;)
Rwanda 'Path to Peace'
Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 2:17PM 
In America we’re used to seeing products that are made in Japan, China, Taiwan, etc. And we usually don’t think about where it came from and who made it. And more importantly we don’t think about who is benefiting from the sale of these items. We look for quality, style, and competitive pricing. But what if you had the opportunity to buy products from a company that you know its goal is to help the community and economy from which it is manufactured? I would jump at the chance to buy a great product and know that I’m helping to build the lives of women and their families.
Well, thanks to Macy’s we can now do just that! A few days ago I received the most beautiful bowl I had ever seen. When I held it, I imagined the woman that created it by hand. Yes, by hand! The bowl is not just another beautiful bowl in my home; it means something.
The Rwanda 'Path to Peace' project was founded by Willa Shalit, an American artist, business woman and philanthropist. Shalit founded the Fair Trade Winds company in 2006. I was moved my the mission and identity of the Fair Trade Winds company which reads:
"Fairwinds Trading is a for-profit company that uses business as a strategy for economic empowerment of people, especially women, in the Majority World. The Majority World is where two billion of the world’s three billion people live, in poverty. Our focus on women as a preferred partner is based in part on our history, in part on our leadership as a woman-owned firm, and in part on evidence that raising the standard of living for women has the greatest positive multiplier effect within families, communities and cultures."
"The company’s philosophy and business model embody a new paradigm for global economic empowerment. They recognize that compassionate aid, needed in moments of crisis, becomes culturally destructive if continued too long. They demonstrate that cross-cultural business partnerships, rooted in mutual learning and growth, can bring sustainable economic power to women around the world."
"Our mission is to connect cultures through business, art and understanding"
I love the story of how this project was started and how she connected with Macy's. Willa Shalit saw a need and set out to fulfill it. Women do everything worldwide! We're not limited to our communities, our country, nor financial status! Please go to their website to support a woman and her family in Rwanda!