1. FEED 2 Kenya Bag

Photo credit: www.zimbio.com

The FEED 2 Kenya Bag is perfect for the busy woman in your life. Each FEED 2 Kenya Bag is handcrafted in Kenya by a co-op of women and deaf Kenyans. Not only does this purchase support Kenyan artisans, but the donation also provides school meals to two children in Kenya for one year.

Made of natural burlap and cotton, this bag features one-of-a-kind hand-beading overlaying the FEED logo. Lined with beautiful red and purple plaid Maasai tribal fabric, each bag comes with a hand-beaded bracelet secured around the handles. Handmade in Kenya with genuine leather handles and messenger strap. $250.00.

2. TOUS (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition Bracelet

Photo credit: http://blog.tous.com

A sweet gift for a daughter or daughter-in-law! The Spanish jewelry company Tous has partnered with (PRODUCT)RED to release the (TOUS)RED special edition bracelet to help fight AIDS. The bracelet, a vermeil sterling silver disc with the iconic Tous bear, is now available in all TOUS stores worldwide. TOUS will contribute 5 percent of every TOUS (RED) special edition bracelet sold to the Global Fund. $119.00

3. “It Starts with Me” T-Shirt

Photo credit: one.org

Give this to the son or brother or lady in your life passionate about making a difference. The fight against extreme poverty begins with each and every one of us. Rock this shirt to show your commitment and inspire action. The shirts are made of 100 percent African cotton in Tanzania or Uganda. $25.00

4. Nuru Project Collection of Prints

 Photo credit: philanthropost.wordpress.com

Have someone who’s tough to buy for? Choose from a selection of beautiful prints that will look great in anyone’s home. The Nuru Project sells photojournalism prints to support non-profits and storytellers. 50 percent of proceeds benefit the organization of your choice (pick from among Malaria No More, Acumen Fund, Partners in Health, Millennium Promise, Pencils of Promise and Kiva).

All photos are exhibition quality digital C-prints. Each photo comes with a label of authenticity with the artist’s signature and a handwritten story from the photographer. All prints have .5 inch border for framing and are printed in numbered editions. $50.00 and up.

5. ONE Tangle Necklace

Photo credit: one.org 

The Tangle necklace uses multiple strands of small paper beads in Turquoise and Mint, looping together in the middle with small gold accent beads. This necklace was produced by 31 Bits, a business using fashion and design to empower women to rise above poverty. Their jewelry is made from recycled paper by women in Northern Uganda. $44.00.

6. Glass Maramba Necklace

Photo credit: shop.invisiblechildren.com

Want to be at the forefront of the trendiest in jewelry? Invisible Children’s program Made offers a full line of super cute pieces that support a community in Kenya through trade, not aid. Nothing’s sweeter than the marriage of fashion and activism!

Handmade in Kenya, the Glass Maramba Necklace is made of multiple long bronze chains falling to a pendant of encased amber glass. Each necklace is created to give people in Kenya a chance to make a better life for themselves. Curated by Invisible Children in partnership with Made: By the people for the people. $62.00.

7. MALAIKA Bracelet

Photo Credit: tanzaniathemovie.com

With every bracelet purchased, MALAIKA will donate 70 percent of proceeds to a malaria medication program and to a support program for the women who crafted it. $12.00.

8. Divine Chocolate

Photo credit: mychocolatepeaces.com

Speaking on behalf of females everywhere, Valentine’s Day is the day when chocolate consumption is not only completely acceptable, but expected. Divine Chocolate is the haven for fair trade chocolate, boasting a full line of shapes (hearts and bunnies amongst others), sizes and types (milk, honeycomb and dark to name a few). Is your mouth watering yet? Available in supermarkets across the US. $6.99.

9. Sunrise Bracelet Set

Photo Credit: beadforlifestore.org 

We’re in love with Bead for Life’s winter collection. This particular bracelet is a Valentine’s Day picture of perfection, with reds, magentas and oranges drawing major inspiration from the holiday of love. Help empower women and sport a holiday-inspired look at the same time! Sunrise Bracelet Set created exclusively for March out of Poverty Campaign. $20.00.

10. Converse (Product) Red Chuck Taylor All Star Shoe

Photo credit: http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/red%20converse

The world’s favorite shoe is now (RED). I’m having a hard time curbing my excitement for the (RED) Chuck Taylor line. What is cooler than fighting for AIDS while rocking the ultimate classic in shoewear? Nothing. $50.00.

Got any more suggestions? Tell us in a comment!

What lies behind us?  A time when only 50,000 people around the world had access to AIDS medication.  That was just 10 years ago. Today,there are more than 8 million people on treatment.

What lies before us? By 2015, we can turn the tide on AIDS. Millions more could be on treatment, the trend of infections outpacing those on treatment could be reversed, and the birth of an AIDS free generation could become a reality.

What is standing between us and our future?  Action.

That’s the premise of our “It Starts with Me” campaign and it’s the reason that we hope you have joined us in action. To build up the campaign, we are launching a brand new “It Starts with Me” T-shirt at the ONE store. Our white logo tee is simple and straightforward and celebrate the power of YOU.

Photo caption: ONE staffer Gretchen in her “It Starts With Me” shirt! 

These exclusive new tees, made in Tanzania and Uganda and made of 100 percent African cotton, are available in both men’s and women’s sizes. They are the perfect addition to your socially conscious and ethically sourced selection of statement tees that drive conversation and action among you and your friends.

ONE members like us are committed to fighting the absurdity of extreme poverty and preventable disease. We are fighting to make the beginning of the end of AIDS a reality. Dressing in our ONE “uniform” is just part of our commitment to greater good.

Buy the new shirt here

Want more? Shop some other ONE products in our online store that fight HIV/AIDS, like our ONE and (RED) Beaded Bracelet. Handmade in South Africa by Relate, a non-profit social enterprise creating opportunities through an employment project to those impacted by HIV/AIDS, $1 from each bracelet goes towards the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

But it doesn’t end there. If you love our “It Starts With Me” t-shirt, you’re sure to want “The Beginning of the End of AIDS Starts With Me” T-shirt as well, exclusively made by ONE and (RED) to commemorate World AIDS Day 2011.

We’ll be sporting our new shirts around the office- hopefully you will be too. Email photos of you wearing your new gear to us and we might just feature you on our Facebook wall!

Is there something that you do every day to remind yourself that you can make a difference in the world?

Some people write an inspirational quote on a sticky note. Some read their Bible, Koran or Torah.  Some look into their child’s eyes.

Me? I rock the newest ONE band to remind me why I am in the fight against extreme global poverty. Whether typing on my keyboard or dialing my member of Congress, seeing this bracelet triggers an important memory that drives me to action.

The bracelets take me back to Mozambique, where I met an incredible family whose introduction to the orange-fleshed sweet potato changed their lives. In addition to a healthier family, they had great success selling the product at a local market and were able to send their beautiful, playful children to school.

These bands are beautiful in more ways than one. They are fashion-forward, perfect for both men and women, and help provide great employment opportunities for people in need. Plus, they send the message that you are committed to ending extreme poverty and preventable disease.

Relate, the incredible nonprofit producing these bands, has products all over the globe and are carried in some of the hottest retail stores (including my personal favorite, Free People). Wanna know more about Relate? Here’s their story…

So colorful. Photo courtesy of Relate 

Workers assembling the bracelets. Photo courtesy of Relate 

Posing for the camera. Photo courtesy of Relate 

ABOUT RELATE

This South African non-profit uses a simple string of beads – made and sold through a sustainable business model – to change lives. Since 2010, Relate has provided earning opportunities for approximately 250 people, many of whose lives have been affected by HIV/AIDS. The bracelet production process includes the help of three key roles: threaders, closers and packers. And each role is filled by a person with a story all their own:

According to Relate:

Our threaders are all elderly township-dwellers with whom we collaborate through Ikamva Labantu. Many are octogenarians. Some are blind. On their pensions, supplemented by what they earn from Relate, most support entire families, including AIDS-orphaned grandchildren.

Our “closers” (those responsible for branding, sizing and securing our bracelets) are young, unemployed township adults. Through their work, they earn an income, part of which goes into mandatory personal savings accounts only to be used in developing their skills.

Our packers are refugees from other war-torn African countries. Like our closers, they earn an income, and are upskilled in order that they might eventually live independantly of Relate.

So what are you waiting for? Get yours now!

BUY THE RELATE ONE BRACELET

Let it remind you daily of all the people whose lives we fight to save and improve.

1. Sponsor a Child through Save the Children

Need an idea for someone who has everything?  Make them a Save the Children sponsor, where they can provide an education, access to clean water and healthcare to a child in need.

Price: $28.00/month

2. (RED)’s Nanda Home Alarm Clock

Have a teen that just won’t get up in the morning?  Get them this Product (RED) Tocky alarm clock where they can upload their own mp3s and record messages that make starting the day a bit easier.

Price: $58

3. Ash Canvas Tiny TOMS Classics

Each purchase of this TOMS classic gives a pair to a child in need. Stylish shoes for a stylish child.

Price: $29.00

4. Kids’ ONE EDUN shirt

Educate your youngster about ONE and our efforts to eliminate global poverty by wearing an EDUN ONE Shirt made in Kenya.

Price: $20.00

5. Every Mother Counts Poster

These posters are perfect for your child’s room or nursery and 50% of the proceeds go to support Every Mother Counts.

Price: Varies

6. Sweetie Pie ONEsie by ONE

Easy to grow, and packed with vitamin A, the sweet potato is doing its small part to help curb the nutrition crisis. Get this adorable ONEsie to show your little ones commitment to fighting hunger and malnutrition.

Price: $18.00

7. Bugaboo (PRODUCT)RED Cameleon

Give back while you stroll in style! 1% of global revenue across all Bugaboo products goes to the Global Fund to fight AIDS and eliminate transmission from mother-to-child by 2015.

Price: $979.00

8. World Vision: New Mother and Baby Kit

You can help new moms in countries around the world by giving them the supplies they need to care for their newborns during the first critical weeks of life. The kit includes things like a bassinet, cloth diapers, a blanket, a container for clean water, and soap. Your gift will also provide infant care training for mothers-to-be.

Price: $77.00

9. Charity: Water Playing Cards

Need help getting your kids through a flight?  These playing cards help fight for increased access to clean water by supporting Charity: Water operations.

Price: $5.00

10. Relief International Beads

These beautiful bracelets are handcrafted by African women and help combat malnutrition and hunger in Darfur. 1 Relief Bead feeds a malnourished child for a week. 5 Relief Beads brings a malnourished child back to good health. 10 Relief Beads restores the well-being of 2 malnourished children. 100 Relief Beads saves the lives of 20 children. *available to U.S. and Canada residents only

Price: $10.00

11. “What does it mean to be Global” book?

In this whimsically-drawn and thoughtfully-told story, children learn what it means to be global by visiting the pyramids, eating sushi, celebrating Kwanzaa, and learning how to say “hello” in Swahili. The book is a conversation starter for parents and educators to teach children about the goodness in exploring, appreciating, and respecting other children’s traditions, religions, and values the world over.

Price: $16.95

Benefit Album by Tiesto $7.99. DJ and producer Tiesto put together a remarkable compilation album including tracks by Diplo, Major Lazer, Bono, Martin Solvieg, Afrojack and more.  Proceeds are donated to the Global Fund!

ONE T-Shirt by EDUN $30.00.These shirts are made from 100% African cotton in Lesotho. EDUN is a socially conscious clothing company.

TOMS Classic Suede Boots $74. The classic suede boot is a fall fundamental for all men. And while Brown Suede Desert Botas feature a classic fall color, they’ve got your back any time of the year.

HEALTH Duffle Bag by FEED $128. The FEED HEALTH Duffle Bag supports DOC2DOCK, a non-profit organization that collects unused medical supplies before they are thrown out and redistributes them to hospitals in need in the developing world. For every bag purchased, FEED will donate an identical bag, which will then be filled with medical supplies by DOC2DOCK and given to a community health worker to help transport the supplies around the world.

Moleskin Notebook $34.95. This classic notebook is an elegant way to carry your cause around with you on a daily basis.

Beats by Dr. Dre for Product(RED) $199.95. Sound That Matters. Beats by Dr. Dre headphones from Monster were engineered to let music lovers hear their favorite tracks exactly how the artists intended them to be heard. This product BEATS contributes $5 from each prodcut to the Global Fund.

Buy a Goat $50. A hardy goat is the gift of sustainability, which means fertilizer and food for families – especially those living in areas that cannot support less durable critters.

CamelBak Groove bottle $35. With each purchase of a limited edition Water.org CamelBak Groove bottle, you give a life-changing gift. While it keeps great-tasting filtered water always in your reach, it also brings safe drinking water and sanitation to people in developing countries.

A Fishing Kit $40. Give a fishing kit to a family in need.  Your purchase will provide a family with fishing gear such as poles, hooks, lines and nets to help ensure they can feed themselves.

Elegant Tie by Alexandra Taylor $70. This cool and elegant tie is made by open-weave silk mesh and lined with silk print.  $10 of each sale are donated to the UN Nothing But Nets campaign to eradicate malaria.

The Roo: Kammok Lightweight Hammock $99 With every lightweight hammock purchased, Kammok and Malaria No More give a treated mosquito net or health education to a family in Africa.

Running App that Gives back Free! Charity Miles is an iPhone/Android app that empowers you to earn sponsorships for charity by walking, running or biking. You can choose a charity, options include Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria and Every Mother Counts. As you walk, run or bike, the app tracks your distance and you earn money for your charity.

Have other gift suggestions you’ d like to add? Tell us in a comment below. 

So, here are ten fantastic gift ideas!

1. Exclusive ONE and FashionABLE scarf from Ethiopia

Made exclusively for ONE by fashionABLE, this handcrafted scarf made of 100% African cotton creates economic opportunities for Ethiopian women, who have been affected by the effects of poverty.
Price: $40.00

2. iPad mini Smart Cover- (PRODUCT) RED

Redesigned for the iPad mini, the iPad mini Smart Cover is a thin, durable cover that magnetically aligns for a perfect fit. A percentage of the proceeds support the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.
Price: $39.00

3. Handcrafted beaded necklace by 31Bits

Single strand of medium shaped beads attached to a Heather-Grey fabric made of 100% Cotton. Available in Blue and Yellow.
Price: $32.00

4. Triple Brass Ring by MADE.

Designed by Hattie Rickards, this chunky unisex ring is both bold yet under-stated and is the perfect accessory for both work and play.
Price: $57.00

5. Buy a Family a Cow through Oxfam

Buy a cow and you will provide a family with an entire economic support system. A Heifer cow provides nutritious products for a family to sell,  it mows the grass, and moo-ves a family toward greater opportunity.
Price: $75.00

6. FEED 1 Bag

The FEED 1 bag is a stylish, well-designed and reversible burlap and 100% organic cotton bag that has a mighty mission – to help raise awareness and funds for child hunger. When you purchase a FEED 1 bag, you will guarantee that ONE child is fed in school for ONE full year through the United Nations World Food Program.
Price: $65.00

7. Send an orphan to school with Save the Children.

The gift of education pays the school fees of eager-to-learn children and equips them with the necessary supplies.
Price: $30.00

8. ONE and (RED)’s beaded bracelet.

Our bracelet is handmade in South Africa by Relate, a non-profit social enterprise creating opportunities through an employment project that gives dignity and hope to those whose lives have been impacted by HIV/AIDS. $1 from each bracelet sold goes to the Global Fund.
Price: $5.00

9. SameSky Fabricwrap bracelet made in Rwanda

Simply Irresistible features bracelets that are orange, navy blue and tan colored and are adorned with four hand-blown glass beads. The length of the bracelet is approximately 15″ long and wraps approximately 2 times around wrists size 6″-7.5″. It can also be worn as a necklace and hair accessory. The closure is made of two hand blown glass beads and a loop hole.
Price: $30.00

10. Sseko Designs Sandles made in Uganda

The Sseko Holiday Collection features a pair of handcrafted leather sandal bases, three straps and a canvas bag.  Sseko provides income for young women who want to continue their education through University.
Price: $75.00

Even babies are doing it…

While your little one might not be old enough to sign the nutrition petition (which you can sign in the form below) or submit a recipe to our Digital Sweet Potato Cookbook, he or she is the perfect age to rock the “Sweetie Pie” ONEsie for Thanksgiving.

Proof that your baby is destined to be a poverty fighter just like you, this ONEsie is sure to serve as a great conversation starter to help educate your friends and family about the campaign to get sweet potatoes on the menu and nutrition on the agenda.

Go to the ONE Store to get yours today!

The summit, co-chaired by former US Secretaries of State Madeleine K. Albright and Colin L. Powell, convened corporate leaders, US policy makers, development experts, and some of the most prominent African business leaders to set an action agenda going forward and call on the Obama administration to champion better policies and increase funding for programs that improve the lives of the world’s poorest people. The summit also provided a unique opportunity for both American and African business leaders to detail their strategies for reducing global poverty.

ONE’s CEO, David Lane, ONE Senior Director for Outreach, Dayna Cade, and I had the opportunity to learn firsthand about the great work of US and African businesses in the fight to help those that live on less than a dollar a day.

I found the individual stories of African business leaders to be one of the most interesting parts of the conference. IGD along with knowledge partner Dalberg Global Development Advisors developed Frontier 100, a network connecting US CEO’s with powerful business leaders in developing world. I was truly inspired by Sai Ramakrishna Karuturi, who oversees Karuturi Global Ltd. of Ethiopia, the largest rose producer in the world. In an effort to better the lives of his incredible employees and community, Mr. Karuturi provides free primary and secondary schooling for the children of all 5,000+ employees, a full-scale health center with surgeons, ARV medication, and maternal health facilities, and living conditions with electricity and clean water. This past year, every student finished secondary school and over 70% went on to college. Like many of the amazing African business leaders I met yesterday, Mr. Karuturi believes that he and his employees work together to alleviate poverty and preventable disease.

You can learn more about IGD and explore the great work of the other Frontier 100 members here.

-Adrienne Sullivan

People all over the world ages 14 and older are invited to submit videos, no longer than three minutes in length, containing any form of artistic expression including, but not limited to, dance, spoken word, poetry, and song. This contest is a call for engagement and action. Videos will be judged on originality, creativity, effectiveness, and production quality. Four winners (two in each of the age categories: 14-17 years and 18+ years; one non U.S., one U.S.) will receive the grand prize: an all-expense-paid, two-week cultural exchange program to the United States (for the non-U.S. winners) or from the United States to a country to be determined (for the U.S. winners). Members of the ExchangesConnect international social network community will vote on their favorite top 40 video entries, and these entries will then will be ranked by a prestigious panel of judges who are ECA program alumni.

In addition to receiving global recognition of their videos-on the ExchangesConnect network and through other promotional venues-the four grand prize winners will be eligible to participate in a fully-funded international exchange program of approximately two week’s duration. (Visa eligibility applies.) Contest opened December 1, 2008 and closes January 26, 2009. Winners will be announced March 16, 2009. Create and enter your videos now on the new international social network ExchangesConnect here for a chance to win an international experience of a lifetime.

The panel of judges includes:

• Toni Blackman – Musician, Performer and Writer (U.S. Cultural Envoy and The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad alumna);
• Fran Drescher – Actress; Founder, Cancer Schmancer Movement (American Public Diplomacy Envoy);
• Milton Glaser – Graphic Artist (Fulbright Program alumnus);
• Raafat Khalid – President, Cultural Civic Education Organization, Egypt (International Visitor Leadership Program alumnus);
• Bob Shaye – Founder and Former Co-Chairman, New Line Cinema; Principal UNIQUE FEATURES (Fulbright Program alumnus); and
• Bob Simon – CBS News Correspondent (Fulbright Program alumnus).

-Adrienne Sullivan and Michele Peters