Heavenly Treasures :: Fair Trade Federation Member

I must apologize for being behind on my discipline of blogging every week about a Fair Trade product or company. I'm sorry!


But, here I am again, attempting to highlight a company that is well worth purchasing from.


Heavenly Treasures practices the motto, "Every product represents a changed life." Having been acquainted with the founder's son (ahem, actually dated him, but we've all moved on now!), I got to see up close and personal what these people are about. 

With micro enterprises in countries like Bolivia, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, India and many other places, they are fulfilling their mission of providing a "livelihood project" for underprivileged people to make a consistent living. How? These micro enterprises offer jobs to (mostly) women, in which they are taught how to make a certain handicraft, which is then sold for a fair price through Heavenly Treasures. Much of the business has run off of donations in order to keep a high standard in the payment and treatment of these women. 


I love this:
 100% of the sales proceeds are reinvested back into the livelihood project.  The funds are used to ensure an ongoing market and source of income. When possible, funds are designated for special needs, equipping seminars and equipment.

Throughout college, since the shop is literally down the street from APU, I would go and shop for family members when it was their birthday or Christmas was coming. I mean, who wouldn't appreciate a gift that comes with a story? I could literally tell my grandma that the person(s) involved in making her apron (or scarf or whatever) have a consistent income and better life because of this organization. Isn't that cool?

Kathy Gaulton, the founder, is a woman to be admired for her endurance, business sense, compassion and love for God. What's so fascinating about her story is that she worked in the secular business world for a few decades before she took all that she learned and built Heavenly Treasures out of it. What a beautiful picture of God taking the skills and experiences of her past and using it to create a wonderful way to minister to and aid some of the most needy around the world. 

Check it out: HeavenlyTreasures.

Photos from here and here.