Swazi Soul
When setting up Swazi Soul we decided to focus on the small land locked country of Swaziland in Southern Africa—hence the Swazi part of our name.
 
Swaziland is a beautiful country of rolling hills and flowing rivers. It is however a country that has been deeply rocked by HIV and AIDS. Estimates suggest 40% of the 1.1 million population is infected. As a result life expectancy has plummeted and there are thousands of orphans. Currently the average life expectancy in Swaziland is 39 years for women and 40 years for men. Education and trade are two areas that can make a difference to the lives of the people of Swaziland.
 
The Soul part of our name simply comes from our desire to create a business with a heart and a mission. We all like to feel good and it is our hope that by trading ethically, with a social conscience and by sourcing quality products we can all feel good about what we buy and what we use...from the heart and soul of Africa to you...
 
Trade: with purpose
We all have a wide range of buying choices in today's competitive market and we may not realise what an amazing impact we can have when we choose to purchase goods that are sourced in a fair and equitable manner.
 
At Swazi Soul we believe that trade: with purpose means bringing high quality products—art, craft, jewellery & body care—to Australia and New Zealand with the goal of having a direct positive impact on the lives of those affected by poverty and doing so without ripping them off. This means paying a fair and equitable price for the goods at the point of origin.
 
We also believe that trade: with purpose means that we have the responsibility to ensure that our prices are competitive so that it has the best possible chance of achieving repeat sales and thereby creating an ongoing income stream for our suppliers. We believe the products that you will find on our website are priced in such a manner. You may find cheaper products elsewhere but they may not be sourced with these principles in mind.
 
Over the past decades Aid has been the primary source of income for African nations. Such Aid was generated by wealthy white western countries, dressed up as a form of benevolence, but in many ways this has been little more than a way of ridding the guilt of the actions of previous generations. Trade with African countries—FAIR TRADE—is a responsible and sustainable method by which individuals, communities and countries can overcome the devastating effects of Poverty.
 
At Swazi Soul we have some long term goals....
Extend the message of trading fairly through a wide network of distributors in Australia and New Zealand
Establish a charity—Walk Tall—that focuses on education as a means to alleviate poverty in Swaziland.
Through Walk Tall, create a supported volunteer programme for Australian and New Zealand trained teachers to spend up to a year in Swaziland or similar Southern African nation.
Establish an Australian/New Zealand operated school in Swaziland.