Meet Prisca

Photos taken by Nicole Daniels and cross-posted from Storm the Mighty.

Prisca also works at One Mango Tree's Gulu workshop - in fact, she runs the show. We were able to visit her home with Jenn and Kaben, an American couple who lives and works at the One Mango Tree compound in Gulu. I wish I had more photos of Prisca to share with you but she hid in the kitchen cooking for us the entire time. We went outside and played with all of the neighborhood kids, who love to spend time at Prisca and Charles house (especially now that they have electricity and a TV!).

Prisca was so sweet, it was about to downpour and she offered to let all five of us stay with her and her family for the night. Maybe an offer we should’ve taken her up on. We all drove home in the pouring rain, in the dark, over the worst potholes on a dirt (mud) road with lightening on motorcycles. Boda Brad drove both me and my friend Joelle on his bike and Kaben and Jenn were on another. I was sandwiched between Brad swearing up a storm and Joelle praying out loud behind me. Definitely one of my most memorable days in Gulu!

Check out some photos of Prisca and her family, below.

Cynthia, Prisca's daughter

Isaac, Prisca's son (left) and the kids crowd Charles, Prisca's husband (right)

Prisca, standing next to the dish-drying rack in her compound

Meet Monica

Cross-posted from Storm the Mighty, from their recent visit to One Mango Tree in Gulu.

During our week long stay with One Mango Tree we were able to visit the homes of three of the seamstresses. Our first stop was to see Adokorach Monica and her sweet boys. We sat under a tree outside of her home. The dirt path was perfectly swept, I didn’t want to walk anywhere and ruin it. Favorite moment of the day: one of the boys saw that I was excited to see the chickens and he made a crazy chicken call and they came running to him! It was a beautiful moment - I’m still working on my chicken call!

Storm the Mighty visits One Mango Tree

Cross-posted from Storm the Mighty, by Brad and Nici Daniels

One Mango Tree. A “social entrepreneurship” aiming to provide opportunity and rehabilitation for women who were victimized by the LRA. The LRA or “Lord’s Resistance Army” is a group of rebels and are responsible for Africa’s longest running armed conflict. Led by Joseph Kony, the group has terrorized East Africa causing over 2 million people to be displaced from their homes and live in military guarded refugee camps.

“One Mango Tree uses a fair trade model to provide income generating opportunities for women in impoverished and conflict-ridden areas of the globe.”

We were so excited to arrive in Gulu, Uganda to see first hand the work of One Mango Tree and these amazing women! They were so sweet and so welcoming… and did I mention talented? You can order some of their products here at their online shop.

These two lovely Mzungus (white folk) are Jenn and Kaela! We stayed with Jenn, her husband Kaben and Kaela while we were in Gulu and did not want to leave them at the end of the week! Miss you guys ;)

One Mango Tree also provides a financial class for the women to teach them to budget, save and manage their money.

And here they are… the ladies of One Mango Tree! When you make a purchase, you’ll be given a tag with the name of the woman that made that item and you can find her photo on the website!

Keep your eyes out for these new fall bags from One Mango!

Sizzling Hot - our July Giveaway is here!

@MommysMoments was the lucky winner of our June Giveaway - but if you missed it, don't worry, you can pick up the Party Dress at only $38 with free shipping through this Saturday, July 9th! Hurry! Now, drumroll please...

Summer is in full swing, and it's HOT! To keep one lucky customer cool, we're sending out a pair of our much-loved Sseko Sandals in our *sizzling hot* red tribal print - $42 value! Ssekos are sandals produced by a group of beautiful, intelligent young women in central Uganda that have graduated secondary school and want to continue their education into college/university. When you purchase these sandals, you're directly helping to fund and empower these ladies to become successful lawyers, doctors, and professionals. You are planting a seed. The sandals themselves are incredibly easy and the best part is that you're fully capable of creating your own, unique sandal by tying, twisting, and looping the fabric in different ways. Check out this video for ideas.

To win these great Sseko Sandals, all you have to do is help us spread the word about One Mango Tree. Here's how to do it:

1. Mention us on Twitter
2. Mention us in your Facebook status
3. Talk about One Mango Tree on your blog
   

If you mentioned us on Twitter, you're all set, if it's a Facebook or blog post, leave a comment here so we can find it and enter you. EACH ENTRY COUNTS, so the more you tweet, the more chances you have to win! Thanks for the love!

Free Shipping: Independence Day!

Yeah, that's what we said! We're big fans of freedom and independence, and taking the time to really celebrate what that means. When the pool parties, BBQs and fireworks come to a close, hop online to shop your favorite One Mango Tree products - and enjoy FREE SHIPPING on every order shipped in the US. All. Week. Long.

Don't wait, because this sweet deal ends at midnight on July 9th.

Fair Trade beach reads

Headed out to the beach or pool this coming holiday weekend? Might we suggest filling up your Hobo Bag or Weekender with some great reading materials?

Sporting an OMT Hobo Bag (in Ginkgo) on la playa in Mexico

Here are some of our favorites, as well as some reads we can't wait to check out during these long days of summer:

Feeling crafty? Learn more about artisans and the importance of their work:
Artisans and Fair Trade: Crafting Development - discusses the viability of artisan work to create sustainable livelihoods
Hand/Eye Magazine - the beautiful World Textiles issue is out now! (quite possibly my favorite magazine - each issue is a gorgeous collector's item!)
Fair Trade: A Human Journey - "Fair trade proposes an alternative that is based on ideas of social justice, product quality and care for the environment. ...This book is a sign of hope that another world is possible." Filled with more than 350 photographs from around the world.
Looking to inspire the activist within? Try:Half the Sky - if you haven't read this book by Nick Kristof and Cheryl WuDunn, start here. It will set a fire under you to make a change in the world.
The Fair Trade Revolution - an in-depth look at issues affecting fair trade - tension between large and small operators, real impacts of recession, fairwashing.

For wasting away hours at a cafe with a fair trade iced coffee:
Coffee & Community: Maya Farmers & Fair Trade Markets - we're told that the coffee we drink each morning can make a big difference - but what does that actually mean?A Cafecito Story - written by Julia Alvarez, this sweet little book is based on the author's experience of reclaiming a small coffee farm in the Dominican Republic.

Thinking of starting your own fair trade venture? Check out:
Global Girlfriends: How One Mom Made It Her Business to Help Women in Poverty Worldwide

I'm geeking out on the apparel supply chain - these two titles are tops on my list:
The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy
Where I am Wearing: A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories and People that Make Our Clothes

Did we miss a title? Let us know your favorite fair trade-related reads.

xo Halle

June Giveaway: Our Party Dress!

Hi friends! It's officially summer tomorrow, so we decided to do a quick celebration with a *FUN* new giveaway. You only have NINE days, so hurry! Drumroll please....


We're sending out our much-loved Party Dress (in Olive) - $38 value! - to celebrate Summer's arrival. The Party Dress is part of our 100% organic cotton apparel collection. The cotton is grown on organic farms in Uganda and then knitted into super-soft, comfy knit. It's one of our very favorite seed-to-sown products. You can even see the Party Dress in Whole Foods Markets this summer (but you can only get the Olive version on our online store!).

To win this comfy/awesome/stunning dress, all you have to do is help us spread the word about One Mango Tree. Here's how to do it:

1. Mention us on Twitter
2. Mention us in your Facebook status
3. Talk about One Mango Tree on your blog
   

If you mentioned us on Twitter, you're all set, if it's a Facebook or blog post, leave a comment here so we can find it and enter you. We value any help we can get promoting One Mango Tree's work and sending out positive messages for our products. There are only 9 days to enter this giveaway, so get tweeting FAST! Thanks for the love!