Mandors tartan ribbon ~ a long round trip!
Last weekend, I made a special purchase in the Edinburgh branch of Mandors – 20m of green, yellow and red tartan ribbon…
I have now sent off the ribbon to a women’s co-operative called “Groupement Takku Liggey” in the rural village of Keur Momar Sarr, Senegal. Groupement will use the ribbon as part of their grassroots project. The women turn beautiful West African fabrics into bags, aprons and tablecloths, to sell to customers in Scotland and beyond.
The women will cut the tartan ribbon into individual rectangles and attach one folded rectangle to the side of each unique Senegalese product. The ribbon is green, yellow and red to represent the colours of Senegal and the tartan design represents the links with Scotland.
Groupement will then send a package of colourful wares back to Scotland, which is enough to brighten even the most dreich of Scottish days. The bags, aprons and tablecloths then wing their way to community markets and events to be sold to happy customers. 100% of the proceeds are returned to the 23 members of the co-operative. This benefits the women and their families and injects much-needed cash into the wider village. Most recently, Groupement bought two cows with their profits, which the whole community is delighted with.
The wee tartan label has featured on our products since we set up the project in September 2009. As our Project grows, we hope that recognition of our wee tartan label will grow too.
For more information about the Project, please contact us through Facebook: “Groupement Takku Liggey”.
Thank you Mandors for stocking the Groupement ribbon!
Joanne Glover,
On behalf of Groupement Takku Liggey, Keur Momar Sarr, Senegal