Welcome to Devtrade!
DevTrade (Trade for Development) is an initiative of Christian Supplies. Our aim is to raise awareness and support for disadvantaged communities which rely on Fair Trade for their wellbeing. We are proud to work with small artisan communities from around the world to bring you these beautifully crafted items at a fair price. By purchasing these hand-crafted items you will be helping support local families who depend on the sale of Christian goods. We invite you to join us in empowering and supporting these artisan communities by promoting Trade for Development.
DevTrade Feature
El Salvador
Introducing Reyna Quijada, Member of the Seed of God Cooperative
This is her story:
Like most El Salvadorians, Reyna was a worker in the fields as an agricultural labourer who at the same time was trying to raise a family. The money was little to get by with and there were seemingly limited other options. In her early twenties, she began to learn the technique of painting wood crafts until finding employment with the Seed of God Cooperative. The new work gave benefits that agricultural work did not and allowed her to better care for her children, who required education. Thirty-four years later with all of her children grown and independant, they now follow in her footsteps. Reyna states, "the work in crafts has been a blessing to my life. I've been able to feed and raise my children." The wood craft in El Salvador cultivates dignified human life in a country of limited opportunities and serious social prolems.
The cooperative is located in one of the 87 villages of La Palma, El Salvador. Wood crafts, particularly naif art, have grown to become the number one income-generator of El Salvadorians, with agriculture and tourism falling in second and third place.
Click here to view our Development for Trade Policy
News: DevTrade Has Changed Hands...
Janet Reid, who started and ran Devtrade for 22 years, has retired and sold the business to Christian Supplies, a retail and wholesale company serving the broader Church from Brisbane, Queensland. Christian Supplies is delighted to continue the strong foundation of service to co-operatives and groups in developing countries, which Janet laid.