I just wanted to pass along a quick note about a really exciting project Peace Corps has being working on here in Mali. I imagine you have heard of the (Product) Red Campaign - Hallmark just launched a product made not far from me and in a traditional style famous to Segou where I live. Go to Hallmark's website and check them out!
Initially, they are only distributing 20,000 to their 3,500 "Golden Crown" stores coming down to barely 10 bags per store but come January another 100,000 will come out... if you don't see them now, try back then.
This has been a big secret until now because these bags are a part of the (Product) Red project (the project that Bono - from U2- helped start which encourages companies to sell products where part of the profits return to Africa to buy Anti-retroviral drugs for people with AIDS). Every bag has a Red label on it representing this. Hallmark was a new company chosen to produce under the Red label.
The most amazing thing is just for Mali Chic alone (one of the artisan groups working on the projcect), they have employed 315 artisans to work on this project making 65,000 of the 120,000 bags. This entire project has brought in over $507,000 into Mali which is over 228,000,000 Francs CFA, all which has gone to artisans who have created these bags - plus all the money that will be donated through (Product) Red!
I just wanted to inform you about all the excitement that is going on here and wish I would be there in the states to be able to see the first set of bags come out in stores! Pass this message on to anyone else that you think will be interested in or has any connection to Mali because the success of these bags will hopefully mean that Hallmark or other companies could become interested in what Mali has to offer!
If you're in the states, watch Rachel Ray on Friday October 12th. Hallmark should be presenting this project on that show.
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