October 15, 2006

More and more common are the stories of big corporations teaming together with worthy causes, associations and organisations. Today, department stores Macy's has added its name to the list of major corporations making social and ethical consciousness part of their usual business.

The department store giant has been retailing baskets made by Rwandan widows. A weaver makes $24 per basket made, which is roughly 1/3 of the retail sell price. Macy’s decision to help the widowers was due to its desire to help alleviate the suffering of these women since the 1994 genocide in which more than 500,000 persons perished, as well as to contribute to the economic develop and growth of Rwanda. The $24 feeds the widows for one month. This comes as excellent news as it takes an average of one week to make the baskets. That places the widows income at about $4/day, with the national daily average income being $.56.
Made from sweet grass and sisal, the baskets must undergo and pass stringent quality requirements. During a successful trial run on the partnership, the department store imported 650 baskets last year. Due to its overwhelming success, this year 31,000 more have been ordered. The baskets are sold in Macy’s in Atlanta, New York and Chicago. They may also be purchased online at www.macys.com.