Fair Trade

The Village Experience helped to create this organization and merchandise their retail shop – every purchase goes to helping the women in the group and their families. You can find their Swahili cookbook, spices, rolling pins, aprons, fun T-shirts, scarves, and more in the shop. You can also take a cooking class and have a meal here. So many ways to give back.

Lulu Stories Kenya

Located in Shela Village on the island of Lamu, this artisan store and weaving center was started by our dear friend, Griet. Griet is a photographer and designer and has spent many years working with artisans all over East Africa to create beautiful, handmade products. The Village Experience is proud to partner with Lulu Stories on setting up a traditional loom, an artisan development space, and natural dye workshops. Everyone that visits Lamu should visit Lulu Stories!

African Corner Kenya

One of the best places to shop while in Lamu! African Corner is located in Shela Village and features one-of-a-kind handmade jewelry, home goods, recycled items, shoes, and more. We especially love the earrings and find our TVE travelers wearing them all over the world. By shopping at African Corner, you are supporting the growth and artistic development of over 40 children at Ubunifu Lamu Initiative – the non-profit started by African Corner founded, Nyambura Wahu.

Natural Lamu Kenya

We love this shop for using all-natural, traditional, and local ingredients in their soaps, bath products, perfumes, and spices. We can even visit their Shamba where everything is grown and created on-site. Natural Lamu now has locations all over Kenya including select airports and malls.

Women’s Interlink Foundation India

We have been funding the vocational skills training programs through WIF since our partnership began in 2010. Our travelers love purchasing block printed scarves, screen printed saris, traditional spices, and handmade handbags from the women involved in these programs. It means so much more when you meet and interact with the artisans themselves. We even venture out to the artisan villages of Shantiniketan with some of our groups.

Amigos De Santa Cruz Guatemala

This organization is located in the Mayan Village of Santa Cruz on the shores of Lake Atitlan. Their fair trade, artisan shop is one of our favorite places to shop in all of Guatemala. We love the handmade scarves, hand bags, and jewelry.  Their shop is attached to a culinary training center where we can have an amazing lunch with a view of the lake and help create jobs for the local community at the same time.

De La Gente Coffee Guatemala

This responsible tourism and fair trade coffee organization in San Miguel Escobar, Guatemala is a favorite of our guests. We can visit local, small scale coffee producers, learn the production process, taste different coffees, have lunch with the coffee farmer and his family, and shop to support the cause. Coffee makes a great gift!

San Juan La Laguna Guatemala

This small village on the shores of Lake Atitlan is abound with women’s cooperatives – weaving, chocolate, coffee, and natural herbs among others. We make this a stop on all of our lake visits to support the women and purchase as much as possible.

Fair Trade Egypt

This is our favorite place to shop in Cairo. Featuring handmade items from all over the country, this is the best place to pick up authentic gifts in Egypt. We’ve even been out to see carpets being made in Siwa and pottery workshops in Tunis Village.

Ride 4 a Woman Uganda

This charity in the Bwindi region of Uganda supports women struggling with poverty, HIV, and domestic violence. Our groups can learn to weave baskets and sew clothing alongside the women and purchase handmade products onsite.

Nyamirambo Women’s Center Rwanda

This beautiful workshop and retail store is run by a group of women working to end domestic violence. The array of home goods, children’s clothing, and accessories is truly exceptional and by far the best place to shop in the Kigali area.