The Willow Glen Resident Photograph by Kristi Hewitt Musically Gifted: Children of volunteers heading the 10th annual International Gift Faire at Lincoln Glen Church display some of the rhythm instruments that will be for sale. All profits from the gift faire will go to Ten Thousand Villages, a nonprofit agency that helps Third World artisans sell their crafts in the U.S. Ten Thousand Villages holds annual international gift faire By Monica Bobra Talented artisans living in Third World countries have long found it difficult to see that their wares reach interested buyers. Many of these artisans have been aided by Ten Thousand Villages, which imports their handicrafts and sells them around the United States for direct profit to the villagers. Ten Thousand Villages, a nonprofit job-creation program of the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), makes these handicrafts available not only through several retail stores located around the nation but also through fairs such as the 10th annual International Gift Faire sponsored by the Bay Area MCC Committee. The event is set for Oct. 16-17 in the Fellowship Hall of Lincoln Glen Church, 2700 Booksin Ave. Volunteers for Ten Thousand Villages have been able to aid some 60,000 people in more than 30 countries during the past year. According to Linda Sekiguchi, a San Jose resident and MCC representative who helped starving residents in New Delhi, India, "Ten Thousand Villages has helped to alleviate the desperate poverty among these people." After observing skillful rug-weavers and soapstone carvers in New Delhi, Sekiguchi introduced them to the program. Showing genuine appreciation toward the committee, which allowed him to make a decent amount of money, a New Delhi villager explained, "Formerly the middlemen took advantage of us; they made all the profit." Artisans craft objects entirely by hand from products native to their countries and receive 40 to 60 percent of the profit when their items are sold. In order to maximize profits, MCC representatives inform artisans about what would sell well in the States, and artists fashion a variety of different items, ranging from Christmas garlands to children's toys. "Ten Thousand Villages is an exciting program that gives women and children with very few opportunities some of the opportunities we enjoy today," says Norma Voth, a member of the Bay Area MCC committee who helped organize this year's International Gift Faire. "Most of our customers who support the faire are particularly empathetic to these villagers." The theme of the International Gift Faire is "Village Rhythms," and many hand-crafted instruments from developing countries such as Bangladesh, El Salvador and Kenya will be for sale. In addition, percussionist Jimmy Biala will perform with the San Jose State University West African Drum and Dance Ensemble at 6:30 p.m. on Friday evening. Biala, a faculty artist at CSU-Long Beach, also teaches percussion workshops for children. There will also be a drumming demonstration by Joshua Eduke, a Kenyan college student residing in San Jose. Belle Miller, a music instructor at Achiever Christian School, will present another performance Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Her students will play authentic hand-crafted instruments purchased at the gift faire in previous years. Hours for the gift faire are Oct. 16, 9 a.m.- 8 p.m., and Oct. 17, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. [ Back to Contents Page | Willow Glen Resident Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Willow Glen Resident, October 14, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.