February 2010
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"Fun, functional, and affordable Fair Trade from Nepal"

Namaste!

Welcome to 2010! We hope it's started off on a good note for you and that all is well!   Thanks for all of your great support in 2009, we couldn't do it without you!

We just got a great shipment from Nepal, so this is a good time to call and place your orders. Also, check out our 2009 top sales lists (below)  you may want to try out some of our best sellers for your next order.

-Top Jewelry Sales for 2009

-Top Products (non jewelry) for 2009


Other Important News....

Price Changes
We try to keep our prices constant but have had to make a few price changes for 2010. Please note these changes!

-New 2010 Price Changes


Also, our new shipping minimum is $8. For orders over $125 shipping costs are still just 6%.

Back Order Policy
We now can only hold back orders for 10 days after we contact you unless you call to make other arrangements.

Sweaters
Due to increased costs we have reduced our sweater selection for 2010.

We have some remaining stock of 2009 sweaters and will offer 2009 prices for all stock of discontinued sweaters.There are limited quantities and colors so you will have to call to find out what is available. For those of you interested in ordering our discontinued sweaters, we are happy to hold your order and ship and bill you in the fall. Please note these sales are final.


We are also now beginning to accept Advance Knit and Sweater Orders for Fall 2010. Please note the prices for the advance order sweaters, they've taken a jump.
-2010 Sweaters

Nepal!
Denise, Ric and Cameron are heading to Nepal later this month to meet with the producers, design new products, and work on the Baseri Clinic (read more about the clinic in this newsletter). Stay posted for more updates about this exciting trip!

Spring Items!
Keep your eyes out for a newsletter highlighting spring items! We have some great products for spring and also that fit well with the World Fair Trade Day theme of "Fair Trade My Home".

Peace be with you and we send you the luck of Ganesh: that any obstacles you face will be overcome!

-Denise, Ric, Eileen, Sarah and Rene
Ganesh Himal Trading

"Shelter Knit" Producer

Meet Dhana Visht, a 32 year old single mother who's husband was murdered during the Maoist insurgency. She has migrated to the city because she is scared to live in her village and has to support her ten year old son, Raju. She has found work with the Shelter in Nepalgunj and is now able to support herself.

Ganesh Himal Trading has set up a scholarship program for women like Dhana, who make our "Shelter Knits". For every Shelter Knit purchase, a percentage goes into a scholarship fund to help the children of the producers be able to afford to go to school.

Thanks to your Shelter Knit purchases last year, Dhana's son Raju can now attend school!
Thank to everyone who made this possible!! Look for more shelter knit styles coming this fall!

 
       computershelterknitproducer
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Besari Clinic News
from Denise

clinic

We want to give you a quick update on the clinic in Nepal! Sita is in Nepal now and has been to visit Nira at college. She is working hard in nursing school and grateful for the opportunity. Sita says she only gets to leave the campus once a week! She found that Nira's accommodations in Nepal were pretty sparse so Sarah and Michael (her school sponsors) kindly made an additional donation to buy her a desk, some blankets and other things to make her room more comfortable! Thanks Sarah and Michael!

Sita emailed the other day to say that the solar panel is now on the way to the village to be installed and that the toilet system is completed. They are also finishing up the water storage system. A local man who was trained as a medic in the Gurka army has agreed to be the temporary health care provider at the clinic while we wait for Nira to finish her schooling. It's nice to be able to employ a local person.

Ric and Cameron and I are heading to Nepal Feb 17th. We'll head up to the clinic around Feb 23rd with Sita to help open it up.  Right now we are trying to collect some medical supplies to carry over and if anyone has or knows of someone who can donate any medical supplies please let me know. We will wait and buy medicines and bedding when we are in Nepal because we can purchase them more inexpensively there (and don't have to pay for the baggage!). We appreciate everyone's help with the clinic. You have all done so much. We'll keep you posted on the progress! If anyone would like to donate please visit www.firstgiving.com/besarihealthclinic

Thanks again for making this dream a reality! Denise, Sita and the villagers of Baseri!

Denise

World  fair trade day logo


Join Ganesh Himal Trading:

BECOME A WORLD FAIR TRADE DAY PARTNER!




The Fair Trade Resource Network wants your business to become a WFTD partner! Last year over 60,000 people participated in WFTD and we want to make this one even better! But we need your help!

 

FTRN is encouraging small businesses to become partners in this great event. In return we will promote the work that you do and provide you with a World Fair Trade Day kit to make your event planning easier! Here's what you get for your support.

 

WFTD Partner pays $100 + 10% of sales


Benefits include:

1.    Free kit and free shipping of WFTD promotional materials (20 event posters, 25 each of 2 postcard varieties, 100 stickers)

2.    8.5x11" customized poster "[Your business] is a Proud Partner of World Fair Trade Day 2010 as 10% of our WFTD sales go to educating about Fair Trade".  Partner gets 5 hardcopies on cardstock paper, plus use of softcopy image for website or other Partner-produced materials.

3.    Name and link on our Partner web page.

4.    Name and link in 2 newsletters, for May and June.

5.    All benefits of general public.

 

FTRN wants to encourage lots of businesses to sign up for this wonderful opportunity. Let's show the world how many of us there are!


Next Steps:

Contact FTRN as soon as possible to commit as a partner. The sooner you do this, the more time we have to promote your organization.  Through strategic alliances we will gain greater visibility for the movement as a whole, and we will be able to reach a greater and more diverse demographic than in previous years.


Partner level is available until March 30, 2010.

For more information contact Jeff Goldman at The Fair Trade Resource Network email: wftday@ftrn.org

office phone: 917.464.5558


Issue: 1
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509.448.6561
In This Issue
Meet Dhana
Conscious Consumer
Helping Women
Tools for World Fair Trade Day
Friends in Fair Trade
Join Our Mailing List


consciousconsumernew
Sponsored in part by Ganesh Himal Trading!


Order Your 2010 Conscious Consumers Now!

* Understand how Fair Trade relationships in over 60 developing countries enhance the quality of life of producers and their communities.

* Interact with a global community taking action to ease inequities wrought by traditional trade structures.

* Navigate the complicated world of organizations, labels and definitions of Fair Trade.

These will be available through the Fair Trade Resource Network in March. Prices are $3.95 retail and bulk rate of $2/copy for orders of 10 or more.  PDF version also available for $2.


Also, consider becoming a sponsor for next year's Conscious Consumer!  To read more about this and other ways you can support The Fair Trade Resource Network, visit their latest newsletter here.


newleafwomen
Ganesh Himal Trading Supports~
New Leaf Bakery Cafe

Helping Women Succeed


Spokane, Wa
The New Leaf Bakery CafĂ© is a social enterprise providing job training for women in need.  They help women develop marketable skills, build a solid resume of work experience and prepare for employment in the food service industry.

Transitions values of Community, Justice, Respect, Growth and Wholeness create a unique environment for developing dependable confident workers. Ganesh Himal is a proud supporter of this work in Spokane.

wftd

Tools

  • Flyers, postcards, stickers
  • Brochures, booklets, films, curricula
  • Free Fair Trade products
  • Event planning guide
  • Games, recipes, attendance sheet
  • Media outreach resources
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Ganesh H
imal Trading's
Friends in Fair Trade

GH works closely with many Tibetan refugees and has through the years tried to help educate consumers in North America about the occupation of Tibet and then importance of helping to preserve their culture. We would like to help our wholesale customers learn more and be able to access educational materials for their customers so we would like to introduce them to Snow Lion Publications.

Snow
Lion Publications was established in 1980 in Ithaca, New York. Inspired by a meeting with the Dalai Lama, the three individuals who began Snow Lion vowed to create a press devoted to the preservation of Tibetan Buddhism and culture. The original idea was to present translations from all the schools of Tibetan Buddhism and to publish academic as well as popular titles. The editors were particularly interested in publishing monastic textbooks from the various traditions. The first manuscripts offered were primarily from Glenn Mullin, Jeffrey Hopkins, and his students at the University of Virginia, the foremost academic program in the West for Tibetan Buddhist studies. Despite initial financial hardship, Snow Lion has gone on to become the largest press devoted to Tibetan Buddhism, having published over 200 titles on Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism (printing over one million copies) and distributing over 650 titles published by other presses. Read more about us by visiting Snow Lion's Story, and also read a Mandala Magazine article about SnowTwenty-Five Years of Kindness, Clarity & Insight.
Lion's early founding days with the Dalai Lama:

Ric Conner
Ganesh Himal Trading