Carnegie Mellon SIFE Global Threads

With our Silent Auction and our Auction Roadshow, we were able to raise over $1600 in profit, all of which were sent to the struggling artisans!

The Silent Auction that we’ve been working hard on finally came! This year we tried to improve on product selections by choosing our inventory carefully, considering aspects in both style and price. In addition, we tried to have products from a variety of countries, which includes Turkey, India, Brazil, and China.

Unlike the previous annual silent auctions, this year we also implemented a “Buy-It-Now” option for CMU visitors who wish to make a purchase on the Silent Auction. This implementation was definitely a success, especially with the unpredicted snow storm that happened on the day of auction.

As members of the Global Threads project, we definitely enjoyed the whole process from contacting non-profit organizations, selecting items for sale, doing inventories, labeling prices, to setting up and preparing for the auction, and selling products for struggling artisans. During the auction, all of our project members enthusiastically introduced students and faculties about our project, our mission, and the SIFE organization.

Here we would like to thank all the non-profit organizations that we worked with: Ten Thousand Villages, Global Goods Partners, Mercado Global, Partners for Just Trade, and Global Sistergoods.

We also want to thank Smallman’s deli and Seoul Mart who donated refreshments to the Silent Auction.

Finally, all of the GT members should give each other a pat on the shoulder – We did a great job!!

(Half of our group cleaning up! I had to take the picture ><)

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Coffee is something that most of us can't start the day without, but we
rarely think about what it costs for the cup of freshness to come to us.
Consumers pay top prices for their Mochas thinking that it must be great
to be in the coffee industry. That is partially true, but not for all
participants in the long supply chain.

According to the International Coffee Organization, coffee prices have
reached the lowest recorded for the last 100 years. Countries like
Burundi, Ethiopia, and Uganda rely mainly on coffee exports and therefore
a little decline in prices can result in an economic crisis for them.
Poverty has been increasing in these countries and farmers are abandoning
their land or growing alternative crops.

On the other hand, companies like Starbucks, Kraft and Nestle are making
huge profits. These companies can find a better approach to also benefit
their suppliers. To promote fair trade and lower the production costs for
farmers, the global coffee chain can help the farmers by educating them
how to produce better quality crops, providing technical support, and
investing in infrastructures and community development program.

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No way! Over $100?!

You heard me right! Global Threads made over $100 on presale goods and cheesecake the very first day we started tabling! This is definitely a great start for us, and it adds excitement to the Silent Auction, which is presented this Friday! Everyone should definitely stop by our table sometime this week as the presale goods are adorable and at very affordable prices! If these products do not fit your taste, why not preorder a cheesecake – no one can refuse a treat that is not only homemade, but also utterly delicious. I know a lot of you missed out on the chance to buy a slice of cheesecake last time Jennie made them, but they’re back, and you do not want to miss this opportunity again!

Furthermore, the cheesecake is even better than last time, as we offer you the chance to personalize your cheesecake. As Valentine’s Day is coming up, why not send a cheesecake to your loved ones with a personal message written upon it? Do you secretly admire someone? Send him or her a cheesecake, and who knows that him or her may fall in love with you! Have no one to give it to? Buy a cheesecake for yourself (that’s what I’m planning to do)! It’s delicious and money well spent! We also have samples of cheesecakes at the table, and I can guarantee you that once you see them, you will not be able to refrain yourself from ordering one!

Anyway, I hope I persuaded you to come to our table! If not, stop by and we’ll tell you why you should purchase some goods or order a cheesecake! I hope to see you all at our table, as well as at the Silent Auction on Friday!

Dessert Sale Event is on Facebook too!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=282877601395

We took photos of our cheesecakes for sale. See!
Made from scratch. Made with love. From SIFE Global Threads.

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The Silent Auction is in just TWO days! So soon…

Everyone should come on Friday! If you need presents (V-day soon!) or want stuff for yourself, COMECOMECOME!
Scarves and jewelry start at around $10, and we have a ton of cute oriental goods too starting at $2.

So we were doing inventory the other day. I actually want to take buy a few things early for myself hahaha, but Jennie and Stef wouldn’t let me -__-… and Jennie took embarrassing pictures of me too! SO MEAN!! Let’s not put those up. Well at least they brought cake and candy for us…

Everything we’ve been working on is leading towards this day, and it’s hard to believe that I’ve been with this group for so long already.

Here’s a picture of a few of us! There’s Melody!… then ME. Silvia and Jocelyn are at the bottom. Man, what is Jocelyn doing…? HAHAHA

Here’s the not-so-embarrassing one from the pile… o.O

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Ten Thousand Villages is one of the world’s oldest and largest fair trade organizations, a nonprofit program which works with over 130 artisan groups in more than 38 countries in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. The organization aims to build long-term relationships with artisans that are based on mutual understanding and respect, enabling artisans to earn fair wage and providing the opportunity for a better quality of life. They provide vital, fair income to Third World people by marketing their handicrafts and telling their stories in North America. Ten Thousand Villages works with artisans who would otherwise be unemployed or underemployed. This income helps pay for food, education, health care and housing. Their vision is that one day all artisans in the developing countries will earn a fair wage, be treated with dignity and respect and be able to live a life of quality.

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Each year, Global Threads hosts a silent auction, featuring handicraft donations from local businesses, and, most importantly, goods that have been collected by non-profit organizations from global artisans and students’ travels to places, such as villages in India.

This year, the Silent Auction will be held on February 5, 2010 in the University Center Connan Room. Our charity partners include Ten Thousand Villages, Mercado Global, Global Sistergoods, and Bright Hope International, all of which are reputable organizations that help struggling artisans in rural areas across the world to gain market accessibility and create more sustainable businesses by showcasing and selling their work.

SAVE THE DATE!
International Silent Auction
2:00pm – 8:30pm
February 5, 2010
University Center Connan Room
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

For questions or more information, you may email jenniet@andrew.cmu.edu or ssc1@andrew.cmu.edu.

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The world is a beautiful place. Come see it with us.

Global Sistergoods is an organization that works to enhance free-trade through the sales of hand-made, top-quality, and often eco-friendly goods made by women in 18 countries around the world. These goods include everything from hip messenger bags from South Africa and adorable elephant keychains from Kenya to elegant picture frames from India and beaded necklaces from Brazil. Proceeds from each good go towards a specific cause, including empowering victims of sex trade, supporting the disabled, protecting the environment, and much more. Choose a country, choose a cause, choose a good, and help Global Sistergoods help these women build a better life for themselves and build a better community around them. For more information, check out the Global Sistergoods site at: http://www.globalsistergoods.com/

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