Tikkun Olam Tuesday

Yes, I know. I promised many Tuesdays ago to make a post every Tuesday on one small way to make this world a better place. In Hebrew, that is called Tikkun Olam. And then I became distracted. Let's get back on track.

The other day I purchased a book called Knitting for Good! A Guide to Creating Personal, Social, and Political Change, Stitch by Stitch. The author, Betsy Greer, also has a webpage called Craftivism http://www.craftivism.com/ and blog http://craftivism.com/blog.html/ . I look forward to reading the book as well as getting to know Ms. Greer through her online presence. Maybe she will even have some ideas to help me get a project up and running here. More on that another time.

Today's topic will be Education and More (http://www.educationandmore.org/mission.html). I came upon it totally by accident. I was searching for "weaving blogs" and up came this site. Once you read their mission statement, I think you will understand why this site and others like it are so profound. I quote:

The mission of Education And More is to further the education
of the children in the Lake Atitlan area of Guatemala and to reduce the poverty
of their families and communities through implementation of Fair Trade practices
with artisan groups thereby helping them to lift themselves out of poverty.

The website describes how to host a Fair Trade Bazaar (what a great way to raise money for a local project), buy handmade items such as woven shawls and beaded jewelry from their artisans, and ways to sponsor students. What they are doing is inspirational. And I continue to wonder...why do we create these foundations in South America and Africa when we have equally poor and hungry people right here in Alabama???

So take a look at this site and others like it. And know that WhorlingTides is simmering ideas about ways to make such a project come to life here, and if not now, very soon.