Wednesday, November 2, 2016

JBFC Trunk Show 2016

 It’s getting to be that time of year when our U.S office is filling up with treasures large and small! We’re approaching our Fall Trunk Show, one of our fundraisers each year, where we sell all sorts of handmade items from Tanzania. Volunteers and staff spend months carrying these hand-selected items back to the states from Tanzania, but as the Fall gets into full swing, things start to get crowded! We find ourselves searching for storage space for all kinds of items ranging from large baskets, to toys, to jewelry. Each year we have some of our fan-favorite items, but we also select and search out brand new items to offer.

One of the greatest things about our Trunk Show is that we are helping not just JBFC, but also many partner organizations throughout Tanzania.

We love ordering items from Shanga, an organization that employs Tanzanians with disabilities to make all sorts of beaded and fabric items, as well as hand blown glass products from recycled glass.

We’re thrilled to work with Aid Tanzania this year as well to offer some beautiful hand-beaded items, especially a variety of ornaments. Aid Tanzania works to encourage the development of cottage industry amongst the Maasai women. Over 110 women have been involved in this past year, generating income for their families by making these wonderful beaded items.

Of course, the woven baskets from WomenCraft have been a favorite for many years running. WomenCraft employs over 300 women who make stunning woven baskets that can be either functional or artistic pieces. The organization facilitates sharing these women’s beautiful craftsmanship with international markets. WomenCraft aims to ultimately be artisan owned and operated.

For the first time, we are excited to offer JBFC Kanga aprons, hand sewn by our tailor, Edwin. He also makes school uniforms, staff uniforms, napkins, quilts, and repairs the girls' clothing.

And lastly, it wouldn’t be complete without a few special items made by our JBFC girls. Look for ornaments and art pieces this year made by our residential girls.

Our Trunk Show will be held November 16th from 4:30-8pm at Holland Hall Upper School here in Tulsa. This is an opportunity to showcase the beautiful skills of local Tanzanian artisans, empower those who are supporting their families by creating these pieces, and of course, to help JBFC to continue to pursue our mission to change lives in Tanzania, one child at a time. If you’re near Tulsa, we hope you’ll stop by and say “Hi”, have a glass of wine, explore the many treasures, and maybe even get your holiday shopping done early!