I love it when readers reach out to me, and I especially love it when they introduce me to new ways to help others.

So, when Beth–a mama of eight!!–contacted me, wondering if I’d heard of Trades of Hope, I hopped on over to check out their site and was excited to see the ways that they are empowering women in developing countries (and America too!) to escape poverty.

Beth asked me to pick out a few of my favorite pieces from their collections (they have everything from jewelry to stationery to bags to home decor and more), and these are just a few of the lovelies that caught my eye.

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She was nice enough to send me the golden bombolulu earrings, which I thought looked nice on the screen but luuuuuuurve in person.

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They are an ideal size to make a statement, have a nice weight (without being so heavy that they actually pull on your ear), and are the absolutely perfect shade of muted gold to go with pretty much everything.

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Plus, if gold is not your thing, they also come in silver.

I wore them to church on Sunday…

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…and loved the touch of shimmer they added to a leather-heavy outfit.

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I also love how well they coordinate with my “M is for Mama” necklace.

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(It’s this one, in case you’re wondering: Tiny Gold Filled Custom Initial Necklace + Birth Month Charm – Personalized Dainty Disc)

But more than anything, I love that the mission of Trades of Hope is to bring hope and the love of Jesus to women who are mired in poverty and slavery.

“We work with the artisans themselves and organizations that are helping women in difficult circumstances. Some women have been rescued from sex slavery. Others are raising handicapped children alone. Some are in war torn countries and others have AIDS. These women have never had the chances we’ve had, yet they are just like us in so many ways. They love their families and hope and dream of a better life for them.”

I am excited that I can be part of something that is helping a mother just like me achieve even a few of the daily luxuries–clean water, healthy food, medical care and education for her kids–that I take for granted every day.

I’m also a fan of the fact that, in addition to providing employment to artisans around the world, Trades of Hope gives a portion of their profits to charities and organizations that provide practical necessities like chickens, goats, sewing machines, material, and more to families around the globe.

I watched this video and cried, so be warned that you might too. Not because it’s a tear-jerker–Ms. Florence is anything but melodramatic–but because of the simple gratitude in her words and the dignity with which she expresses her joy and pride in actually being paid for the work she does.

I encourage you to hop on over to the Trades of Hope website and take a look around to see if anything strikes your fancy.  (I just ordered this gorgeous bangle). I love pretty things, but pretty things with the potential to change lives? I adore that.

As Beth puts it:  “As young moms we are (in my case were) extremely busy but sometimes we need another concrete outlet for our desire to know our life matters–that we are affecting change in our culture. That’s how I feel about Trades of Hope. Through my purchases, hosting, and now joining, I know I am making a positive change and am still doing my first job at home.”

So cool!

You can learn more about the mission of Trades of Hope and Beth’s work with them on her Facebook page. If you have any questions about the products or the business side of thing, she would love to talk with you, and you can reach her at bushnellbunch{at}gmail{dot}com.

4 Comments

  1. Have you ever seen “When Calls the Heart”? It is a Hallmark Channel tv series! I just decided you look just like the main character, Elizabeth. I just realized it. You MUST google her. 🙂

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