Hope Gifted With Hands + Hearts
An intimate and confronting encounter with extreme poverty and human trafficking 10 years ago compelled Ros Jamieson of Wauchope to step out in faith to begin Fair Trade Downunder Hands + Hearts.
Fair Trade Downunder Hands + Hearts is celebrating its 10 year milestone and its impact on communities in 15 countries. How did it begin?
My husband, Will and I went to volunteer at Crossroads International in Hong Kong. It delivers aid by the container load all over the world, not only during disasters, but all the time to the poor in remote places. We were helping to pack shipping containers, and it was during that trip that I was confronted by the poor for the first time, it was up close and personal and it changed me.
“We walked past people sleeping in the street with dogs, people without limbs begging, and completely destitute people without eyes. ”
We walked past people sleeping in the street with dogs, people without limbs begging, and completely destitute people without eyes. Because I am aware of trafficking I saw that happening and was powerless to do anything. It was very scary and being confronted with that reality left me shocked. It changes you because you see it and think, it's wrong, it's unjust, and as a Christian I want to stand for the solution of justice.
During my time in Hong Kong I also volunteered in the craft shop and couldn’t believe the quality of the handcrafted fair trade items. My background is in handcrafts because I am a diversional therapist, and so my first thought was that I could possibly do something like a craft or coffee shop, it was God saying, you can do something. Ideas started rolling around in my head a little bit and at the same time the empty nest stage of my life was happening, it all came together.
Fair Trade Downunder Hands + Hearts sells its products in Australia through Hands + Hearts events. How does it work?
Your home, office or community hall takes on all the colour of an international bazaar, filled with beautiful handcrafted items when you host a Hands + Hearts event.
Each item has come from someone’s hands to your home. And every gift, or piece of jewellery, or child’s handmade toy that you or your friends buy, sends the gifts of dignity and hope back to the one who made it.
From your living room, office, or community hall you are changing lives. We are not salespeople, we are simply a bridge between your compassion and their need, a bridge made of beautiful handcrafted gifts and toys.
A diverse and delightful range of products from all over the world are presented for sale at Hands + Hearts events. Photo | Ainslee Dennis
What impact has Hands + Hearts had over its 10 years of operation?
I held the very first event in 2010 and had 23 parties booked. When I went to the first one I prayed all the way there, please let me sell $200, and at the end I had sold $700. In the first year I did 57 parties and as I've just done my 10th year, I've done 416 parties. It averages around 40 each year and I nearly cry when I think of that because I've met so many people, told my stories so many times, and blessed so many artisans in so many countries; it's quite incredible and I am very humbled by that.
Have you met many of the women who make the handcrafts?
We've been overseas three times so far, in 2014, 2016 and 2018, and we are going again this year. It’s to see them, meet them, shake their hands, and give them a hug. We want to see how they work and where they work. It's such a joy to meet the women who make these things and wonderful to know they are all properly paid for their work. They smile, they've got light in their eyes, they don't all know Jesus, but a lot of them do as many of the projects are Christian based.
“It’s such a joy to meet the women who make these things and wonderful to know they are all properly paid for their work.”
Made in Mongolia, sales of ‘Angel for the Broken’ products help to fund an alcohol rehabilitation program. Photo | Ainslee Dennis
We met a lady who makes little angels while in Mongolia in 2018. It is called ‘Angel for the Broken’ and all the money she makes is given to an alcohol rehabilitation program.
She lives in an apartment complex in the city and the garbage bins where everyone leaves their rubbish are always full of glass alcohol bottles. She collects them, breaks them, and cuts the pieces to shape with glass cutters. Then with her secret special clay recipe she rolls and covers the edges and makes arms. She uses a syringe to make the hair, and then shapes the wings. Four days later they are dry and then she will stick on little stars and the eyes. Her $12 angels are making a difference to hundreds of people.
Is there a moment when you have felt overwhelmed by the positive impact of Hands + Hearts?
I asked to see where 150 women worked in Manilla, which meant visiting them in their homes in the slums. Seeing them was so moving as no-one had visited their homes for 35 years.
The day we arrived they brought in the items they had made because they get paid by the piece, but not only did they bring the things they had made, they also brought food to give us lunch, they prayed for us and sang, ‘Lord You Are Beautiful’ in English, and sang another song in their language. It was so humbling.
How can the community support Hands + Hearts?
Book a Hands + Hearts event. Your purchases will help restore their dignity and purpose and a small part of your life story will be written with love on the hearts of those whose lives you have changed - it is a life-changing, world-changing experience. Visit the website to book www.fairtradedownunder.com.au
