Bazaar Shopping for a Cause

In most of the communications about our annual Holiday Bazaar, you will find a statement that says something along the lines of “These items were hand-picked for you from fair-trade artisans in Nepal.” But what exactly does that mean?

Each year, on our Sponsor Trip to Nepal, Mitrata staff and volunteers spend many hours traveling to various shops in Nepal to purchase items for the Bazaar. We have been buying items from some of these shops for many years. One of the more recent organizations we have been purchasing many items from is the Women’s Skills Development Organization.

This organization provides women in rural Nepal with vocational training and employment opportunities. Many of these women are impoverished, disabled, and/or single mothers. They also strive to utilize sustainable practices in the creation of their products through using local raw materials and repurposing discarded materials. They create the most colorful and fun items from pencil cases, to purses, to children’s toys, and more.

In the past, we have purchased items from their storefronts in both Kathmandu and Pokhara. Last year, Mitrata volunteer Stephanie visited their warehouse in Pokhara for the first time. This year, trip participants just recently returned to the warehouse to purchase even more items for our 2025 Holiday Bazaar.

Through shopping at our Holiday Bazaar, your purchase has a twofold impact. You are not only supporting Mitrata, you are also helping us to support organizations like the Women’s Skills Development Organization.

If you are interested in purchasing some of the fantastic items from the Women’s Skills Development Organization, or in supporting other similar organizations through shopping our annual Holiday Bazaar, click to download the flyer below: