WittEntrepreneurs Ventures
Alliance with Village Markets of Africa
The WittEntrepreneurs and Village Markets of Africa alliance is entrepreneurship education that takes action and makes a difference. It creates experiences that go far beyond the classroom and into the international landscape, while being a catalyst for positive change in the world.
Every purchase of a beautiful hand-carved soapstone vase, awe-inspiring wax-batik, or beaded school spirit bracelet contributes to the Kenyan artisans as well as to all the students that have made the purchase possible. By learning more about free enterprise and creating value-laden, sustainable ventures, our students will have the tools necessary to generate change for any cause or passion.
Village Markets of Africa: General Information Village Markets of Africa is a fair trade enterprise of the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church (KELC) in East Africa. Fair trade gives artisans high-paying profits and a market for their goods. Fair trade creates jobs, promotes self-reliance and provides an opportunity for African families to work their way out of poverty.
How does this partnership work for global economic justice?
For concerned consumers in North America, it means making responsible purchase choices that directly benefit the sustainable development of artisan cooperatives, where women and children are safeguarded, where there is the environmentally friendly use of natural resources, and where a significant portion of every purchase price is returned to strengthen the local artisan’s cooperative to liberate them from poverty.
For artisans in Africa, it means the appropriate sustainable development of their community-based cooperatives by eliminating exploitive middlemen, providing job training and micro credit loans, ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources, helping accommodate changing market trends, and providing a realistic way to bring their families out of poverty.
Through the partnership between Village Markets of Africa and the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church, the artisan cooperatives are provided conscientious managers, fiscal responsibility, and a Christian vision of service to society, working for sustainable development and global economic justice.
Through their North American representative, Jacob Schmalzle, Village Markets of Africa offers hand-crafted African products that empower concerned consumers to be advocates for global economic justice.
Visit www.VillageMarketsofAfrica.com to learn more.
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