By Katie Wiskofske
Transcript Correspondent
A local fair trade store, Global Village Collection, gives Ohio Wesleyan students a small taste of the world.
The idea behind the store started in 1982 at Asbury United Methodist Church with a few families who wanted to buy nativity scenes that would help others. Since then, a year-round store, Global Village Collection, has opened up and now cells clothing, accessories, chocolates and many other products from all over the world.
Global Village volunteers are important to the store. They work in the store and off-site by processing orders, setting up displays, selling and speaking off-site and more.
“We work hard to maintain a successful retail so that we can contribute to provide impoverished farmers and artisans from around the world with a fair income and safe working environments,” the Global Village website said.
“Secondly, we provide educational programming to increase understanding regarding unfair trading practices, reasons fueling this injustice and different ways informed consumers can make a difference in the lives of people around the world.”
Some people are not quite sure what fair trade is exactly. Dianne Kreeger, a Global Village employee, describes fair trades as providing countries with labor laws to be treated fairly.
She says that fair trade helps men and women get the wages that they deserve for the products they are making and there is no child labor. Whenever someone visits Global Village Collection, an employee makes sure that the customer understands fair trade.
Kreeger believes that Ohio Wesleyan students have much to gain from Global Village Collections.
She explained that store has caused students to gain an interest in other countries and where the products they buy are from. Kreeger explained that the products are affordable for the high quality and “they make great gifts.”
Freshman Abby Hanson expressed her interest of the store in an email interview.
“I really like a lot of the stuff they sell,” she said. “They have cute clothes and accessories and I think the elephant poop paper is awesome.”
Kreeger shares her love of the products.
“I love getting new shipments,” Kreeger says. “I just opened a new box of birthday and Christmas cards today. It’s so exciting to see the new materials. It’s like Christmas.”
OWU has partnered up with Global Village for several projects and events since 1982. Global Village Collection’s second location was in R.W. Corns Building.
Global Village has brought speakers to OWU including a former child factory worker. There are also OWU students that volunteer and work for Global Village.
Global Village Collection stands for a cause that reaches worldwide and they are interested in getting OWU students involved in the cause as well.