Today the sun's peeking in an out of rain clouds, and right now the wind is whistling around the apartment. This definitely feels like spring! On Sunday afternoon, Brian and I enjoyed the weather with a stroll 'round the park.
The main reason we were at this particular park is to check out the field. Brian got the job of head coach for the baseball team of a local Christian school! I couldn't be more proud. I know he's going to do a great job, and he'll really love it. I also asked Brian to take a few pictures of me modeling my new necklace.
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| jeans: Old Navy, shoes: GAP |
From looking at it, you would never guess that this necklace is made from paper beads! The beads are rolled and painted by hand by artisans in Uganda. Because of the opportunity to work for
Noonday Collection, these artistans are earning enough to provide for their families, send their kids to school, and leave lives of exploitation on the streets.
I was thrilled to receive a hard copy version of Noonday's lookbook along with this
Shalom necklace, which also comes in yellow. As you know from the
Fashion for Freedom series, this is a company I absolutely love.
Noonday Collection's Spring Lookbook features stunning photos of their trendy, stylish fair trade products, but also intersperses true stories of how fair trade employment has changed the lives of the artisans. I was especially touched by Ruth's story.
One of our artisans, Ruth, is resilient and full of joy. She was orphaned at age 6 and sent to be a servant in her oldest stepsister's home. Her step sister died when Ruth was 10, and Ruth became the caretaker of her sister's three small children. After several years, she left for the city to try and find a new life. Sadly, she met a life of exploitation. Her reality changed when she went to church for the first time and the pastor told Ruth she could come live with their family. This same pastoer helped solidify her new job with our Ugandan group.
This necklace might have been made by Ruth.
If you really want to get choked up, look at the back page of the lookbook. Pictures of some of the families' whose adoptions have been aided through the
10% of trunk show sales from Noonday cover the back! Noonday advocates for orphans by:
- "Providing jobs that create a pathway out of poverty for families. A stable income means a family is less likely to abandon their child.
- Help families raise money for their own adoptions. We give 10% of trunk show sales directly to the adoptive family when they host a trunk show.
- Aside from donating 10% towards qualified adoptive families, Noonday Collection also gives towards orphan care and prevention. Watch the video to see one of our beneficiaries.
- The dream: Take YOU on a trip to visit artisans and visit orphans in their distress."
Giveaway
Noonday Collection is a fair trade company with a passion for style and people.
I'm so excited to be able to give away $50 toward any Noonday products today!
Here's a few of their products on my wishlist:
Are you ready to win?! Enter using the raffelcopter widget below (email subscribers, you'll have to click over to the blog to enter).
This giveaway ends next Friday. I'll contact the winner by email, and they'll have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.
Labels: ethical fashion, fair trade, Giveaway, international women's day, style
