JOSEPH'S ANGELS

Gifts of Life...Help support artisans from poverty stricken and war torn areas of Rwanda, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, and around the world make a better living for themselves and their families. Purchasing FAIR TRADE handmade African baskets, baskets from South Africa, Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya, helps provide critical income for these people. The craftsmanship in making these handmade African baskets and other crafts have been traditions handed down for centuries.

Helping to support artisans of poverty stricken and war torn areas of Africa, and around the world, make a better life for themselves and their families, with the Fair Trade sales of their handwoven baskets, handmade crafts and jewelry.

Your purchases of handmade African baskets, baskets from South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, and the greatly publicized Rwandan Peace Baskets.. and other handmade crafts help provide critical income for these artisans.

PLEASE NOTE:All of these crafts are hand made, and will contain slight variations in size, colors, etc. We will always send an assortment of colors if we have them available, on orders containing many of one item. If you have SPECIFIC PREFERENCES, PLEASE NOTE THEM IN THE SPECIAL REQUEST or COMMENTS PORTION OF THE SHOPPING CART.

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JOSEPH AND THE FATRINE SELF HELP GROUP-SOAPSTONE ARTISANS OF KENYA

JOSEPH'S ANGELS

Kenyan Artisans Relief Fundraiser

Handmade baskets from Rwanda

Handmade baskets from Uganda

Handmade baskets from South Africa

Handmade Jewelry of Kenya

Handpainted bookmarks of Kenya

Handmade baskets from Kenya

Stone carved animals (by Lameck Mlingo)

Handcarved wood bowls & accessories

Handcarved Walking Canes

South African Telephone Wire Baskets

Artisans

Banana Leaf Cards

Shopping Cart

RAFFLE WINNERS FROM THE MAY 10 MUSIC BENEFIT AT THE MET, CAN BE SEEN ON THE FUNDRAISER PAGE

JOSEPH OBARA AND THE FATRINE SELF HELP GROUP OF KENYA
Press release: April 9, 2008 contact: Kim Tufts, Gifts of Life- Fair Trade Store, Main St. North Conway, NH . 603 356 5100

North Conway, NH: LOCAL NH INTERNATIONAL ARTISAN STORE HELPS DISPLACED KENYA ARTISAN REBUILD AFTER U.S. ASSISTANCE TO KENYA FAILS TO REACH RURAL AREAS.

Kim Tufts, a Fair Trade shop owner in North Conway, is helping one of her artisan contacts rebuild after neighbors torched their home in political violence.

In a scene reminiscent of the Rwandan genocide, the peaceful country of Kenya erupted in violence late last year after political unrest. Thugs rampaged against their rivals in their own towns, murdering their neighbors and burning their homes.

Secretary of State Rice, Koffi Annan, and the Western governments helped to negotiate a peaceful settlement in February 2008. The US sent millions in aid to help internally displaced and terrified Kenyans who fled when their friends were murdered in the streets, just like in Rwanda.

"Our artisan group, the Fatrine Self Help Group, founded by Joseph Obara, and his family, fled to a rural region away from the killing. His home, shop and all his tools were destroyed by people he had known for years. This has been a terrifying thing to happen, and to watch from the United States, not able to help them." said Kim Tufts.

Ms Tufts and her family started the Gifts of Life store in North Conway's quaint historic district. It is popular for its international artisan crafts and its social message. "We can help people around the world by displaying their crafts and providing a market place for them to sell their “Fairly Traded” goods. Our model is the Fair Trade Federation that helps grassroots efforts around the world."

Ms. Tufts wants her state to know that there is a forgotten group that has not been reached in the Kisimu area of Kenya near the Tanazanian border. A small amount of funds can help the family get back on its feet and anyone can help.

There is information about Joseph's story on the Gifts of Life website, www.giftsoflife.org and a fund has been started at TD Banknorth, in North Conway for help.

Here is what it means: This family is currently destitute and terrified. They believe they will also be murdered if they go back to the area of where their home had been. With a lot of other people, they are hiding, traumatized, in the forest. There is assistance but not enough.

Please send any small or large donation to the following address. TD Banknorth, (Kenyan Art. Relief Fund) PO Box 1460, North Conway, NH 03860 Checks can be made out to: Kenyan Artisan Relief Fund We will update donors personally or on the website about what is happening. We would love to find an angel who can help this wonderful man and his family get back to work making his fantastic art! They are soapstone artisans and produce some of the most beautiful soapstone art you have ever seen!

Contact Kim Tufts at 603 356 5100 or come to the store for more information. We are located at 2730 Main St, North Conway Village. Email us giftsoflifeorg@aol.com or see info at the website, www.giftsoflife.org . -30-

THE MET
Howard and Erin have been added to Joseph's Angels, as owners of The Metropolitan Coffee House and Art Gallery, they have partnered with us to help do a music benefit for Josephs family and the Fatrine Selp Help group of Kenya. We are currently working on getting a music benefit toether to raise money to help our artisans in Kenya get back on their feet and able to support themselves again. We are planning this event for May 10, 08 WORLDS FAIR TRADE DAY, and will be having local musicians willing to donate their time and music to our mission. We will be doing raffles and taking donations to help our Kenyan friends. We have already gotten promises from some AWESOME musicians willing to help... but will release names as they are scheduled "in stone". Please go to THE MET site, to get more info about this GREAT, NORTH CONWAY NH, COFFEE HOUSE & FINE ART GALLERY...ITS COFFEE, COMFORT, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HELP!

JAY PSAROS "MINSTREL JAY BIRD" FROM THE MEDIEVAL MANOR IN BOSTON
Jay Psaros is our first musician stepping up to help us... and is being added to our Joseph's Angels group. The story of how I met Jay and his friend Randy is one of those "things happen for a reason, and we were in the right place at the right time," kind of miracles. But the connection was made and I am so excited I can't stand it! Jay is a phenomenal acoustic guitarist.. I have to say that I had not been to see Jay play.. at the Medieval Manor, but my husband and son had. They raved about him... and both my son and husband are musicians themselves... and very critical. So when I say they RAVED about Jay.. you know he is PHENOMENAL! Now I know, since I have gone to his myspace page to hear some of his work. But my bigger excitement is that JAY HAS A HEART OF GOLD TO BE DOING THIS AND TO HELP OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CRISIS, IN WAR TORN KENYA.
JAY IS A BEAUTIFUL SOUL, AND YOU CAN COME SEE HIM PLAY AT 7:30 PM, SATURDAY MAY 10, AT THE MET FOR OUR FUNDRAISER.

Jay Psaros is a 22 year old multi-instrumentalist with the acoustic guitar being his forte. He has been playing the acoustic guitar since the age of 14 and has developed a passion for finger style and progressive acoustic soundscapes. Jay is also the Minstrel for The Medieval Manor Dinner Theatre in Boston Ma. (www.MedievalManor.com) which is the oldest running dinner theater in Boston. He is also the former Keyboard and Saxaphone player for Incarnations of ED, a band based out of Burlington, Vermont (Incarnations of ED on Myspace). Jay has recently ventured out on his own to pursue a career as a solo artist.

SYNERGY SPORTSWEAR
THANK YOU TO DERICK AT SYNERGY SPORTSWEAR IN NORTH CONWAY FOR THE DONATION AND SUPPORT OF OUR CAUSE.. YOU ARE THE BEST!

NANCY McCARTHY IS MY DEAR FRIEND, PROFESSIONAL ARTIST, AND ONE OF OUR FIRST ANGELS! SHE HAS DONATED SOME BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK TO THE SHOP TO BE RAFFLED OFF TO HELP US GET OUR FRIENDS IN KENYA GOING AGAIN. GOD BLESS YOU NANCY!

WE HAVE AN ANONYMUS LOCAL DONOR WHO HAS VOUCHED TO MATCH THE FIRST 1500.00 RAISED... SHE WISHES NOT TO BE NAMED BUT SHE HAS BEEN PRICELESS IN OUR EFFORTS AND HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH FUNDRAISING AND INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER WORK FOR YRS. ANOTHER ONE OF JOSEPHS ANGELS! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HELP, GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT!

CONWAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ART CLASS IS DONATING ART WORK SO THAT WE CAN HAVE GREETING CARDS PRINTED TO SELL AT THE SHOP, WITH 100% GOING TO HELP OUR KENYAN ARTISANS. SO OUR LOCAL CHILDREN ARE HELPING THESE CHILDREN IN AFRICA WITH THEIR ART! THANK YOU TO JOSEPHS ANGELS IN MS CROMWELLS CLASS AT CONWAY ELE.

MOUNT WASHINGTON RADIO GROUP
Magic 104.5FM and WMWV 93.5FM and 95.3FM & 1050AM/Visitor Information Radio
Thank you so much to my awesome friend Cathy McDonald, and Mount Washington Radio Group for your help in promoting our event at THE MET. It's kind of hard to have an event if people don't know about it! God bless you all ...for all your help. It's hard to show the excitement I feel in print... but you have no idea what this means to us.

ENTRAIN
GOD BLESS THESE GUYS! EVEN THOUGH ENTRAIN IS TOO BIG FOR THE MET.. THEY ARE TRYING TO HELP US WITH A FUTURE EVENT LATER THIS SUMMER POSSIBLY TO HELP OUR KENYAN ARTISANS. I CANNOT PUT INTO WORDS HOW GRATEFUL I AM TO HAVE FOUND SO MANY CARING, SPIRITUAL PEOPLE WILLING TO HELP OTHERS IN NEED. THANK YOU TOM, SAM AND THE THE REST OF THE GUYS. CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!

MICHAEL HATHAWAY
MICHAEL HATHAWAY HAS JOINED OUR ANGELS! HE WILL BE PLAYING FOR US AT THE MET, MAY 10TH FOR OUR FUNDRAISER. YOU CAN COME SEE MICHAEL FROM 3-5PM ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON. MICHAEL IS WELL KNOWN FOR HIS MUSIC, HYPNOSIS, AND NUMEROUS BOOKS HE HAS WRITTEN. CHECK OUT HIS WEBSITE TO SEE HOW ACCOMPLISHED HE IS! THANK YOU SO MUCH MICHAEL FOR HELPING US OUT AND DONATING YOUR TIME!

Thank you so much to Ms. Katrina Carus class and the children at the White Mountain Waldorf School... for all the artwork donated to help make greeting cards that we plan to sell in a future fundraiser for our Kenayan artisans. You did a wonderful job... and what a beautiful gift of giving to these families in Kenya.

THE AWESOME TEJANO BOYS WILL BE PLAYING AROUND THE DINNER TIME HOUR. LATIN MUSIC WITH A GREAT DANCE BEAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH PHIL FOR COMING TO OUR RESCUE. ANOTHER ONE OF JOSEPHS ANGELS, HELPING OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN KENYA.

BENNY VINNIE WITH SPECIAL GUEST CHRISTIAN GANEM... OUR VERY OWN CHRISTIAN (FROM THE MET) WILL BE PLAYING AND DONATING TIME TO OUR EVENT WITH HIS FRIENDS STARTING AT AROUND NOON. A GREAT BIG "THANKS" TO YOU ANGELS!

HOLLY FERREIRA from the GODDESS COYLE BELLY DANCE TROUPE
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO HOLLY AND HER AWESOME LITTLE GIRL ZOE, FOR HELPING US WITH THEIR WONDERFUL DANCING! HOLLY AND HER FAMILY ARE MAGNIFICENT ADDITIONS TO OUR ANGELS... AND MY FAMILY!