Trade and Divine Chocolate are making a difference.  At the Kuapa Kokoo Cooperative in Ghana, whose members are co-owners of Divine Chocolate, proceeds from sales of fair trade chocolate mean that 45,000 cocoa farmers receive a fair wage, and their communities are getting water systems, schools, tools, and other benefits.

You can help bring an END to the tragedy of child slavery in the cocoa fields of West Africa, by supporting Divine Chocolate through your purchases.

Interns Provide Needed Support
07/31/09
Thanks to the interns in Madison who have been working for SERRV this summer!











Angela Miller, Butler University
Marketing Intern











Julia Largent, Manchester College
Church Outreach Intern











Laura Randall, recent graduate
Environmental Policy Intern











Melissa Farrar and Kate Van Asten, University of Wisconsin
Product Design Interns

Listen In!
07/31/09
Rona Mensah and Dave Gunning (pictured) from The Hometown Morning Show on KEY 103.1 FM recently toured the New Windsor SERRV Operations Center. They said they were excited to learn more about SERRV. 

They will be giving away a SERRV gift basket each day next week, and you could win!
 
Just listen to 103.1 FM between 5 am - 9 am, Aug. 3 - Aug. 7 and call in with a correct answer to a triva question.




New Volunteer Position in Madison
07/08/09
Have some extra time in the next couple of months? SERRV needs help creating a cd catalog for one of our artisan partners. Learn more here.

Conference Wrap-up
07/23/09
We were pleased to exhibit at several conferences this summer:

If you know of a conference or other large event that would be perfect for SERRV, please contact marketing@serrv.org.

Grant for Trees in Honduras
07/23/09
SERRV will receive a grant of $4,700 from the Church of the Brethren Global Food Crisis Fund. The grant will provide Honduran farmers with 5,200 cashew tree seedlings and with what they need to plant, water, and maintain these trees. The cashew planting project is located in the Choluteca region of Honduras, a severely impoverished area where cashew production has helped generate income, improve nutrition, and mitigate environmental damage due to deforestation and erosion. 

Learn more about this grant and project online at the Church of the Brethren's web site.

Find Us on Facebook
07/07/09
With so much going on at SERRV, we're introducing a new page on Facebook. Become a SERRV fan and get connected! Ask questions and make comments — we'd love to hear from you! Be sure to view our Facebook Photos and Notes.

Fair Trade Travel Opportunities 
07/07/09
Have you ever wanted to visit weavers, potters, fair trade coffee growers or other types of artisans to learn more about their lives and the impact that fair trade makes on them and their families? You can!

Several of the artisan and farmer groups that SERRV works with around the world host delegations or have socially responsible tourism projects which include visiting artisans and farmers in their communities. These opportunities are an excellent way to learn more about fair trade, directly from the people who benefit from it. And they are a great way to see a new country! Here are some opportunities you might be interested in:

Café Justo, Mexico: Is organizing a group trip to visit coffee growers in southern Mexico for 10 days in November. The price will be around $1,500 and will include everything; transportation, lodging, food and of course, coffee. If you might be interested, please call or email Melissa at 520.364.9257 or melissa@fronteradecristo.org by Aug. 28.

Just Coffee: Has summer trips planned to visit coffee growers in Guatemala, Mexico, Bolivia, Dominican Republic and East Timor. For more information, visit: www.justcoffee.coop

MCCH, Ecuador: Has a very well organized socially responsible tourism department that offers a variety of packages and options for getting to know the diverse regions of Ecuador. They have developed community-run tourism projects, where the community members run the restaurants, cabins, act as guides, and benefit directly from tourism. Options include visiting volcanoes, traditional artisans in the highlands, cocoa farmers in the tropical areas, trips to the Amazon basin, and more. For more information, visit www.fundmcch.com.ec or write turismo@fundmcch.com.ec

CIAP, Peru: Pachamama, CIAP’s alternative tourism program, offers trips that include visiting the highlands, coast, and jungle regions of Peru. Trips can include stops at significant archeological zones, natural areas, and artisan workshops. All tours focus on interaction with local communities and responsible tourism that benefits the communities that are visited. More information can be found at: www.pachamama.ciap.org

Traidcraft, one of the leading fair trade organizations in the UK, offers their highly recommended “Meet the People Tours” to a range of countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. If you’re interested in fair trade and are looking for an opportunity to meet the people behind the products, to see the impact of fair trade, then these tours are for you. You’ll learn something of the different cultures, visit development projects and sites of interest, meet a wide variety of people, including some Traidcraft producers and have your ideas of developing countries challenged. More information is available at: www.meetthepeople.skedaddle.co.uk

Introducing New "Teach a Person to Fish" Bowl
07/06/09
"Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day. But teach a person to fish and feed them for a lifetime."

This soapstone bowl is a thank you for your donation in support of struggling artisans and farmers in Africa. SERRV will invest your gift in our Africa Capacity Building Project.

Whether it's for product design, on-the-ground training in anything from carving to accounting, or buying kilns, sewing machines or other equipment, SERRV's Africa Project builds skills and gives producers the tools to feed themselves and their families for a lifetime.

$20 of your purchase, the portion which exceeds the value of the bowl, is a tax-deductible donation, of which 100% goes to our Africa Project.

New Africa Project Manager Visits Madison
06/24/09
We were pleased to welcome our new project manager from Kenya, Mike Muchilwa to our Madison office last week. He gave several presentations to groups in the upper midwest, and worked on a strategic plan with other SERRV staff. Mike will be working on SERRV's new Africa Capacity Building Project to increase the on-the-ground training and assistance we give to artisan and farmer organizations.

Mike said, "I have seen Fair Trade transform many lives and believe that we can expand its reach so that many more people are able to benefit from our work."



Building a Web Site in Haiti
06/23/09
Our partner in Haiti, Comite Artesanal Haitien (CAH) has been working for more than 30 years to help Haitian artisans find fair markets for their products. CAH currently does not have a web site to help them promote the work of the artisans and attract new customers. Thanks to a CRS Fair Trade Fund Grant, SERRV staff members Eva Schulte and Dan Schaller traveled to Haiti to work with CAH on the initial stages for developing a site. Video and interviews of artisans were done, to provide information on the web about their crafts and how they are made. The next months will involve putting all the pieces together to launch a new site for CAH this fall.

When she learned that Catholic Relief Services Fair Trade Fund had approved the proposal for funding the website, Gisele Fleurant, director of CAH in Haiti had this to say: "This is indeed good news! Good work and BRAVO to the team that worked on this!"

SERRV Staff Member Holds Online Seminar 
06/15/09
Pete Twentey, SERRV's Fulfillment Manager for SERRV, is leading a webinar about warehousing for fair traders on June 30. Contact membership@fairtradefederation.org for more information about how to sign up.

Board Member Represents SERRV in Nepal
06/03/09
SERRV Board Member Sally Keller represented SERRV at the international biennial meeting of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) in Nepal. Sally met several representatives from producer organizations, and visited SERRV partners in Nepal. A highlight of her visit was a visit to Get Paper Industry where she presented a check to the winner of a design contest.  SERRV ordered 3,000 large paper ornaments, and the designer received a small percentage of the order as a prize. The winner was happy to receive a check from SERRV.

Photo from left:  Design contest winner, Sally Keller, and Milan Dev Bhattarai, Director of Get Paper Industry

Condiment Server in the Making
05/27/09
Check out this behind-the-scenes peek at the making of one of our new products, the Cloverleaf Condiment Server:




Cat Brush Rave from Customer
05/22/09

"My church held a Fair Trade Fair in March and I bought the Cleo Cat Brush. have bought cat brushes before from pet stores and such and my cat wouldn’t let me near him with those brushes. This Cleo brush is the BEST!  My cat sees the brush in my hand, starts purring, and hops onto my lap for a nice cozy brushing.  I highly recommend this item and I want to thank the creators/makers of this brush. They have done an awesome job and have made a great product!  They deserve a big high five, pat on the back, and lots of praise! Thank you so much for a great product!" - Kathy, Ohio 

Celebrating World Fair Trade Day
05/15/09

This year's World Fair Trade Day celebration was a success, with SERRV doing its part to contribute to the World's Largest Coffee Break!































Sharing with Bridge of Hope Visitors
05/13/09
We were excited to meet two artisans from our partner Bridge of Hope in Peru when they visited our Madison office. The artisans, both women, shared stories from their lives and let us know how much their work meant to them.

Said Ayde Riveros (pictured:)

 




Buzz About ArtisanWork
05/12/09
Here’s what others are saying about our new ArtisanWork.org website:

"How often have I heard the question from both small producers and from consumers:  Where can I go to find out about colors, trends, appropriate technologies, contacts with experienced Fair Trade producers working in textiles, jewelry, wood, etc?  I now have an easy answer, the ArtisanWork.org web site of SERRV, who has been practicing Fair Trade for 60 years.  This is an extraordinary gift to all of us." 
-- Paul Myers, President of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO)

“We respect you a lot for creating this wonderful idea. Congratulations.  We expect that your effort to increase the skill and economy for small micro enterprises through fair trade will be more and more successful. We are going to use all the information available in the web site.”
-- Amir Panzuri, Director of APIKRI Crafts, Indonesia

“With great joy and appreciation we have seen and revised the new website, www.ArtisanWork.org, that our friend and partner organization SERRV has created. For us here at Comparte, an organization that works directly and supports small Chilean art craft producers, the website is an excellent tool to access and review: work techniques and necessities, generate discussion and find solutions to problems that artisans might face.  We our pleased with the website's accomplishments as it satisfies the need to enhance artisan productivity through its vast available information. More so, the website serves as a forum for facilitated communication which is one of the main principles of Fair Trade; establishing honest and sustained dialogue between all parties involved.”  
-- Gerardo Wijnant, Comparte, Chile

“Congratulations with the new website for Artisans! It’s very useful for us to learn about the Artisans from all over the world.”
-- Hani Duarsa, Mitra Bali, Indonesia

Elementary Students Learn About Fair Trade
05/08/09
Third graders at the Madison Country Day School were eager to learn about Fair Trade during SERRV's recent visit to their class. Most of them hadn't heard of Fair Trade before, but had a quick understanding of what it meant to do things fairly. For them, Fair Trade means playing by the rules, having an equal exchange, paying a fair price, and thinking of others.

Using the example of Divine Chocolate and the situation of cocoa farmers, they played a game where they all got to be cocoa farmers and saw how harvest can be affected by weather or disease. Then they had simulate selling their crop to a conventional cocoa buyer. One lucky group of kids got to represent farmers who are members of the Kuapa Kokoo Cooperative who sells to and co-owns the Fair Trade Divine Chocolate, and  which did they prefer?

We'll let you take a guess.

ArtisanWork is Live
04/28/09
SERRV is excited to announce the launch of our new website for artisans: www.ArtisanWork.org. As part of our commitment to helping artisan organizations access the information and resources they need, we spent the last year designing ArtisanWork.org. We brought together the best resources available, including learning modules, videos, manuals, and slideshows. At ArtisanWork.org, artisans around the world will find a space to learn about topics important to their work, but also to able to connect with others to share experiences, discuss challenges, and discover answers. We are excited to be building a global community of artisans and people who support them.

Meet Mike Muchilwa, New SERRV Project Manager in Africa
04/27/09
Volume is low on this, so you may need to turn up your speakers.

Michael Muchilwa from SERRV on Vimeo.


A Reminder of How Fair Trade Transforms
04/23/09
Our Madison office was honored to host two guests from our partner MCCH Ecuador. MCCH is an acronym for Maquita Cushunchic, which in indigenous Quechua language means ‘let’s join hands and market as brothers.’ MCCH started in 1985 with the help of Catholic organizations working in Quito, and they remain committed to the highest social and Christian ideals.

Augusto spoke with us about building a ’solidarity economy’, and defined this as a new economic model that involves all aspects of wellbeing - work, environment, and human - and has people, not capital, at the core.

He told us that Fair Trade is a primary aspect of this through building a fair market. His words were a reminder to us of how Fair Trade often transforms lives by being part of a broader change!

Spring 2009 Board Meeting
04/23/09
SERRV spring board meeting in New Windsor recently wrapped up. "We've been taking a good look at where we are and making strong plans for the future," said Serena Sato, SERRV marketing manager, "People were excited about our development work, like our new ArtisanWork web site and new Africa office.

Some photos from the meeting:










SERRV board member Jon Krieck with staff members Jean Johnson and Kellie Jones











SERRV board members Ann Engleman and Pushpita Freitas pose with Barb Fogle, SERRV purchasing coordinator

Update on Dyeing Assistance in Nepal
04/15/09

Kumbeshwar Technical School in Nepal_Time spent with Dyers 2009 from SERRV on Vimeo.

We are grateful to Patricia Martin, an experienced designer specializing in color, for volunteering 10 days on the ground in Nepal.  Patricia went to the Kumbeshwar Technical School (KTS) on SERRV's behalf to assist a master dyer, 3 assistants, and KTS staff in solving a challenge they were having in maintaining consistent dye color from one lot to the next.  KTS dyes wool, cotton, and silk for rugs and knitted products. 

The trip was a success, and Patricia said, "The people I worked with were a delight and most gracious for my efforts.  I felt it was a fantastic trip.  KTS is a wonderful organization with the people of Patan truly concerned at the hearth of the organization....  Thank you for the opportunity to share and exchange information during my 10-day stay."

Plant a Seed for Better Lives
04/10/09
Check out our new option for you to Plant a Seed for change in the life of an artisan or farmer. Your donation to any Plant a Seed Project has a real impact on real people.

Learn more about Plant a Seed

SERRV Wins Award from the Fair Trade Federation
04/1/09
SERRV has received the inaugural award for "Outstanding Service to the Fair Trade Community" from the Fair Trade Federation (FTF)!

Carmen Iezzi, the Executive Director of FTF, applauded SERRV and said, "The Fair Trade Federation could think of no better organization to honor with its first Award for Service to the Fair Trade Community than SERRV. Their tireless commitment to artisans and farmers over the last sixty years, as well as their numerous contributions to the broader Fair Trade movement, are a great example to new and established Fair Trade Organizations alike. Congratulations to everyone at SERRV!"

Kathy Harley accepted the award on SERRV's behalf at the Fair Trade Federation's conference last week in Portland, Oregon.

SERRV's Work Shows Results
03/30/09
SERRV provides a unique training ground for disadvantaged artisans and farmers to develop the skills and tools they need to participate in the global marketplace. As a nonprofit organization, all of our activities, including those related to marketing fair trade products, have a developmental aspect which helps our partners to improve their skills, gain needed experience, and reach new markets. Through our capacity building projects with our partners, our work impacts individual artisans and farmers, while also rippling out to benefit families, communities, and future generations.  

How do we know it's working? Our artisan and farmer partners tell us.

"Was it not for the contribution that SERRV has made though our partnership, many of our Artisans would not pride themselves in a skill they now use to earn a decent living," says Joseph Muchina from Trinity Jewellery (pictured), "Today Trinity Jewellery has its own Workshop premises gained through Orders, Grants, Loans and encouragement from SERRV. We have attended workshops they organized for product development that have helped to improve our products. We have received grants to help us attend conferences where our products were exhibited to buyers. Recently we received a grant to buy a Power Generator to help us solve frequent power loss in our area."

SERRV's support of Trinity Jewellery in Kenya is just one example of how we help.

Clean Water from Eating Chocolate?  Really?
03/13/09
When you buy Divine Chocolate, thousands of dollars are reinvested into cocoa farming communities in Ghana. Social premiums fund projects like schools and wells.

To date, 218 wells have been dug. Each serves around 150 people. That's 33,000 people who now have clean drinking water thanks to your purchases of Divine Chocolate.

To make purchasing Divine even easier, our Divine Fruit and Nut Bars have been marked down to $20/case!

Volunteers Assist SERRV's Partners Overseas
03/13/09
Paul Christensen: Holy Land Handicrafts, West Bank
March 17-July 29, 2009
Paul Christensen (pictured) is going to Beit Sahour in the West Bank, Palestine, to work with Holy Land Handicrafts as a SERRV long-term volunteer to assist with communications and marketing. He is fluent in several languages including Swahili and Indonesian, and is learning Arabic for his upcoming volunteer experience. He has worked with Neema Crafts, a fair trade organization in Tanzania.


Patricia Martin: Kumbeshwar Technical School, Nepal
March 18-28, 2009
Patricia Martin is an expert in dyeing who will be visiting the Kumbeshwar Technical School (KTS) to work with them on some challenges they are facing with dye consistency. Kiran Khadgi, the director of KTS, met with Particia in November 2008 at her studio in California. Since that time, she has been testing the dyes KTS uses on their cotton and wool in preparation for her on-site trip. Patricia has a passion for working with dyes, both natural and synthetic. She holds a Certificate of Excellence in Dyeing from the Handweavers Guild of America.

SERRV has made these volunteer opportunities possible.

SERRV Volunteers Find Fulfillment Working Together
03//06/09
Jean (age 90) and Horace (age 93) Sheffer have been coming to
volunteer at SERRV with the St. Bartholomew UC (ELCA) church from
Hanover, Pennsylvania, for the last eight years.
 
"Going around like this is the best tonic." they told us. "We put in a
days work, are tired when we get home, but feel good about what we've
done. It hurts good!"

Jean buys a few Christmas presents for her grandchildren each time she comes to SERRV, so by December, she has all her shopping done - Fair Trade shopping.

In February, Horace, surprised Jean with Divine Chocolate Hearts for Valentine's Day!

SERRV Africa Project Manager
03//04/09
In March, SERRV is launching a new Africa Capacity Building Project to increase the on-the-ground training and assistance we give to artisan and farmer organizations.

Mike Muchilwa, who is based in Kisumu, Kenya, will be our part-time Africa Project Manager.  Mike is an experienced trainer and has worked with a number of fair trade organizations as well as at the International Fair Trade Association (IFAT), coordinating member assessments.

As Project Manager, he will learn about the needs of our producers and their organizations one-on-one and will actively work on solutions to their challenges.  This dynamic interaction will help get producers what they need, whether it’s product development, training, equipment, or technical support.

New Farmer Partner
02//27/09
We are pleased to announce our newest partnership with the coffee cooperative Café Justo in Mexico. Café Justo is a unique organization that both grows and roasts its own coffee. SERRV supports their work because we believe in their model of returning more to farmers. We also love their coffee! We have been working with Café Justo for over a year to get their coffee into our catalog, so we are glad to say that it is now available in our Spring 2009 catalog and on our website

Café Justo is a good example of how SERRV partners with artisan and farmer organizations, not only to sell their products, but to help them gain skills they need to be successful. In our partnership model, we build relationships for the long haul, working with groups to help resolve obstacles and difficulties. In the case of Café Justo, before we could offer their coffee to our customers, we first had to develop new packaging and labels. We went through several rounds of design, incorporating feedback from Café Justo and using their original logo, to maintain their identity on the new labels.

The next step was getting the product right. The first shipment of coffee had a few problems. The coffee was delicious but the presentation of the package needed some fine-tuning. We gave them some suggestions on how to make each bag of coffee look its best and they were eager to correct the mistakes and do better. This may mean that their coffee comes in slightly delayed, but it also means that they have gained new skills and knowledge that will make their organization stronger. SERRV’s partnerships are about just that – being a learning ground where farmer and artisan organizations can sell products at a fair price, learn needed skills, and access the resources they need to be successful.

New Spring Catalog
02/16/09
Our new catalog is printing this week and will begin mailing toward the end of this month. Watch for the new products to appear online by Friday.








Mali Travelogue
02/10/09
Written by Julie Danis, SERRV board member, who has traveled with Jean Johnson, SERRV product development director, and Keith Recker, volunteer designer, to Mali.

• 14 staff trips, visiting 40 of our artisan and farmer partners in 19 countries to work on development agreements, product development, and other training.
• 4 major overseas trainings in product development, crafts production and market trends.
• 9 Equipment Grants totaling $15,326 to partners for tools, computer equipment and internet connection, generators, sewing machines, looms, digital camera, dyeing equipment, storage racks, rolling mill, and silkscreen equipment.
• Training and travel grants to our partners totaling over $15,000 that included: sponsoring an overseas marketing volunteer, mailing of CD catalog, travel to regional IFAT conferences, marketing trips to U.S., local trainings in business skills and basket making.
• Grants for emergency relief for flooding in India, hurricane relief in Haiti, wind storm in India, totaling $11,500.
• Hosting visits to SERRV by four partner groups from India and Nepal.
• Worldwide distribution of 2 Trend Reports to all of our artisan partners.
• Facilitation of donations of reading glasses, emergency relief and school supplies to partners.

Shop SERRV for Valentine's Day
1/16/08













New Valentine's Day items are now in stock, including the Colorwrap Heart Box (pictured). View all our gifts with a heart.

Intern or Volunteer Opportunity in the West Bank
1/15/08
SERRV and our partner the Holy Land Handicraft Cooperative Society are seeking a communications intern or volunteer to serve in Beit Sahour, West Bank, Palestine. The Holy Land Handicraft Cooperative Society, located near Bethlehem, represents local artisans who work in traditional materials like olive wood, mother-of-pearl, and embroidery.  For a full position description, please visit this page.

The West Foundation Awards SERRV Grant
1/08/09
We received a $20,000 grant from The West Foundation for work in Nepal. This work includes a two-day trend and marketing seminar for 16 member groups that are part of Fair Trade Group Nepal, and ten days of product development with our four partners--ACP, Get Paper, KTS, and Mahaguthi. The Nepal training is scheduled for the second half of 2009.

Warehouse Closed for Inventory
12/30/08
Our Maryland warehouse will be closed for our annual inventory assessment through January 8. We will still be taking order during this period, but shipments may be delayed. Thank you so much for your patience!

SERRV Awarded Grant for Work in Haiti
12/22/08
The CRS Fair Trade Fund has awarded SERRV a grant worth more than $10,000 to collaborate with our partner Comite Artisanal Haitien(CAH) on building the group's first web site. Nearly 75% of our partners have web sites, and we anticipate this work will be a big step forward. The grant will make it possible for two SERRV staff members to spend time with CAH on the ground in Haiti next year, building and creating content for the site.

Customer Service Announcements
12/22/08
There's still time to order for Christmas! Place your order by noon EST on December 23, and we'll get your items to you by December 24 with overnight shipping.

Customer Service will be closed December 25-28. Happy Holidays!

Guests from Kumbeshwar Technical School
12/10/08

We participated in Madison's 12th Annual Fair Trade Holiday Festival, a great community-supported event. We were glad to have Kiran (pictured) and Gita from our partner in Nepal with us for part of the day. Their involvement in the Festival came at the end of a week-long visit, where we learned more about how we can assist their organization.

Basket Making Training in Ghana and Uganda, Part 2
12/05/08
More by Jackie Abrams, who is now doing a 5-day training of basket makers for SERRV with our partner NAWOU in Uganda.

I am writing from Kabale in the southwest corner of Uganda. Winston Churchill referred to Uganda as the Pearl of Africa. I have also read that it is a String of Pearls, or the Switzerland of Africa. Breathtaking does not begin to describe this part of the country. We have driven for many hours through hills that actually do take your breath away.

The road to Kabale, the main road west from Kampala, the capital, is dreadful. It is full of potholes and speeding buses. The roads have not been repaired in anyone's memory.

Today we met a Peace Corps volunteer, assigned to CARE and to working with women's groups. We are going to her home for dinner tomorrow, to make more patterns (we started those today), and to train her in examining baskets for quality, size, color, etc.

Late this afternoon we drove to see Lake Bunyonyi. It was described to me as the most beautiful lake on this earth. It might be so. It is nestled among these spectacular hills, studded with beautiful islands. It is very deep and very cold. It is just starting to become a tourist attraction, and probably will be more densely populated in a few years.

I am very happy to be here.

Sharing SERRV Stories
12/02/08













Together with creative agency Host Universal, we recently undertook a photo shoot involving three SERRV supporters, an art director and professional photographer from London, and a hair and makeup artist from New York.

From our base in New Windsor, Maryland, Serena Sato of SERRV found three supporters to represent a sampling of the stories of enrichment that define SERRV. We set out to gather their stories and take empowered, impressive photos of them for our next catalog - photos taken on their campus, in their church, in their home. We thank Alicia, Cathy and Neville for their enthusiasm!

Hazel Thompson is a fabulous, award-winning photojournalist who shared her time and skills for the SERRV mission. She has incredible talent, see her portfolio at www.hazelthompson.com.

We plan to expand on the sharing of SERRV stories soon and hope you will be a part. 
 
Basket Making Training in Ghana and Uganda, Part 1
11/28/08
Written by Jackie Abrams, a nationally-known U.S.-based basket weaver and teacher, who is doing a 5-day training of basket makers for SERRV with our partner Trade Aid in Ghana.  She will travel to Uganda to do a 5-day training with basket makers working with NAWOU next week.

It is Wednesday afternoon in Bolgatanga, northern Ghana, just south of the Burkina Faso border. They say it is their chilly season. I would call it just plain hot. This is a statement of fact, certainly not a complaint. 

My work here is with the master basket makers of the surrounding villages and the organization Trade Aid. Jonah is the quality control person, my translator, and a very wonderful young man. Richard is the staff member who drives me around, and has answers to every single question I can think of! The basket weavers, 28 women and 2 men, are incredibly patient, hard working, generous, and quite wonderful. Their language is FraFra, and I am learning small bits - greetings, welcome, good day, thank you. It makes them laugh.

It has been a productive week. We had a long and hot day of dyeing yesterday. Some hitches, a few of the colors did not match the originals on the dye chart, but mostly I would say it was very successful. We have recipes recorded for every color we did that will be distributed to all the weaving groups. Lots of little hitches along the way, but overall I think it was an excellent day.

Mumbai Update
11/28/08
SERRV has been in touch with its partners in India and in Mumbai to express our concern after a number of locations in the city were attacked and more than 150 people killed.

All are in shock and deeply worried the violence could spread.

As far as we are able to determine none of the employees of our partner organizations or artisans with whom we work have been injured. However there has been fighting and explosions in the areas where some artisan groups are located.

In spite of the attention being paid in the US media to injuries and deaths among foreigners, it is important to realize the vast majority of those injured or killed were Indians of all economic and social classes.

India is a vibrant democracy which provides freedom to people of many different ethnic, social, religious and cultural groups. An attack against the people of India is certainly an assault on democracy and tolerance everywhere.

We have expressed our deep concern to our friends in India and would ask you to keep them all in your thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time.

As we get more news we will keep you informed.

Congratulations on Sasha's 30th Anniversary!
11/26/08
Thirty years ago, SERRV's partner Sasha had a dream to create livelihood options for small artisan groups in India, a country where jobs are scarce. Today, Sasha is an international leader in the fair trade movement, working with more than 150 craft producer groups. SERRV President Bob Chase joined Sasha in Kolkata to celebrate this important milestone. SERRV congratulates Sasha on thirty years of commitment to bettering the lives of Indian artisans.



Get Paper Starts School
11/25/08
SERRV's partner Get Paper Industries (GPI) has established a new school for the children of stone breakers. Stone breakers collect stones from the riverside and break them into smaller pieces to sell for construction projects. They are among the most marginalized people in Nepal. They do not have their own land or their own houses. Children often help to increase the family's income.  Now, thanks to GPI, the children have a school that they can attend from 8 to 11 a.m. each morning to get a basic education. GPI says, "These things have happened because of your kind support to us, and we want to express our sincere gratitude for your kind cooperation."

12th Annual Fair Trade Holiday Festival
11/25/08
Come visit SERRV's tables at the Monona Terrace in Madison, Wis., on Saturday, December 6, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event features international and domestic fair trade vendors selling a huge variety of items!

Equipment Grant in Chile
11/10/08
SERRV President Bob Chase visited our two partners in Chile—Fundacion Solidaridad and Comparte. Conditions in Chile have improved dramatically in recent years; however, there are still groups of marginalized people, including indigenous populations and people living in low-income barrios in Santiago and other cities.

As is true throughout the world, our partners are challenged by the economic downturn and are working very hard to maintain their organizations. Bob found that at Fundacion Solidaridad, their copier had recently broken and they were without a digital camera. Since both are vital to doing business, SERRV provided them with funding for a copier and a digital camera. The group sent this thank you photo.


Halloween Fun
11/07/08
Distribution Manager Pete Twenty shows off his best Halloween spirit.
















We've Got Friends...
11/07/08
Customer Service Manager Kathy Harley and SERRV Board Member Colin Crawford pose with Pat Sajak, host of "Wheel of Fortune."


















Grant for Partner in India
11/05/08
As part of our development work with SHARE, a women’s basket making group, SERRV has been assisting with small grants to help the group improve its infrastructure. SHARE’s most recent improvement, assisted through an equipment grant from SERRV, was the purchase of racks to keep samples, finished products and raw materials safe during storage.  SHARE had been having difficulties with finished baskets and raw materials being damaged due to heavy moisture and humidity, or samples losing their color over time.  The storage racks will help reduce damages and maintain quality.

Product Development Specialist Visits Vietnam
11/05/08
SERRV staff member Kerry Evans spent time with our partners in Vietnam last month, working on choosing and developing products.

"I was very pleased to find so many interesting and beautiful products from both Mai Handicrafts and Craft Link," Kerry said. "Since my last visit in 2004, both groups have grown. Mai now has a large new warehouse and Craft Link moved into a larger office located close to their store."













Crossroads Celebration
10/29/08
Cheryl Musch, SERRV's director of international development, visited the 20th Anniversary Dinner for Crossroads Global Handcrafts in Bloomington, Ill. She presented a certificate for the store's dedication to artisans over the years.
 
Pictured below: Cheryl Musch & Carol Schrantz
















Volunteers in Madison
10/21/08
We have wonderful volunteers!














We welcome Mamata Shrestha, a new volunteer in our Product Development Department.














And thanks to SERRV board member Ann Engelman, who volunteered in Fund Development this summer.

Our Product Team Hams it Up
10/21/08
















Indonesia Travelogue, Part 9
10/08/08

Keith and Mitra Bali

Written by Keith Recker, volunteer guest designer for SERRV. Recker has worked with Granet and Associates and Aid to Artisans, and his designs will be included in our newly redesigned catalog and web site.

Well, I am waiting at the Denpasar airport to begin my Bali-Taipei-Los Angeles-New York journey home.  Hard to believe the trip is over. This is one of the most memorable artisan trips I have ever had, and that’s saying something... Read more (plus check out new photographs from the travelogue!


Indonesia Travelogue, Parts 4-8
10/07/08

Written by Keith Recker, volunteer guest designer for SERRV.  Recker has worked with Granet and Associates and Aid to Artisans, and his designs will be included in our newly redesigned catalog and web site.

Today was a short work day. Ari and Indra and I went to the home of Windu, a bone carver Mitra frequently works with. Unfortunately, he was not at home, though we waited for almost 90 minutes.  But his brother and nieces and nephews kept us company from time to time. A one-year-old boy giggled through his bath on the steps earby while we looked at samples of the carving work left in the workshop. Read more.

Staff Member Visits Stores
10/06/08












Jessica King, SERRV marketing member, visited five stores that carry SERRV products in New England, including Gondwana (pictured).

"I was impressed with the variety of stores that carry our products," King said. "Everyone was excited about our mission and is looking forward to the holiday season."


Partner in Nepal Marks Anniversary
10/03/08














Kumbeshwar Technical School, a SERRV partner in Nepal, celebrated its 21st anniversary on October 3. Prizes were distributed to top students in the primary school, certificates of achievement were given to hand-kitting and carpet-eaving trainees and certificates and cash prizes were awarded to the winner of the Design Competition held on World Fair Trade Day last May. KTS primary school student and carpentry trainees performed a cultural program. Congratulations to KTS!

Emergency Funds Sent to Haiti
10/02/08
Following the terrible destruction left by the unprecedented strike of four hurricanes on the already impoverished country of Haiti, SERRV sent emergency relief funds to our partner in Haiti, Comite Artesanal Haitien (CAH). CAH reported that almost the entire country has been affected by the destruction. Several artisans had their roofs blown off, and water and mud flooded the workshops, destroying raw materials and finished products. One artisan lost his life, after being hit by a falling tree. Part of the funds sent by SERRV helped to cover costs for the artisan's funeral, send money to his family, and to help others rebuild.

CAH sent their thanks: "Our losses are huge and it will take us time to evaluate with accuracy the size of the destruction in areas still out of reach. We wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to all CAH's partners who called, prayed, and supported us during these difficult times."

Donations for flood relief are still being collected by SERRV: Donate Here

Indonesia Travelogue, Part 3
10/02/08
Written by Keith Recker, volunteer guest designer for SERRV. Recker has worked with Granet and Associates and Aid to Artisans, and his designs will be included in our newly redesigned catalog and web site.

This morning started a little bit later than the others, which gave me more time to walk around town. I am told that most of the hotels in town are full because of the national holiday this week, Idul Fitre. Many tourists from Jakarta and Surabaya have come to Bali for a week of relaxation and beach-going and shopping. Read more.

From Halfway Around the World
10/02/08
We were very fortunate to have visitors in Madison from Marketplace: Handwork of India. Pictured below (from left) are Pushpicka Freitas, president of MarketPlace; Sunanda Zunjar, Nooreen Dossa and Shardha Ghadge.















Check out this great post from Shayna Miller at Madison Magazine regarding the visit.

Indonesia Travelogue, Part 2
10/01/08
Written by Keith Recker, volunteer guest designer for SERRV. Recker has worked with Granet and Associates and Aid to Artisans, and his designs will be included in our newly redesigned catalog and web site.

I woke up just as the sun rose, and watched the sky come alive with apricot and lavendar fire in the clouds – fluffy, slow-moving tropical clouds. My early morning walk today was more interesting as more stores were open this time, and I got a chance to see a few beautiful products – including some batik fabrics made in very traditional ways. Read more.

Indonesia Travelogue, Part 1
09/30/08
Written by Keith Recker, volunteer guest designer for SERRV. Recker has worked with Granet and Associates and Aid to Artisans, and his designs will be included in our newly redesigned catalog and web site.

Some trips make the world seem small, and others immensely large. My 30 hour journey from Los Angeles to Bali is one of the latter! A typhoon blowing across the island of Taiwan on September 29 was responsible for 10 of the 30, but as I watched the rain and wind lash the windows of the airport, it seemed wiser to wait it out on the ground. Read more.


Celebrating the Improved SERRV
09/19/08
We held parties in honor of our new identity at...















Our New Windsor Operations Center
















Our Madison Office
















Our Madison SERRV Store


Thanks to everyone who joined in to create these enriching experiences!


A New SERRV Experience
09/18/08








Maybe you've noticed our new site design or received a slick new catalog in the mail.

We are a fresh, new, improved SERRV. We're trading in the name "A Greater Gift" and reaching out in new ways to eradicate poverty wherever it resides. SERRV is an enriching way of making the world a better place for all of us.

A Greater Ambition than ever before.

With sixty amazing years of history behind us, we are committed to having a greater impact than ever before. With a distinctive new look and feel, we now have a sharper focus on the fabulous handmade products sold on behalf of Artisans around the world.

Our redesigned gift shops, catalog and web site both showcase our new look and invite you to enrich your mind, body and soul. With your help, SERRV becomes a powerful tool for putting right the imbalance in the world.

What are you waiting for?

Sharing Resources with SHARE
09/14/08
When we visited SHARE in southern India last November, we were impressed to find an energized organization of women impacting the lives of women in many positive ways. Their organization uses economic empowerment as a stepping stone for women to gain confidence and have a greater voice in their families and communities. They told us that to improve the production of the palm leaf baskets that are woven by women in 27 villages they wanted to build a common dyeing facility at the SHARE office. This would help assure that dyed palm leaf colors would be consistent and would allow them to teach dyeing skills to new members. SERRV supported this effort with a grant and the dyeing facility is now built and working!  Their next project is to build storage racks to protect raw materials and finished products from damages from humidity.  If you would like to make a donation to support projects such as these, please visit our donate page.

Reading Glasses Project
09/05/08
We received 137 pairs of reading glasses donated by SERRV board member Sally Keller's fair trade store. These glasses will go to artisans in Bangladesh and Mali, and elsewhere this year.

SERRV Product Development Specialist Kerry Evans recently distributed about 50 pairs in the Philippines as well. 

 




Threads of Success
09/05/08
Our Product Development Department recently assembled swatches of embroidery thread and an extensive trend report to send to our artisan partners. This is the kind of work we do every day to help our partners succeed. Thanks to volunteers for their assistance in this project. 








Store Events in Madison
08/27/08
Join us for two exciting events coming up in at our store in Madison, Wis.

Grand Re-opening Event at 3 p.m. on Sept. 13

• Listen to Cheryl Musch dicuss her journey connecting with incredible Haitian artisans.
• Great bargains and new fall items.

MarketPlace Fashion Show at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 17

• Meet the women who make these clothes.
• Discounts on Marketplace clothing during the event.

Both events take place at 2701 Monroe Street. Call 608.233.4438 to learn more.

Native Harvest
08/15/08
Jean Johnson, director of product development, recently met with our partner Native Harvest in northern Minnesota. Native Harvest is a part of the White Earth Land Recovery Project. The organization markets natural foods and crafts produced on the reservation - serving both the local community and other interested customers. We sell Native Harvest wild rice and maple syrup.

Harvest season is coming up at the end of this month, when rice harvesters take canoes out into the lakes on the reservation and harvest the rice. Harvesting the rice is a two person job - with one person operating the canoe and the other using two long wooden mallets to pull the rice off the stems and into the bed of the canoe. This is called "pounding rice."

According to Winona LaDuke, founder of the White Earth Land Recovery Project, traditional harvesters are among the poorest people on the reservation, and paying a fair price for the wild rice is one of the ways that Native Harvest helps them to "live a dignified life as harvesters."

Working Toward More Environmentally Friendly Packing
08/15/08
We are in the process of replacing bubble wrap with recylced crushed paper wherever possible in packing products.

CRS Partner Comes to Madison
08/15/08
Katy Cantrell (pictured near left), who works with the Fair Trade Program at Catholic Relief Services, made the trip to our Madison office to work with Serena Sato (pictured far left), marketing coordinator, on our fair trade partnership, Work of Human Hands.

"It was a very productive visit," Katy said. "I'm glad to make my first trip here. I hope there will be many more!"



More Efficient Returns
08/14/08
Our returns department in New Windsor is moving to the warehouse building in the next couple of weeks. This will allow us to better use staff, space and resources and streamline the return process for faster credits and stock turnover.

Visitor from eBay
08/11/08
Amy Skeeters-Behrens (pictured) from eBay visited our Madison office last week to work on a venture that involves selling ethical products on a new site created by eBay. We're excited to see how we can expand our customer base!






Partner in India Opens Shop in "Green Zone"
08/08/08
IFFAD, one of our artisan partners in India, has announced the opening of its first Fair Trade Shop to promote fair trade products to customers in India.  The shop was inaugurated this week and is located in a "green zone" shopping area in Chennai, in the southern district of Tamil Nadu where IFFAD is located. The "green zone" is a section of stores promoting products that are good for people and the environment. Congratulations to IFFAD on this new endeavor!







Our Fall Catalog Has Gone to Print
08/08/08
We are excited to announce that our newly redesigned Fall Catalog has been sent to the printer! It will start mailing in early September.

A Summer Visit from Nepal
08/01/08
Receiving visits from our artisan partners is a special treat, especially when they come from half way around the world. We were delighted to welcome visitors from the Association of Crafts Producers (ACP), one of our partner groups in Nepal, to our offices in Madison, Wisconsin. ACP staff member Revita Shrestha and textile artisan Sudha Majarjan (pictured) visited in July to learn more about SERRV and the U.S. market and share the important work that ACP is doing with artisans in Nepal. 

To gain a better understanding of trends and prices in the U.S. marketplace, they traveled to a gift fair in Chicago, toured department stores, and worked with SERRV product development staff. They also made a trip to Fond du Lac to visit the fair trade store Just Fare and share the impact that fair trade has made in women’s lives.  ACP currently works with some 1200 artisans, 90% of them are women. Sudha, a second generation group leader with ACP, spoke about how her mother started the weaving group more than 20 years ago and the changes the women have experienced. Today, they are respected as important income earners in their families and have a greater voice.