'Gadgets' from the Whole World Market

KUSA - The latest edition of Gadgets featured a few items that will be for sale at the 9th annual Whole World Market at Pax Christi Catholic Church this weekend.

The latest edition of Gadgets featured a few items that will be for sale at the 9th annual Whole World Market at Pax Christi Catholic Church this weekend.

The goal of the market is twofold: to provide a network for nonprofit and fair trade organizations to sell their products and to educate the community about the social issues in our community and the world. Pax Christi does not charge the organizations a "table fee" or take a percentage of their sales; instead, the church pays for all of the costs associated with the market. All profits go back to the organizations to sustain their programs.

The program has grown from seven participating organizations and $1,200 in sales to 36 organizations and $48,000 in sales last year. Through this program, they support local programs such as Women's Bean Project, Gathering Place, Task Force of Douglas/Elbert Counties, Women's Crisis Center; and national programs such as the Work of Human Hands project called the Greater Gift, Ten Thousand Villages, and Unicef, as well as numerous family-run fair trade organizations. None of the participants are affiliated with Pax Christi and they offer equal opportunity to any faith.

Most of the items are unbelievably inexpensive. The market runs Saturday November 7th from 9am-7pm and Sunday November 8th from 9am-1pm. For more information, visit www.paxchristi.org

Here are the items Susie featured:

Basket - Made of banana fiber in Uganda from SERRV (Denver). For 60 years, SERRV has worked throughout the world on behalf of Artisans and Farmers to create sustainable lives. One of the first alternative trade organizations in the world, SERRV is a founding member of the World Fair Trade Organization (formerly IFAT) and a founding member of the Fair Trade Federation (FTF). SERRV supports equal rights for women, creates new designs so artisans can build their markets, teaches new skills so artisans can develop their craft, provides grants so they can expand their resources, and of course, pay fair wages to all. www.serrv.org

Beaded necklace - Provided by Bead for Life in Boulder. Ugandan women turn colorful recycled paper into beautiful beads, and people who care open their hearts homes and communities to buy and sell the beads. Eradicates extreme poverty by creating bridges of understanding between impoverished Africans and world citizens. The beads then become income, food, medicine, school fees and hope. It is a small miracle that enriches us all. www.beadforlife.com

Purse - Made in Indonesia with recycled gum wrappers from Yobel Market in Woodland Park. Detergent bags Excess Project from Jakarta works with over 80 families living in slums and proceeds go back into their communities to help clean up their environment. Goals are to break cycle of slavery and poverty around the world by providing consistent income, education and awareness. www.yobelmarket.com

Piñata - Handmade in Agua Prieta, Mexico, on the Arizona/Mexico border. Communities of Hope, based in Castle Rock, has started a cooperative with five women making, piñatas, flowers tiaras, paper flowers and homemade cards. This is the only source of income for the women, and helps prevent the feeling that they need to cross the border to support their families. By keeping jobs in Mexico, this business supports the Mexican economy which in turn creates more jobs.