Sara Martin
Ten Thousand Villages is a national nonprofit fair trade retail organization that helps artisans in developing countries earn income by bringing their jewelry, clothing, and home décor items to the United States market. It began in 1946 when Edna Byler sold the wares of Puerto Rican women weavers from the trunk of her car. Sixty years later, there are more than 70 Ten Thousand Villages stores working with artisans in 35 countries.
“We are a community of like-minded, hard-working staff and volunteers who are committed to economic opportunity for some of the poorest people in the world,” says Jennifer Elliott, comanager of the Asheville store. “The makers have the opportunity to be paid a living wage, and live a life of dignity. Our customers support that vision with their purchases.”
Sara Martin, assistant manager, visited women artisans who worked in the Bangladeshi sex trade and now hand-stitch blankets from recycled sari material. She says, “This program has made it possible for these artisans to send their own daughters to school, which breaks that cycle of poverty and desperation for the next generation.”
Ten Thousand Villages is located at 10 College Street in Asheville. Learn more at tenthousandvillages.com/asheville, on their Facebook page, or by calling 828.254.8374.
