Christmas gifts with a conscience at the Prestige Fairs

The Prestige Fairs at the Conrad Hong Kong are a highlight of the holiday season for many – a chance not only to stock up on Christmas gifts but to catch up with friends, too. They’re also a way of helping others, by buying from social enterprise vendors who are doing wonderful work in the community and the region. We spoke with representatives of two of these.

Vendor: Export Assistance Program Cambodia

Fair date: 2 December

“Export Assistance Program Cambodia is an initiative of the Hinrich Foundation, a non-profit organisation whose mission is promoting sustainable global trade. Since 2009, we’ve assisted international buyers to source from carefully pre-screened small-scale suppliers of quality handcrafted products.

Together with Hinrich Foundation scholars, we’ve joined various bazaars in Hong Kong since 2010 to sell silk Christmas ornaments and other handmade products to create more jobs for underprivileged producers in Cambodia. Christmas gifts that will be available at the Prestige Fairs include fashion bags, pleated shoulder bags, purses, silk wine holders, cases for iPads and iPhone, key rings, travel cases, passport holders and other handmade ornaments. By selling all these products, Export Assistance Program Cambodia strives to truly make a difference in people’s lives.

Also, if you’re interested in helping the less fortunate, the Hinrich Foundation’s Sell-To-Help campaign for Cambodia gives you the chance to create jobs for deaf people or victims of polio or landmines by volunteering at charity bazaars in Hong Kong to sell the lovely handmade goods they produce. No experience is required – our team of scholars will provide you with a clear event brief, products and sales skills. It’s a super easy and fun way to share an afternoon with colleagues helping others. For more information, visit hinrichfoundation.com/trade-assistance/cambodia-program.”

– Leanghort Sok

Vendor: Eden Ministry

Fair date: 10 December

“Eden Ministry was founded in 2003 by Lisa Samuelsen and Wendy Eldridge. They saw the alarming epidemic of young women in brothels in Asia and they saw that no one was doing anything to help. The lack of help for those trapped in the Asian sex trade led Lisa and Wendy to create Eden Ministry.

Eden provides opportunities to girls and women who have been trafficked into, and remain entrapped in, Asia’s red-light districts, allowing them to leave and find a new and transformed life. our holistic programmes to care for each individual’s body, mind and spirit.

Eden has an international jewellery business where it provides these women with a stable job, thereby economically empowering them. This helps to increase their resilience and minimise the likelihood of them returning to work in the red-light districts.

We’re always looking for people who want to host jewellery parties, or “Evenings of Hope”, in their own community. Donations are particularly significant for Eden’s current and upcoming outreach and restoration programme. For details, please contact hkinfo@edenministry.org. We also welcome volunteers with different talents; talk to us for further details.”

– Joanne Chan

Get some fabulous Christmas gifts at the Prestige Fairs, held at the Conrad Hong Kong. The Christmas Showcase is on 2 December and the Christmas Gift Festival is on 10 December. See prestigefairs.hk for more information, and be sure to visit the Expat Living table to get a free photo with Santa!