3 Inspiring Companies & Organizations Expo West 2014

(OFRF) Organic Farming Research Foundation’s  annual luncheon once again was the perfect way to kick off Expo West with an amazingly tasty cuisine prepared by famed Chef’s Chris Blobaum (Atlanta GA) and Akasha Richards (now Culver City restaurant owner). Deeply Rooted was the theme of this incredibly scrumptious meal, which was a tapestry of rooted veggies – scalloped parsnips and potato casserole, beets, rainbow carrots and other palette pleasers! While I usually don’t eat sugar, Richard’s cherry pie (organic sugar included) was so worth the indulgence.

As we experienced this beautiful meal, caught up with old friends and made new ones, OFRF’s research grant recipient, Dr. Frank Kutka shared some insightful thoughts on the subject of Organic Ready Corn: Turning the Tables on Transgenics – the next wave of genetically modified crops. Thanks OFRF for all that you do for organic farming. www.ofrf.org

Meet two great companies with commendable business models!

In the past few years more and more caused based companies have arrived on the scene at Expo. This year the two companies whose business models most impressed and inspired me were – Alaffia and Beads for Life. Both of these companies have truly been a gift to so many in need by bringing local economic commerce and purpose to many of the natives of Africa, while producing top quality handcrafted fair trade products.

Left: Co-founders - Olowan'djo Tchala & Rose Hyde

Alaffia is a Certified Fair Trade company started in 2003 by co-founders Olowan’djo Tchala and his wife Rose Hyde. The company produces high quality unique body and hair care products including black soaps, curl activating shea cream/curly to kinky, healing balms/salves and hand woven baskets ... all of which use age old traditional handcrafted techniques. I had the pleasure of meeting both Olowan'djo and Rose in 2013 at a media event sponsored by Whole Foods market at Expo. I was also blessed with the opportunity to work/play along side Olowan’djo in cooking a traditional African (Togo) meal here in LA, where an inspiring 20-minute video of their story was screened. (See the link below.)

Olowan’djo and Rose have helped bring economic growth to many of the poverty stricken communities in Africa by empowering natives in their community through education, jobs, equality and building sustainable/economic cooperatives such as Shea Butter (unrefined), basket and bicycle cooperatives, as well as several other empowerment projects - maternal health, school construction and reforestation programs. 

Alaffia’s original product line features Shea Butter in all of their products. Their Shea is made from the nut oil of wild Shea trees grown in west and central Africa. It has been used for centuries in Africa as a true healing modality - as a decongestant, an anti-inflammatory for sprains and arthritis, healing save, moisturizing lotion for hair and skin care, and even cooking.

Alaffia’s Shea Butter is handcrafted, unrefined and free of hexane and petroleum solvents used in some of the other companies (heated) extraction process (which renders it white and odorless, removing many of nature’s inherent healing properties.) Their products have more of a yellow tint and a slight scent. Unrefined nutrient rich Shea Butter has been clinically tested and documented as having many healing benefits (i.e. protect skin against climate and UV aggressions, prevent wrinkle formation, enhances cell regeneration and capillary circulation, and much more.) – please see website for a detailed list.

 
I have been using many of their beautifully crafted products and have found each and every one of them to be extremely soothing and healing for a multitude of different skin/hair deficiencies. For more information about their humanitarian work, products and creative business structure, please watch their story – it’s quite remarkable.  http://tinyurl.com/p4pba4r

Devin Hubbard - co-founder

Bead for Life, is a non-profit, fair trade organization working to help eradicate poverty in Africa.  It was a chance meeting between three American women – Devin Hubbard, Torkin Wakefield and Ginny Jordan, and Ungandan born Millie Grace Akena (in an impoverished area of Africa), who was making beautiful hand rolled beads out of recycled magazines and newspapers to support her family – that inspired the idea for Bead for Life.

Many live on less than one dollar a day in this area of the world, but fortunately with the help and vision of these three Americans, combined with many of the native participants of Uganda utilizing their creative skills, talents and resources; this injustice is changing – one bead at a time.

The beads, when strung together, are quite striking and were certainly the talk of Expo this year (as were the compassionate women wearing them). Oddly enough, when my assistant and I were at the OFRF’s luncheon, we had complemented a woman who was wearing a strand of, you guessed it, Bead for Life. Little did we know we would be meeting the women behind this necklace the very next day?

Bead for Life has been instrumental in the global markets expansion for this beautiful line of jewelry (necklaces, bracelets and earrings) and handcrafted shea moisturizing cream. They have done this through a creative and smart business model that teaches the women of impoverished areas how to provide for themselves, their families and even their communities through a two-year education program. You can read about their model under the Impact tab on the website.

Additionally, the company offers a free curriculum template on their website to teach grades 6-12 about poverty issues, along with solutions to engage and empower our youth, teaching them how they too can help make a difference. (Downloadable or readable online) Bead for Life has also incorporated a well-tested creative marketing plan into their business model that engages, and benefits just about everyone through home parties. This is such a great idea (for all ages), especially for the holidays!!! www.beadforlife.org