When we walk into one of our favorite stores (for me, the Apple store) and look at a shiny new product, we miss one of the most fundamental aspects of what that product is.  We might think about what it does, how it will make our lives easier or more fun, how we will feel cooler once we own it.  We refer in our minds to the advertisements or the pop culture references or to what our friends have said about the product.  But we forget where it comes from.  In fact, we forget that it comes from anywhere at all.

It seems unnecessary to say ‘things come from somewhere,’ but I think that we as a society are quickly forgetting this.  We fail to realize when standing before our next purchase that it was made somewhere, by a person, or even many people, and that often it was shipped thousands of miles to be there in front of us.

Products have a history.  And I believe that this history is more important than what the TV ads say about a product.  Shouldn’t we be more connected to the real person whose hands assembled the product in our hands than to a character on a screen who is paid to sell it to us?  Aren’t our lives directly connected to theirs through these products?

Acholi Beads is completely transparent about the history of our products.  Our jewelry is made by 16 women from the Acholi tribe who live in a slum near their country’s capital.  They work from their homes, rolling strips of recycled paper into beautiful beaded necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

I hope that your understanding of this history enhances your appreciation for Acholi Beads.  Know that each piece began its life on another continent, in the hands of a woman whose life is better because you now own her creation.

Next time you go out shopping, think about the history of the products that you see.  And think about how much the world would change if we all cared about these little histories.

The blog is making a comeback, starting today!  I’m in Uganda right now, have been for over a month.  I came with one goal in mind — to make Acholi Beads a model of Socially Proactive Business.  This means making it hugely beneficial for the women of Acholi Quarters, and making it as successful a business as possible.

Tomorrow George and the beadmakers will officially register a co-operative that we’ve been working on building for the last four weeks.  This co-op will provide a sturdy foundation on which they can build a host of other life-improving projects.  Already they have started a savings program that is helping them meet the bigger needs of life - school fees, medical expenses, etc.

This past weekend, all members of the co-op were invited to start training in personal financial management, including budgeting and saving to meet the needs of their families.  I contracted the best trainer I’ve ever met to teach a curriculum that we designed together in northern Uganda.  The women loved it.  After just the first session they were talking about how much better their lives would be.  And the trainer, after two days with the bead makers, said, “These women are so committed!  They are going to do something great.”

And that’s not all.  My sister Robin came to Uganda with me to consult on style and materials.  Thanks to her fashionable eye we have some fantastic new products and great changes to our current line to offer in the near future.  Keep your eyes peeled.  The new products will launch at about the same time as our new website, currently being slaved over by a few great friends of mine.

Acholi Beads is about to hit a whole new level of marketability, just as it reaches a new peak of life-change for the beadmakers.  This is Socially Proactive Business.

IFAT prescribes 10 standards that Fair Trade organizations must follow in their day-to-day work and carries out continuous monitoring to ensure these standards are upheld:

• Creating opportunities for economically disadvantaged producers
  Fair Trade is a strategy for poverty alleviation and sustainable development. Its purpose is to create opportunities for producers who have been economically disadvantaged or marginalized by the conventional trading system.
• Transparency and accountability
  Fair Trade involves transparent management and commercial relations to deal fairly and respectfully with trading partners.
• Capacity building
  Fair Trade is a means to develop producers’ independence. Fair Trade relationships provide continuity, during which producers and their marketing organizations can improve their management skills and their access to new markets.
• Promoting Fair Trade
  Fair Trade Organizations raise awareness of Fair Trade and the possibility of greater justice in world trade. They provide their customers with information about the organization, the products, and in what conditions they are made. They use honest advertising and marketing techniques and aim for the highest standards in product quality and packing.
• Payment of a fair price
  A fair price in the regional or local context is one that has been agreed through dialogue and participation. It covers not only the costs of production but enables production which is socially just and environmentally sound. It provides fair pay to the producers and takes into account the principle of equal pay for equal work by women and men. Fair Traders ensure prompt payment to their partners and, whenever possible, help producers with access to pre-harvest or pre-production financing.
• Gender Equity
  Fair Trade means that women’s work is properly valued and rewarded. Women are always paid for their contribution to the production process and are empowered in their organizations.
• Working conditions
  Fair Trade means a safe and healthy working environment for producers. The participation of children (if any) does not adversely affect their well-being, security, educational requirements and need for play and conforms to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as the law and norms in the local context.
• Child Labour
  Fair Trade Organizations respect the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as local laws and social norms in order to ensure that the participation of children in production processes of fairly traded articles (if any) does not adversely affect their well-being, security, educational requirements and need for play. Organizations working directly with informally organised producers disclose the involvement of children in production.
• The environment
  Fair Trade actively encourages better environmental practices and the application of responsible methods of production.
• Trade Relations
  Fair Trade Organizations trade with concern for the social, economic and environmental well-being of marginalized small producers and do not maximise profit at their expense. They maintain long-term relationships based on solidarity, trust and mutual respect that contribute to the promotion and growth of Fair Trade. An interest free pre payment of at least 50% is made if requested.

Last week the peace talks between the Ugandan government and the Lord’s Resistance Army began again in Juba, Southern Sudan. These talks are the closest the Acholi people have been in over 20 years to finding peace, and last week marks a significant renewal of commitment to their positive conclusion, and to peace for a hurting people.

A friend of mine was recently in Juba to observe the talks. He brings good news. He says that rhetoric between the two negotiating sides has softened considerably since the talks began last year. And whereas they once required separate tables for meals, they now eat and talk together.

Most importantly, both sides are confident that a comprehensive peace agreement will be signed within the next month!

There is a faint but brightening glow of peace on the horizon. We’ll keep you updated.

WAR/DANCE, an inspiring film about children affected by the war in northern Uganda, is nominated for the Best Documentary Oscar! We hope that this publicity will lead to an influx of interest and involvement in northern Uganda, and in the ongoing story of the Acholi people.