Nurturing Long-term Relationships

In May, SERRV won the “Outstanding Long-term Commitment to Producers” award in a “Best in Fair Trade” competition run by the Fair Trade Resource Network. We are honored to be recognized in this way, and very grateful to all of our friends who support our efforts.

With more than 60 years of history in alternative trade and some of our partnerships lasting more than 30 years, we strive to uphold our commitment to long-term relationships because we value this fair trade tenet. We understand it is important for disadvantaged artisans and farmers to have stability in their sources of income and that quality development work takes time.

One way we sustain our commitment is by visiting our partner groups personally. Kerry Evans, one of SERRV’s Product Development Specialists, recently traveled to Vietnam and Indonesia to meet with fi ve of our partners. During her travels, she visited artisans who are working on new orders for the Fall 2012 catalog, and learn about their families and way of life.

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“Visiting our partners is so important for building long-term relationships. We are able to see new product development, visit artisan workshops, gather organizational updates and share market trend information. But the best thing for me is creating this personal face-to-face interaction that lends itself to developing strong communication and trust.”

– Kerry Evans, Product Development Specialist

S U M M E R 2 0 1 2a nonp ro f i t o rgan i za t i on

Paint a Bright Future

Kerry with Ningsih, an artisan in Indonesia

Sagiyo carves a large heron sculpture in his workshop in Indonesia

SERRV Responds...in IndiaTara Projects, one of our largest partners in India, recently faced an unexpected challenge. A delivery truck carrying one of SERRV’s orders of glass and stone items was involved in an accident and overturned on the highway. Luckily, no one was injured, but many of the delicate items were broken. With no insurance for this situation, Tara would need to remake the order with no compensation for their loss.

SERRV was able to respond to Tara Project’s dilemma by covering the cost for the damaged products (over $4,000) and accepting late delivery on our order. Otherwise, this would have been a diffi cult loss for Tara. As an organization dedicated to helping our partners in times of need, we were glad we could help in this small but direct way.

...in CambodiaVillageWorks, SERRV’s partner in Cambodia, operates a workshop and training center where local women are trained to weave on traditional looms and employed to sew products made from recycled feed bags. This workshop was heavily damaged in fl oods caused by heavy monsoon rains in late 2011. The looms and warping equipment all require repair and many need replacements of reeds, warping wheels, winding tools and other parts. Cotton and silk fabric and weaving thread and materials used for natural dyeing were also destroyed.

SERRV sent $5,000 to help cover the costs of replacement parts for the equipment and materials, and has set up a Plant a Seed donation project to generate additional funding. Visit www.serrv.org/PlantaSeed to add your donation.

Artisans who work with our partner Mitra Bali traveled from their small fi shing village to meet Kerry while she was in Indonesia. The wives of local fi shermen, these women supplement their families’ incomes by creating recycled bead jewelry including our Seafoam Beaded Necklace (pg 48) and Smoky Bead Necklace (pg 44) in the Summer 2012 catalog. “With orders for this jewelry, we can buy food for our families, as well as gold [which acts as savings for the future],” they shared. This income provides stability when fi shing yields are low. With more orders, they will be able to expand jewelry production further into this small community of one thousand people.

Kerry also met the artisans who carve and batik the stunning heron sculptures featured in our Summer 2012 catalog (pg 27, 28). Sagiyo (cover photo) is self-taught and has been carving for 40 years. Because he enjoys his work and is able to support his family, he is content with life. “I hope the SERRV customer is happy with these birds so that I have orders all year long,” he says.

Supriyanto, who runs the workshop that batiks the heron sculptures, is also grateful for orders from SERRV. He explained to Kerry that every time the workshop receives a large order, they bring in additional artisans from the community, usually women, to help fi nish the work. Because the community is so tight-knit, what affects the workshop affects the entire community. Together, they train people with batik skills, raise incomes and develop a stronger community as a result.

In addition to these and other artisan visits, Kerry spent time with organizational staff to discuss current US market trends and brainstorm new designs for future orders. “It’s always so inspiring to collaborate on a product together, watch it develop and then turn into a reality,” she says. Through SERRV’s commitment to working closely with our partners, we will continue to strengthen our relationships and fi nd the best ways to assist low-income artisans well into the future.

Maisaroh and Lansiah, jewelry makers in Indonesia

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Find the Large Indonesian Blue Heron on page 27 of the Summer 2012 catalog

Building Fair Trade in ChileMegan Arzbaecher, the assistant manager of the SERRV Store in Madison, WI is volunteering her time to help spread the word about fair trade and build local sales for Comparte, our partner in Chile. Comparte recently opened a store in Santiago but has not had the time or resources to develop its full potential. Working with Comparte staff, Megan is planning store merchandising and displays, developing marketing campaigns, and networking with like-minded organizations to make the Comparte store known in the community and Fair Trade (or Comercio Justo) more widely understood.

ArtisanWork Re-launch!SERRV offers ArtisanWork.org as a free resource for artisans around the world, with up-to-date information on product development, marketing, export documentation, and building a strong business. The goal of this site is to connect artisans to the international market and help them understand how to better serve their customers.

We recently renovated this website to provide a more user-friendly experience with featured articles, techniques and artisan stories on the home page. Anyone can subscribe to ArtisanWork and receive notifi cations of new posts by email!

Empower Women in IndiaSasha, a nonprofi t organization in eastern India, has been working with disadvantaged artisans for 34 years. Not only do they provide a living wage and benefi ts for the artisans they employ, they are also committed to facilitating a number of social programs that lift up the entire communities where they work.

SERRV was honored to welcome Roopa Mehta, one of the co-founders of Sasha, for a visit to our offi ce and store in Madison, WI. Roopa emphasized how women’s situations improve when they are able to use their own income to support their families and send their children to school. Empowering women through their work builds confi dence and self-suffi ciency, and creates a higher level of respect for them in generally male-dominated communities. Taking pride in their craft skills and knowing their work has value generates dignity and optimism.

Sasha has been an important partner with SERRV for 20 years. We look forward to . We look forward to . Wfurthering our support of Sasha artisans in the future.

To watch an interview with Roopa on YouTube, just click the YouTube icon on our home page.

Eradicating poverty is about education and empowerment.

With knowledge and skills, hardworking artisans can develop successful, sustainable businesses that will provide for their families and communities for a lifetime.

Your tax-deductible* donation will allow us to support more struggling families in their journey to a better, more sustainable life.

Please use the enclosed postage-paid envelope to support our work today. Or, visit us online at www.serrv.org/www.serrv.org/donate.

*SERRV is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Visit www.serrv.org/donate for financial and regulation information.

Roopa speaks to supporters at the SERRV Store in Madison

Sasha’s Pink Paisley Sasha’s Pink Paisley Scarf, page 51 of the Summer 2012 catalog

SERRV International500 Main StreetPO Box 365New Windsor, MD 21776

NONPROFIT

ORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDWESTMINSTER, MD

PERMIT NO. 874

O U R M I S S I O N to eradicate poverty wherever it resides by providing opportunity and support

to artisans and farmers worldwide

www.serrv.org 1.800.423.0071

FOUNDING

M E M B E R

Paint a Bright Future

Emilien Blaise is passionate about his papier-mâché work, loving everything from creating new bowl and plate designs to managing his workshop of fellow artisans. Because of orders from SERRV, life for Emilien and his fellow artisans is improving in a country where challenges are many and opportunities for work are few.

Haitian Floral Bowls Setpage 39 of the Summer 2012 catalog

We are a “Best in Fair Trade” winner!“Outstanding Long-term

Commitment to Producers”