TI has been doing home parties and crafts sales, mostly in the Reno area, for the past two years. The crafts are brought from Kenya and sold in the U.S. and Canada. Some of these crafts are made by the widows TI is working with; all of the crafts are made by people in poverty.

Every craft bought helps two groups; first it helps the person making it. TI buys the craft right from the artist; giving them a very fair price so they can in turn feed their family. Second, all the profit from each craft sold goes right back into helping people in Kenya through TI.

Let me give some examples.

This year, TI is sending 7 orphans through secondary school. 5 students are not sponsored, but supported by the money raised from the crafts sales. It cost over $600 per kid per year for secondary school… that’s a lot of wooden spoons!

Every once in a while, the TI Kenya staff will meet a family in need, but who does not qualify for a TI program. Because of the money from the crafts, we are able to support a family or a child for an extended period of time. In July 2008, TI found a family living in the slums, a single mother with her 6 children. She had a small business, but her meager income was not providing fully for her kids. In fact, the kids weren’t even going to school. TI came in, got all the kids in school, put one of the older daughters in a trade school and helped the mother to expand her business. In the past 10 months, TI has spent over $1500 on food, household items and school fees for this family. That was all money from crafts sold. TI is slowly pulling out assistance to the family as the mother’s business becomes more stable. In only a few months time, the family will be self sustainable. Thanks for buying that carving.  

One of the biggest improvements to the HBF children’s home last year was the addition of house parents. The 27 kids only had a house mother who was too busy cooking and cleaning to be able to mother the children. TI kept the old staff and added a husband and wife team as house parents for the home, parents who were able to give the children the love, affection and care they needed. TI did not have their meager combined $150 monthly salary built into the budget, but thanks to the crafts sales, we are able to employ amazing parents for our kids.

These are just a few of the many examples of how the crafts many of you buy change the lives of the people in Kenya. Buying a $5 necklace doesn’t seem like much, but it makes a big difference to someone.

Thank you for the part you play. Thank you also to the amazing team who volunteers countless hours to unpack, label, transport and sell the items. Not only are you a hope for the hopeless, but a voice in the midst of disparity.