Another Introduction...

My name is Karina and I am so excited to be interning for Solidarity Clothing and GREENOLA this summer.

I am an undergraduate at Northwestern University studying Cultural Anthropology and International Studies with a concentration in Latin America.

Last fall, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Cochabamba, Bolivia for four months. During this amazing adventure, I became enthralled with Bolivia’s vibrant culture, its friendly people, and its complex sociopolitical landscape. While in Bolivia I saw many vivid and often heartbreaking glimpses of how poverty impacts the children, women, and men of this developing nation. Upon my return to the United States, I could not forget (nor did I want to forget) the names and faces of Bolivian children I met living on the streets, the stories of women searching for options to send their girls to school, or the conversations I had with parents discussing daily struggles to feed their children.

After returning to the states, I wanted to participate in sustainable changes in Bolivia so I searched for organizations in the U.S. that work with Bolivian people. Most of the organizations I encountered take a charity-type approach by directly giving money, food, and supplies to Bolivian people. Although this approach to poverty is valid and hugely important, I want to be part of a project that emphasizes participatory development and that recognizes the skills and abilities of Bolivian people by focusing on their assets to increase economic stability. I eagerly searched for such an avenue to stay involved in Bolivia and make a difference in communities I had grown to love.

I literally found the opportunity I was looking for on a crumpled napkin.

I was sitting at a post-study abroad dinner at Northwestern when the woman next to me suddenly handed me a paper napkin on which she had hastily scrawled the name of a local organization that does work in Bolivia: Solidarity Clothing. After this serendipitous introduction to Solidarity Clothing and GREENOLA, I became increasingly intrigued by the concept of fair trade and began to explore its goals and impact.

The more I learn about the mission of fair trade, the more I become convinced of its positive impact in developing nations like Bolivia. I am thrilled to be working with an organization that focuses on lasting, bilateral partnerships between U.S. consumers and Bolivian producers. I think fair trade has so much potential to allow people market access and economic opportunities in dignified and empowering manners.

I feel so fortunate to be working with Solidarity Clothing and GREENOLA. In the process, I am excited to learn more about fair trade, Bolivian producers, and socially conscious consumerism.