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Wongwiang Handicrafts began life in 1978 as a small family run business making lacquer-ware items. As a young boy Oun Wongwiang developed leprosy and was rejected by everyone, even his family. Oun was sent to a small hut at the bottom of his family garden in Bangkok. No-one came to visit him, other than to leave food outside the door. His family shunned him because he had leprosy. They were scared that they would catch it if they got too close.

With help from his brother, Oun discovered the McKean Rehabilitation Centre where he was admitted. He stayed here until he was 24. His treatment for leprosy came too late to prevent his hands and feet from being badly disfigured, however whilst recouperating in the centre, he learnt his craft skills. This enabled him to set up his own business and to support McKean and employ other ex-patients.

Oun, through his commitment to the leprosy patients society has rejected, currently employs 80 craftspeople across 15 villages in the Chiang Mai area. Some are based in workshops, where up to 20 people can be involved in different stages of production, while others work from home.

'It's great to be able to help so many people have jobs,' Oun said to Wilma from fairtrade inspires. 'These people depend on me for work. Sometimes in the past I have not had enough work for them and so my message for you to take home is, "Thankyou for all the help you have given us and your continued support", but please buy more products, it's important to us.'

Our very popular shrugs are supplied by Gringo, a Fair Trade clothing and jewellery company.

Virtually all of their collections are designed in-house and follow a unique fashion agenda, giving all the products a personal edge, setting them apart from a mass-production in the high street, making Gringo items truly original.

Gringo is a family business run by Dave and Deb Montague-Evans who spent many years in the 70s travelling extensively throughout Europe, North Africa, Asia, the Americas and finally Australia. Whilst travelling in Mexico in the mid 80s, they bought handmade jewellery from families in a small dusty Mexican village, and started wholesaling the jewellery in Australia, and from there Gringo was born.

The wholesale business grew rapidly and they turned their hand to clothing and bag design, and set up small workshop under their house in Australia making the clothes themselves. The demand for their unusual clothing soon outgrew what they could make, so they returned to their beloved island of Bali, and working with Balinese friends they had made previously, they started making the clothing and bags.

From the beginning they ensured that all the people involved in the production of their goods were paid fairly and have always adhered to their business principles of "Aid through Trade".

In the early 90s Gringo moved to the UK where the business has grown dramatically, and products are now produced in Nepal and India, as well as Bali. Their original business motto was, and still is today, to pay a fair price for their goods, and sell them for a fair price, so the local artisans benefit through their labour and skills.

Agrocel aims to increase the net earnings of farmers and assist them with market support as they develop sustainable agricultural practices. Agrocel has links with various research organisations and NGOs involved in water management work and other similar initiatives. Its service centre provides a "one stop shop" for advice, agricultural supplies and crop purchase.

Considerable support from fairtrade inspires and other fair trade shops  has enabled Agrocel to enter and grow within the fair trade market, which now accounts for a key proportion of its sales

At Agrocel, 99% of the cotton produced is Fairtrade, and 30% of that is organic. Farmers growing cotton certified as Fairtrade are also encouraged to grow other crops such as maize, sesame and cumin. It’s better for the soil than always growing cotton, and means they have something to fall back on if the cotton crop fails. The premium has funded training in farming techniques for members of Agrocel, to help them get the best yields from their cotton. In this arid area of India, rainwater is precious. Using the Fairtrade premium, Agrocel members have planted fruit trees. They earn extra money by selling the fruit and the trees play their part by preventing soil erosion and replenishing ground water levels. Some of the farmers also own farm animals, which they use to help them in the fields. The Fairtrade premium is also used to provide veterinary checks for these animals.

Narmaben's story

Narmaben Manji, works as a cotton farmer in India, selling organic cotton to Agrocel. Agrocel provide the cotton for nearly all of the cotton products “fairtrade inspires” sell in their shop. The more we sell the more clothing will be made and this will help to provide her and her  grandsons with a better future.

I struggled to bring up a child. As my husband, Harilel, died 28 years ago, leaving me with our  six-month-old son, Mahendra, to bring up alone. With the support of my husband’s family and my own hard work, I coped and now enjoy seeing my grandsons, Het and Meet grow up.

Four generations of us live on the family farm. I share it with my husband’s brothers and their families, my son, Mahendra, and my grandchildren, Het and Meet. We have  been growing cotton for 10 years. On the area I farm.

"It was a very difficult time with a six month old baby and the  work in the field, like picking and weeding. I get a good price for my cotton. The Agrocel field officer also comes to give advice, check the cotton, and there is interest-free credit. Through this work i can give my grandsons a good education."

Asha produce many of the products we buy for selling in our store. Fashionable handcrafted jewellery, wooden boxes, aluminium and stainless steel, soapstone gifts, scarves, cards. All of the products are hand crafted and we have much more.

Their story began 18 years ago when Dr Kiran Martin, founder and director of Asha, as a young paediatrician in 1988, became aware of a cholera outbreak in one of Delhi's slums. She was determined to help. Few resources were available and so she began to treat patients at a borrowed table placed under a tree outside the slum.

When Dr Martin ventured into the slum she had to wade through mud and rubbish that had built up in the narrow spaces between houses. The cholera epidemic was spreading via contaminated water from shallow wells, so Dr Martin discouraged the slum dwellers from drinking that water and began teaching them about how disease is spread. A lot happened since then.

Now Asha's has a headquarters just a short distance from the slum where its work began 18 years ago. The entire premises has been refurbished recently (aided by many kind donations from Asha supporters) as it had been built on a pit and the whole building was tilting to one side. Now that it has been saved from collapse, the building can continue to serve its many purposes.

The Benefits of Buying

When you choose to purchase from Asha Craft, you'll be getting excellent quality Indian handicrafts along with the knowledge that you have helped someone to earn a living. Women in Asha slums will be able to help support their families, and will grow in confidence and self-esteem as a result. Much of the training has been given through the money raised by your purchases and direct giving. The workers have been trained in quality control and it had to be of ec standards otherwise it id rejected. It is exported to the UK through their agent and then will come directly to some of  “fairtrade inspires” suppliers. We aim to buy directly from Asha this year.