FTF - Novica

Happy Friday everyone!  Thought I'd share a really cool website with you guys today.  The website is called Novica, and it's a virtual forum for artisans from all over the world to share their creations with the world.  Reasons this website is cool: a) it was founded by National Geographic, b) it has EVERYTHING!  Literally, they have sculptures, home decor, rugs, men's and women's clothing, jewelry, and even more, and c) they have testimonials from quite a few of their artisans on their site that are amazing.

Now, normally at this point, I would show you pictures and links to my favorite items on the site.  But with so much to choose from, I thought I'd do things a little differently today. With all the choices out there of where you can shop, and knowing the fact that you can buy similar items for a lot less through other companies, I want to share with you the story of how Novica has changed one artisan's life.  When you get down to the core of fair trade, that's what you get to participate in: helping a person on the other side of the globe make a living.  And, in the process, you get to buy a beautiful piece of art.

Wayan Rendah

wood sculptor, Bali

"Times were so hard before I joined Novica. I couldn't afford to pay the hospital for my wife giving birth to our daughter. I had to give up my motorbike, the only thing we had left, to pay the hospital and take my wife and daughter back home. God answered my prayer, and here I am now living happily with my wife, a daughter, and a son. Regular income from Novica means so much to the life of my family, and the lives of other carvers in our village - I am now working with 20 carvers! We started with nothing. Now we have savings, and are building houses. My place is full of statues we're working on for Novica customers. It feels as though the Novica office is my own office, yet I don't have to pay for Novica, or Novica's employees, or any packaging or shipping expenses. I just get 24 hours of promotion every day, internationally."

There are so many more testimonials on the the Novica website.  There are even links underneath each artisan's story where you can shop for items made by that person, like Wayan's beautiful wood sculptures.  My favorite piece of art that he is created is this carving, named "A Mother's Love."

A Mother's Love

Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend everybody!