Fair finish

A cold day today - we even saw some snow.

We had another great day at the Fair Trade Market.  Stallholders kept having to rearrange the goods on their tables to hide the empty spaces left by selling so much - a problem they were glad to have.  One vendor sold out altogether and was thrilled that she'd be able to send several hundred dollars to Vietnam to support a project that rescues girls from prostitution.  Friends who sell crafts made in the Kenyan slum of Kibera did a roaring trade, and will be sending more than $2,000 back to that community. 

The Kibera Crafts team were very touched that some young boys at the Market came and sought them out especially, bringing money to spend at their stall because they remembered from last year what they'd learnt about the lives of slum-kids.  For the organizers, the education piece of the event is just as important as the quantity of sales - I think our vendors do a pretty good job with both.

Of all the things I'm involved with out here, the Fair Trade Market is probably the one that pleases me the most.  A lot of people put in a lot of work to make it happen, but it always feels worth it, and I'm rather sorry now that it's over for another year.