$200 Value for $22?

Last week my mother-in-law was visiting.  She was wearing what appeared to be a beautiful amethyst Elevita necklace, which I couldn't take my eyes off--not only because it was beautiful, but because I was racking my brain trying to remember when I had given it to her.  Try as I might, I could conjure up no memory explaining how she came by the necklace.  Finally we asked.  She replied that it actually wasn't an Elevita piece, but one she had purchased in a department store, after looking high and low for just the right purple piece.  Hesitatingly I inquired, "Can I ask you how much you paid for it?"

"Two-hundred dollars!" was her reply.  I quickly went to retrieve a twin piece from my Elevita inventory, thinking surely there must be a noticeable difference when the necklaces were placed side by side, but no!  The only difference we could ascertain was that the Elevita necklace was actually longer, enabling it to be doubled or even tripled.  Amazing!

So why, she wondered, do we sell it at such a low price?  The reason is that we always allow our artisans to set their prices, telling them to make sure it is a fair price for them and their families.  Then we sell their goods as inexpensively as possible, in the hope that the low prices will drive more sales.  Quickly selling through a product enables us to purchase more as soon as possible, continually supporting the artisans.  After realizing that our price difference was because of our business model and not because of quality, my mother-in-law immediately bought three more strings of Elevita beads!  Thank you, Sharon!!

Elevita Helps Form Cooperative in the Philippines

Elevita has helped a brave new group take steps to lift themselves from poverty.  The I Reach Out cooperative, inspired by Elevita and headed by Filipina Florita Escandor, has a vision to help all its members become self reliant.  In February the I Reach Out was able to open its first warehouse with a generous gift from Elevita.

One of the biggest reasons for poverty in the Philippines is corruption.  Prices of everyday commodities are controlled by a few large entities.  This makes it difficult for the average person to purchase more than a days worth of necessities at a time.

For years Florita Escandor (Flora) has had a vision to help lift her countrymen out of poverty.   Once she connected with Kirsten Monson, Elevita Cofounder, in Singapore, Flora knew it was finally time to act.  Flora decided to tackle the poverty problem by changing the method of goods distribution.  With her background in economics and business, Flora approached major manufacturers and negotiated with them to release their products at reduced prices.  These products will then go directly into the hands of cooperative members, without several middleman price increases.  The cooperative has launched in a warehouse, which also gives its members a place to sell their own produce and handmade goods.  Elevita plays an additional role by helping the artisan members sell their handmade products on Elevita.com.

The cooperative is carefully organized so that members receive a rebate for all their purchases, which is applied to savings, investments, and to furthering the mission of the cooperative.  With this ingenious model Flora has taken great steps to help free her fellow citizens from the rule of the "tycoons" who run the country.  The I Reach Out cooperative is young, but Elevita has great hope for the future of its members, and is proud to play a role in its inception.

The I Reach Out cooperative, headed by Florita Escandor (back right).

The Story of Julie Pura

Julie Pura lives in very humble circumstances in the Philippines.  She is a bag weaver and the mother of six children.  One of Julie's daughters had a bad skin allergy which required expensive medication.  Because of this, the family did not have enough money to buy both food and medication.  As Julie was not able to sell enough of her beautiful bags to help provide for their needs, she and her husband decided they had no choice but for Julie to leave the country and seek employment as a foreign domestic worker.  This is a path that is very common for desperate women in the Philippines.

Elevita found Julie just as she was about to apply for a passport.   It broke our hearts to think of her leaving her family.  We looked at all of her beautiful bags and chose three of our favorites, ordering just 30 of each as a start.  As is our practice, we paid her half the money as a down payment for her work.  With this money, Julie had enough not only for the bag supplies, but also money left over to cement the dirt floor of her hut.  MIRACULOUSLY, with the improved living conditions, her daughter's skin allergy disappeared.  This freed up the family income for food and other necessities.  Julie was even able to hire other needy women to help her finish the bags.  This is a great anecdote about how simply purchasing a few handicrafts can change the life of a family.

Backpacks for Cambodia

At Elevita we had an extremely busy summer working with new artisans and moving across the globe. We also had the opportunity to donate backpacks for impoverished school children in Cambodia.  Through the help of an organization called Caring for Cambodia, these children who previously had virtually no education are now receiving two meals a day and a quality education in newly constructed buildings.  The girls who received them are very grateful for new backpacks from Elevita!

Filipino Roosters

Below is a snapshot of a shipment of roosters that recently arrived from the Philippines.  They are carved by Froilan Cajumban, and were a huge hit at our recent sale in Singapore!  The roosters will be available for purchase at www.Elevita.org this summer.  They are unique pieces and a great decorative touch for the kitchen!

Great Quote

"Giving is a universal opportunity.  Regardless of your age, profession, religion, income bracket, and background, you have the capacity to create change."  (Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, Philanthropist)

Opportunities in Cambodia

Recently, Elevita Cofounder, Kirsten Monson, and Elevita Volunteer, Cami Bruschke, traveled with their families to Siem Reap, Cambodia.  While there they were able to meet with a group of local women to discuss goods they could produce for Elevita.  Elevita was motivated to help these women, as many of them live in impoverished circumstances without electricity or running water.  These women had many marketable skills, including the ability to make gorgeous silk ties and bags, but many of them who knew how to sew had no sewing machine or means to produce the items.  With the help of some donations from good friends, Elevita was able to purchase for these women both a sewing machine and a serger.  They will keep the machines in a common community place so they can all have access to them in their free time.  Now that these women have been enabled to use their skills, Elevita is looking forward to carrying many of their products in the future.  In a country where $20 can feed a family of 5 for 3 weeks, the supplemental income these women can earn by selling their products to Elevita will go a long way toward helping their families.