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It All Started with a Few Sweaters

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When we arrived in Kathmandu in 1984, we had no idea that the experience would be a defining moment in our lives. Having just graduated from Huxley college of Environmental Studies at Western Washington University, Nepal was one of our first stops on an 8 month trip to see other countries and engage with their environmental movements. The Himalaya was one of our first explorations and before departing on a month-long trek into their domain, we bought two wool sweaters from a Tibetan refugee family. We were amazed by how well the sweaters performed in harsh conditions and when we raved about them to the family, they replied: “Do you know how we can market them?”

Unprepared for that response we weren’t sure what to do, but we recognized that putting money directly in people’s hands allowed them to build the lives they wanted. So, with an initial investment of $400, we bought sweaters, hats and socks and shipped them home to Spokane, Washington. Six months later, returning from our trip, and surprised to see the boxes had arrived, we presented a community slideshow and put the Nepali goods out for sale. People loved the items and the concept that these families were making them to send their children to school. It became apparent to us that providing a fair wage and access to the U.S. market could offer economic empowerment. We had made the initial contacts and decided to dive in.

Our venture soon turned into a full time business. With the goal of supporting work that enhances people’s lives and traditions, we began establishing partnerships with small cottage industries and development aid projects. When we chose our partners in Nepal, there was no “Fair Trade Federation” or “fair trade criteria.” We used our own principles to guide our work:

• treat people with respect,

• make sure they get a fair return for their work,

• provide continuity over time along with safe working conditions, design assistance, and financial support.

With their Nepali Partners, a Business was Born.

Anchored by a shared vision with Nepali partners (many of whom were women), we established a solid base for our business that was successful despite skepticism, political uncertainty, and economic recession. In the early 1990s we were excited to become members of the newly formed Fair Trade Federation and join with others in the alternative trade movement to form a unified front.

Our commitment to trust and long term relationships led to a welcome outcome — extended family. Our son Cameron had the incredible opportunity to be raised alongside and learn from Nepali friends and their families. Our manager in Nepal, Chunta was at his birth and even came to help care for my mother after she had broken her leg in Nepal. Conversations with Nepali friends (and a lot of trekking) helped us recognize the need for, and lack of, basic rural healthcare and so in 2010 we built a clinic to provide medical help in an area that had none. Our Nepali family, and their insight into barriers other than economic, then helped us launch a long term initiative to raise funds for children (with a focus on girls) who lacked access to education. Understanding that these issues are closely allied with, but laid outside of, the mission of economic empowerment of Ganesh Himal Trading, we created the non-profit Conscious Connections Foundation in 2014.

Conscious Connections Foundation

The mission of Conscious Connections Foundation is to facilitate the advancement of marginalized individuals in Nepal by promoting access to education, healthcare, skills development, and facilities improvement so they can create strong, vibrant, economically viable communities and to educate North Americans on their ability to positively impact these individuals lives with direct donations.

On April 25, 2015, Ganesh Himal’s community and CCF’s work all came powerfully together when two devastating earthquakes struck Nepal. Our caring communities jumped into action. Our business, with the valued support of retail stores and community members, helped raise significant funds for CCF to help our Nepali partners rebuild, feed people and maintain livelihoods. Although CCF’s primary work is not disaster relief we do find ourselves often engaged in it because Nepal’s communities remain extremely vulnerable. In 2020 we are working in Covid related food relief efforts and assisting our partners in Nepal as they reach out to identify and help those most in need.

Moving Forward

Since 1984, Ganesh Himal Trading has evolved into a multi-staff operation. The warehouse in Spokane is the landing pad and distribution site of products to fair trade retail stores across North America. Staff in Nepal and Spokane, some of whom have been with the business over fifteen years, have been pillars in developing and implementing Ganesh Himal’s vision for economic justice. With the addition of Austin Zimmerman, long-time Ganesh Himal employee, as co-owner in 2019, the exciting transition to a new generation has begun. Austin is joined by Nepali partners like Kesang Yudron and Sudha Maharjan whose parents started working with Ganesh Himal in 1985. Together this next generation can forge boldly ahead in the monumental effort toward building a more equitable world.

“It is an exciting time for people in Nepal as children grow up, understand their power, recognize the value of fair trade partnerships and take their parents’ place in the struggle for justice and equality.” — Denise Attwood

Our Values

At the heart of Ganesh HImal Trading is long term partnerships that empower each partner. We are committed to respectful and long term partnerships with:

• the families, businesses, and projects that we partnered with over 30 years, prioritizing them by securing their work before adding new producer groups,

• Our staff in Spokane and in Nepal providing work that enhances their security, growth, and well being,

• Our retail partners, many of whom have been customers for over twenty years,

• Our planet, which gives without question and deserves the same care in return,

We believe that building long lasting relationships based on trust, dialogue and mutual respect is key to community building and helps move us toward a more equitable future.

Our partnerships are grounded in reciprocity. We work diligently to establish mutually beneficial relationships with our producers in Nepal by encouraging a balanced level of give and take. We work directly with producers as a team, expanding each other’s talents and ideas. We believe everyone’s insight and perspective is needed to create systems that address the changing nature of our world.

Striving for economic justice is where our business began. When Ganesh Himal Trading was established, we decided to seek out producer groups that worked with marginalized individuals (e.g. women and Tibetan refugees) so they could gain access to trading relationships for economic mobility. This has led to years of partnering with women producers to co-create a world where women have control over their money, are empowered to make their own decisions and have a respected voice in all discussions. Overall, we believe that trade is interrelational and that access to trading relationships is key to enhancing people’s lives and traditions. We have also committed to facilitating solutions to other economic barriers (i.e. healthcare, education) through our non-profit, Conscious Connections Foundation.

Partner Organizations

We have been proud members of the Fair Trade Federation since its founding in 1994. FTF is an organization dedicated to strengthening and promoting fair trade organizations in the U.S. and Canada.

We are proud members of Green America. Green America focuses on economic action to solve social and environmental problems.

In 2014, Ganesh Himal founded the non-profit Conscious Connections Foundation (CCF) to facilitate the advancement of marginalized individuals in Nepal by promoting access to education, healthcare, skill development, and facilities improvement so they can create strong, vibrant, economically viable communities.

In 2019, Ganesh Himal entered into an MOU and partnered with Eden Reforestation Projects to fund the planting and care of 4000 trees per year in Nepal. This partnership seeks to

• restore native forests in Nepal

• Provide food for villagers, shelter for wildlife, shade, medicines, soil regeneration and climate regulation through a village wide tree-planting program,

• Help lift people out of extreme poverty

• help Ganesh Himal offset the past and current carbon footprint we have in bringing 6 shipments of goods by air from Nepal every year.

“Eden Reforestation Projects is working to support poverty alleviation and environmental restoration across the country and has already planted over 4 million trees. Starting in 2015, Eden has been working in 3 distinct regions across the country, including a partnership with Chitwan National Park, a World Heritage Site in Nepal. By partnering with the National Park system, Eden Projects is helping to protect and create a reforested buffer zone that is vital to protect animal habitat.” Eden Reforestation Projects website.

What Makes Us Different

Our investment in relationships is our greatest strength. We prioritize our long-term partnerships with producers and retail partners. Becoming a wholesale customer is more than purchasing beautiful goods — you are joining our shared vision for a system that prioritizes people’s lives and traditions.

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