Daily Finds * Real Simple April 2010

During April 2010, our summery yellow Wolof prayer mat hampers were kindly featured in the Daily Finds feature at realsimple.com. The discerning editorial staff at Real Simple magazine understands the value of items that brings beauty to the home while serving day-to-day functions. Even more, the editors brought attention to a handful of fair trade items from around the world whose production contributes positively to the communities where they are crafted.

During Leslie's February trip to Senegal, the Wolof weavers who expertly craft these vibrant hampers continued to express their gratitude and amazement for all the people who have brought the world's attention to their craftsmanship. With nine villages now producing baskets for homes across the U.S. and around the world, the women are gaining a growing sense of stability in the realm of export.

To help continue the sustainability of the project, Leslie contributed $500 on behalf of Swahili Imports to complete the construction of a permanent facility to store finished baskets and supplies. This allows order production to continue unhampered by some of the difficulties we encountered while helping the project rise to its feet. When baskets for our first three containers were delivered, there was no place to store the hampers except out in the sand, in the open air. Another set of baskets ended up being stuffed into the apartment of a very kind Peace Corps volunteer!