2014 Annual Report
Through our global connections, we create countless stories of change. Serrv builds long-term relationships between supporters in the U.S. and artisans and farmers all over the world. From small villages in Swaziland to urban neighborhoods in Bangladesh, we actively create meaningful and life-changing connections. These relationships result in countless stories of change—stories of an empowered woman who can now send her children to school, of a community transformed through fair trade work, and of preserving a cultural craft tradition. This Annual Report summarizes the impact of Serrv’s mission in 2014.
C O NNE CTIO NS THAT EMPOWER WOM EN Ninety percent of the population lives below the poverty line in the Upper East region of Ghana, the most impoverished area of the country. Generations of women from 17 different villages in this region benefit from weaving baskets with Serrv partner Trade Aid Integrated, a nonprofit organization supporting them with access to raw materials, weaving trainings, and global markets for their baskets. Through fair trade practices, they earn a fair price for their baskets and receive funds to invest in their communities. When the women gather together they do so much more than weave—they build solidarity and unity. Stronger families and communities result.
Photo: Alsy Acevedo, CRS
Atubikama Atanga (pictured right) was one of the first weavers to join the organization 13 years ago. She is the sole caretaker of five people, which is possible because of the income from her basket waving. She was even able to send her son to university—which he completed last year.