After watching the movie Blood Diamond yesterday, it reminded me of the mysterious and exotic perceptions we have of Africa. The very word- Africa- rolls off the tongue with such romance. As a child, my ideas of Africa were of a magical land with wild jungles, beautiful and rare plants, amazing animals that roam free, thousands of miles of open and spacious land, and a mystical beauty among the people. I always imagined them to be people who honored their ancestors and kept traditions alive in their families.

As I grew older, I would occassionally see quick glimpses of another side of Africa. An ugly side with people so driven by greed they would murder innocent men, women and children- rape mothers and young girls, and live a horrible life of violence. I would occassionally see a news article or clip describing this- barely a blip on the radar screen. Goverments led by insane men who would inflict mass genocide on it’s people. All of this on top of thousands upon thousands of people suffering from diseases that are easily prevented and treatable. This is the side of Africa that breaks our hearts.

As a new mom, my perspective has changed in ways I could never imagine. I hear of these stories of extreme violence and suffering while I sip my freshly brewed coffee in the comfort of my home watching my healthy and well fed daughter play safely with her toys. It is easy to forget the atrocities that occurs in this region and around the world over money. It hits closer to home now when I hear of children being taken from their families and trained to be killers for corrupt governments and other organizations. Some are forced to work in factories to produce goods at the lowest price possible so unknowing consumers can save money. It is a vicious circle of greed and injustice- and the human cost is overwhelming.

This is the very reason it is so important to support fair trade programs in Africa, and all over the world. As consumers, it is our responsibility to understand what we buy- where these products came from, and make the choice not to support companies that work with these corrupt governments and organizations.

Here are some examples of programs that exemplify how we can take back our consumer power.

The Leakey Collection
http://www.leakeylife.com

The Leakey Collection grew from Philip and Katy Leakey's vision to empower the women of the struggling Maasai tribe in Kenya by providing employment opportunities creating stunning, handcrafted jewelry pieces for an international market. Consumers purchase these unique gifts for themselves or loved ones, while helping the Maasai women provide a much needed income to their families. This wonderful program helps peace to thrive in this community and preserve the beautiful culture that is the Maasai for generations to come.

UniqEco Recycled Flip Flop Wildlife Sculptures
http://www.organicbug.com

The shores of the Indian Ocean in eastern Africa are awash with industrial debris from as far away as China, Indonesia, Japan, and Malaysia. Hundreds of brightly-colored flip flop sandal pieces and parts wash ashore daily, not only causing blight along the coastlines but endangering the marine eco-system in the vast ocean that lies between these countries. The flip flop initiative by UniquEco is designed to clean up the environment by marketing products made from this waste back to the consumer who generated it, while providing employment opportunities to the poor communities hardest hit by this environmental degradation.
Talented artisans and sculptors in the village glue the pieces together in multicolored patterns, then hand carve each carefully crafted animal, transforming recycled waste into stunning works of art. These unique pieces are now available through Organic Bug, a company specializing in contemporary eco-friendly, fair trade, and health-oriented merchandise, based in Edgewater (FL).