Don't be fooled by the one long night a year he spends eating cookies nonstop. Santa is actually a pretty fit guy. The Cycling Santa Ornament is crafted from banana fiber. Derived from the trunk of the banana tree, banana fiber is a renewable material with many uses. This ornament was handmade by artisans working with the What's Up workshop in Kihara located on the outskirts of the city of Nairobi in Kenya. What's Up is a family business employing 15 family members and neighbors of the family.
- Banana fiber, aluminum wire
- 3.5Lx4H inches
- Handmade in Kenya
Artisan Story:
In 1995 Claytone Ombasyi, a Christian businessman in Nairobi, Kenya, started OTIC, a privately held export and marketing company. Ombasyi, with professional experience in exporting and marketing, wanted to help local artisans connect with export markets. He operates his business with the utmost integrity and expects the same of others, encouraging artisans to consider their products a reflection of themselves and to use the products to share their vision with customers. OTIC provides export, packaging and quality control support for a number of small workshops in and around Nairobi. Depending on their circumstances, these small groups provide a variety of advantages to their artisans. Some offer training in wood carving, while others provide short–term, no interest loans. Ten Thousand Villages has purchased products from OTIC since 2001.
About Us
Villages Port Colborne is located along the shore of the Niagara Peninsula. Where the Welland Canal and Lake Erie meet, in the heart of Port Colborne, we have been fair trade since 1984. We carry unique, handcrafted goods that are ethically made from artisans around the world. If you’re in the Southern Ontario area, we welcome you to visit us in-person!
