At 365 Retail Markets we celebrate the innovators, the dreamers, those who take a chance and see opportunity where others see obstacles. We are grateful that you have been with us on this journey. This year we have donated in your name to support innovators in education, literacy, and craftsmanship in West Africa through our partnership with Three Sisters. the videos below explain the connection between your gifts, the people who made them, and you.
“if you have a tortoise, you will have good luck.”
Forming partnerships and making connections.
“Before this we didn’t have any books to read in our language. I had fun acting and learning how to type, too.”
Thank you for supporting our social enterprise. The handmade soapstone tortoise was made in Niger by Aghali Albaka and his team of craftsmen in the Sahara desert. They come from a long line of artisans who work with stone, silver, metal, and leather. Each tortoise takes two days to make, and the intricate designs represent the designs made by the wind in the sand. Profits from the sale of these tortoises help Ali and his community build a new well, pay school fees for their children, and pay fair wages to all members of the team. 365 Retail Markets has also given an additional donation to provide dust masks to safeguard the health of the workers in Niger.
365 Retail Markets has also given an additional donation in your name to support the Books That Bind program. which was created by members of the Trois Soeurs Education Fund because there were no children’s books in the languages they spoke at home. Books are essential for creating a culture of literacy which can, in turn, improve their lifelong earning potential. Kids in our programs have learned how to type, and have been trained in programs such as Microsoft Word and Excel, and Bloom Software. They see a better future and aspire to be engineers, architects, nurses, and teachers. We are proud of the brave steps that they have taken to create the first-ever bilingual children’s books in five of their national languages.
In French, the word luck is “la chance” and we’re grateful that 365 Retail Markets has been our partner in giving “la chance” to so many of our friends and partners in West Africa. We hope that you enjoy the craftsmanship and symbolism of your hand carved tortoise. Thank you for being a part of our family.