When purchasing gifts for the holidays, consider giving presents that provide sustainable income for those in need. Rwanda Path to Peace is NOT a charity. Charity is when you give people money or donate goods. With Macy’s Rwanda Path to Peace, people are employed and can make a livelihood doing what they love most. It’s a sustainable trade-not-aid program.Giving purposeful gifts for the holidays that support sustainable income in areas of crisis is an easy way to support those in need. Every time you make a purchase, you have an opportunity to make a difference. Buying products like Macy’s Rwanda Path to Peace that give hope and employment to women is a way to make sure your hard-earned dollars are making a difference.

“I was gifted a product from the Macy’s Heart of Haiti line however all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.”

January 12, 2010, an earthquake measuring a catastrophic 7.0 on the Richter scale hit the Haiti one of the most impoverished nation. The already weak infrastructure of Haiti was more or less obliterated. Aid came in droves, but very little of it reached the actual citizens. To date over 550 artists make their livelihood by creating goods for sale at Macys.com and a few select stores. While other aid organizations have come and gone, Macy’s has remained, making a commitment to the artists and providing proof that American shoppers appreciate gifts that make a difference. Macy’s Heart of Haiti has been giving economic support to Haitian artisans ever since the devastating earthquake hit this economically fragile nation six years ago. The country of Haiti is rich in the arts and despite being the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, metal artisans, papier-mâché artisans, and skilled crafts people are anxious to work and earn a living to support their families.

Overview/Facts

• A fair trade collection in partnership with Global Goods Partners

• Because each item is a unique work of art, variations in size and color will occur

• Includes a numbered Certificate of Authenticity

After the genocide, which tore the ethnic communities of Rwanda apart, the country was looking for a positive symbol that all sides could endorse. Beautiful baskets had been part of Rwanda’s culture for centuries. Their craft and artistry were celebrated by all sides and across the ethnic divide. When the Rwanda Path to Peace program began, the basket became the symbol that all Rwandans could embrace. And as women from formerly warring tribes came together to weave, the Path to Peace program became a vital tool to foster reconciliation.

This holiday ornament is sold through Rwanda Path to Peace. The weaving of the baskets is an extraordinarily intricate process that has been practiced for centuries in Rwanda. Each design is unique and painstakingly crafted from sisal and grass by women who learned to weave from their aunts, mothers and grandmothers. Visit Macys to purchase this item or see other items available from the collection.

The partnership between Macy’s and the artisans has helped the women move from deprivation and uncertainty to a life where they can plan their futures, and build stable, healthy lives by creating the traditional art that was handed down by their mothers and grandmothers. The weavers say that they have experienced the worst possible pain, through war, and want to send their message of peace, through their baskets to the world. Macy’s has given them a pathway to do this.

Macy’s is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Rwanda Path to Peace program with special baskets, woven to represent 10 years of peace and prosperity. Head on over the perfect gift that will make a difference is waiting for you www.macys.com/giftsthatgivehope .