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Friendship bracelets have long been a symbol of a valued relationship. The history of sharing friendship bracelets goes back thousands of years. With an origin in Native American culture, handing on a bracelet demonstrated that a friendship is knotted tightly and cannot be easily broken.With "work" such an important part of the culture, making a wrist or ankle band recognised how important the friendship was. A valued friend would never take off a bracelet. They would wear it until it was thread bare and dropped off. This acknowledged the friends "work" and represented a true bond.
During the seventies, making friendship bands migrated into western culture. For the last forty years friendship bracelets have been made in schools, at camps for craft and even just for fun. Young girl guides can make them as part of their jewellery badge and then hand them onto their friends. There are so many books and websites which show how western society has embraced the humble knotted string. The range of styles and patterns that can be made seems to be limitless.
These bands also have a very real value for people in developing communities. Heading over to Manilla in the Philippines, more than five thousand miles from the origin of the friendship bracelet, there are groups of women happily knotting colourful thread into unique handmade pieces. Why are they happy? They are happy because making these bands, has given them their own business. They can put food on the table and their children can go to school. They also set their own hours and work from home. In a poor community, these benefits are significant and far better than what their neighbours' experience.
With no spare money, starting a business would normally be impossible. However, through local Non-Government Organisations (NGO's), the women are able to receive a business loan. This money helps them to buy thread and other materials for startup. The NGO also help them setup a budget and repayment plan so that within a very short time, the loan has been repaid and the women have an independent business. This process has resulted in a network of businesses all making unique string bracelets.
To help promote their product the women form their own co-operatives. The goal for the co-operative is two-fold. First, find long-term sustainable markets for their products. Second, share their stories with others to bring awareness about the difficulties in their communities.
Both these goals can be satisfied through the army of moms, dads and kids that every year hit the pavement to fundraise money. But for most just the thought of fundraising starts the groaning - "oh no not again."
Fundraising with a social conscience on the other hand teaches about the story of our global community. These are lessons that have been forgotten for such a long time, but need to be learned from an early age. The best thing about fundraising with friendship bracelets is that it recognises both the work to make the bands and values a relationship in sharing the story. It's like the hand of friendship has been extended across the sea.
When the first young America Indian handed her bracelet onto a friend, she would never imagined that a simple friendship bracelet would be a symbol of unity in a world that is struggling with globalisation. For the last millennium they have been called friendship bracelets. Today the label is its identity.
Discover the best fundraising friendship bracelets and fair trade educational resources for "fair trade" at 1hope fundraising. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shyree_Levings |
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