Market Colors is a new non-profit that is focused on seling hand-made products made in Africa.  Poor people throughout the country that normally don't have access to any market beyond the locals and missionaries passing through are being given an opportunity to support themselves and their families by giving their products a much larger market.  One of my favorite things about buying something through market colors, which will start selling items this summer, is that you aren't just buying a purse or a laptop case, but you are connecting yourselves to a story.  It's more than buying a product, you're supporting someone who needs help supporting themselves and their family.

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I found out about this business because Lizzie, the founder of the company, was a student growing up in our student ministry.  In fact, Lizzie was a part of our middle school ministry the year that I first started volunteering in middle school.  It is exciting to see the entrepreneurial vision behind this organization and the heart for the people of Africa to make a difference in their lives.

We want to help the families of Africa. There are groups throughout Africa teaching women like Lamas how to become skilled craftsmen. They are showing them there is another way: provide for themselves in an honest way that honors the Lord. These African craftsmen are fiercely driven. Often the sole providers for large families, they have an extraordinary work ethic and exceptional drive and determination. But these craftsmen have such a small market where they can sell their products. We want to equip them to take their products from the village market to the world market. We believe that Market Colors can and will do this through promoting and selling their products through our e-commerce website. Our work is centered upon the goal of creating thousands of sustainable jobs throughout the continent.

This week Market Colors launched a fundraising campaign to build up funds so that the first round of products could be produced.  I want to encourage you to consider supporting the vision of Market Colors.