Bilum made by Western Highlands Papua New Guinea Women

Making a bilum is a community effort. Women gather round during the day and make bags while telling stories. Different team members have different tasks in the bilum making. It looks easy to make but it takes painstaking effort. This is a livelihood project for the young women of the Western Highlands

This bag is very durable, quality assured. The traditional ones are used for carrying babies. All bilums can take heavy loads. It will not break and is Earth-friendly. This modern design is a great shopping bag!
Price $40

Rosaries

October is Rosary month. We have rosaries for sale too. But before you consider buying some, please do not do so because you pity the disabled who made this. The people I met were strong, hopeful and positive :)

We definitely would not want you buying a rosary for the sake of buying only to leave it to collect dust on your altar! :)

There are so many young people and probably adults who do not know how to pray the Rosary. I know a few who don't know Hail Mary nor the mysteries. As we pray the Rosary this October, let's share the beauty of the mysteries of Christ with others.
Also invite your family, friends and small communities to gather at someone's home to pray. Pray for the violence in Mangalore. After the attacks in Orissa, Mangalore is now being targeted, churches are being burnt and people are being forced to become Hindus. Pray for East Timor, the poorest country currently in Asia. Pray for the healing of our Earth! and pray for communities who struggle each day to provide for one another. Pray for your own community to be one centered on Christ's love.


rosaries are small enough to fit around your wrist, in your pocket/wallet. Carry this wherever you go or give it away to family and friends. Price 3 for $10

These Shoes are Made for Walking

Teacher Jane from Payatas is a resourceful woman. Besides teaching at Paaralang Pantao, she supplements her income by selling products like shoes. To order, email sherlyn@acts29mission.org

These beach sandals are durable, comfortable and value for money. I could not find this style in Singapore. Was very happy to buy a pair from Jane. Thought you might be looking for these too :)

2 pairs available in Black and white. Price $18
Sizes are Europe 39 or 5 and a half.


These shoes are pretty and comfortable too. Also keeps the feet cool on hot days. Sometimes you don't want to wear heels. And you don't want to wear sandals or slippers e.g. for Mass. But you want the comfort that sandals give.

3 pairs available in White (Size europe 40 or 7, Brown and Black (Size europe 39 or 5 and a half) Price $20

Care for Creation products

These bags are made from juice wrappers. These wrappers are defective and cannot be used for juice packaging. Rather than throwing reams of the wrappers away, the wrappers are being used to make bags. The Payatas mothers are embarking on this co-op project. To order, email sherlyn@acts29mission.org

Carry Bags in 3 colours. Price $20






Lucia Bag with lining. Price $25


Marie Close with zipper. Good for school. Price $20


Marie open. Shopping bag. Price $20

What's acts29 Community Trade About?

In Payatas, the mothers are getting together to work on a livelihood project. They've heard about Recycled Juice Bags and would like to make them. But once they've made the bags, who would buy their bags? Who can they sell it to? They almost never go to the malls. They don't know about the shops there and they don't know how to market their bags.

In the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea, young women have gathered to make the traditional sting bags (bilums). Yet who will buy their bags from them? Where they live is far from the city, far from the malls and the consumers.

There is a disabled community living in Manila who have dedicated their lives to making rosaries. They do not earn much. They do not get many orders. Yet they do what they can to earn a decent and respectable living despite their disabilities.

There is a 15 year old girl from Payatas who loves making accessories. She hopes to sell her accessories so that she can support her education. She starts school next June. She now lives in Montalban, sharing her accessory making skills with her peers. She takes pride in her trade. Can she get the support she needs to one day open an accessory shop?

The poor are not lazy. They have dreams, skills, innovation and creativity. Despite their determination and hard work, how can little communities like those in the Western Highlands of PNG or in Payatas or a disabled community compete with establishments beyond their league.

We often go window shopping and we end up buying stuff we don't need. Often we buy products without realizing that many of the products come from sweat shops. Often we unknowingly buy products that harm the Earth.

Acts29 is launching this Community Trade blog. No 1) to support the livelihood projects of struggling communities. No 2) to bring awareness on the cause and effects of consumerism, globalization, free trade and so on. No 3) to sell products that do not harm our Earth and No 4) to change the way we shop, we buy, we consume.