Woven baskets, hand-stitched dolls and bowls made of finely pressed paper are just some of the items lining the shelves at VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Global Village Store at 527 Pandora Ave.
In 1988 the establishment opened near the central branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library as the cityB次元官网网址檚 first fair trade store, and itB次元官网网址檚 now celebrating its 30th anniversary Aug. 18.
B次元官网网址淭he concept arose out of social justice issues, B次元官网网址� says Mavis Degirolamo, chair of the Global Village Store board and volunteer for 20 years.
B次元官网网址淲e asked how can we best support these people so that what we are doing is giving them a hand up and not a hand out,B次元官网网址� she explains. B次元官网网址淗ow do we help them to be able to raise their families with dignity, and be able to send their kids to school and have a home that they feel is theirs?B次元官网网址�
Now, the non-profit store sells goods from 28 countries and 52 producers around the world. Any funds secured that arenB次元官网网址檛 needed to run the store go back to the producers or to grants or fundraisers around the world. Since its inception, the store has given back over $2 million to its producers.
But, it wasnB次元官网网址檛 always easy to co-ordinate products, especially before the internet was so well established.
B次元官网网址淭hey had to go back and forth with letters, and often you would get pictures and often you would get nothing,B次元官网网址� said Suzann Albion, co-ordinator for the Global Village Store and the only paid employee at the establishment. B次元官网网址淥ften they were were ordering blind, and sometimes we still do.B次元官网网址�
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While every once in awhile this has led to a bit of confusion about received products, most the time goods arrive as expected and finely made.
B次元官网网址淭hey are handmade in the traditional style or craft of that particular country, so a lot are hand woven or hand sewed, so you get the sense of the person; you can just tell when someone is just learning and when someone is just perfect,B次元官网网址� Albion said. B次元官网网址淎ll the products are unique, itB次元官网网址檚 a great place to get a unique item.B次元官网网址�
The store is run by over 30 volunteers, ranging in age from 15 to 80, with some serving the whole 30 years and others just popping in for a few months at a time.
On Saturday, Aug. 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the storeB次元官网网址檚 back entrance in Market Square there will be a celebration of the storeB次元官网网址檚 30 years and to show appreciation for the volunteers who make it happen.
The event will include live music, cake and coffee, door prizes, raffles and a sale of 25 per cent off of most in-store products. The celebration will be heralded in by Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps as the City of Victoria launches a commitment to be a fair trade town, a move that encourages as many businesses as possible to work with fair trade producers.
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