Shop carries items made by survivors of human trafficking

SPARTA — For the first time, the World Mission Shop of the Sparta United Methodist Church is carrying items made by survivors of trafficking around the world.

The company itself is called Made by Survivors and runs their own production centers and training programs in six countries around the world. Mostly jewelry, some of the items speak themselves of the desire to be free — a bird in flight, the word free or the word hope.

The shop has been open for many years now and features primarily fair trade items (which means that the artisans are paid a living wage).

Ann Freeman Price, coordinator of the World Mission Shop, says that frequently those who come to shop are excited to find many items from around the world. She added that each purchase allows artisans to provide food, education, healthcare, and shelter for themselves and their families.

The World Mission Shop is located at the Sparta United Methodist Church, 71 Sparta Avenue, in Sparta. It is open Thursdays and Fridays from 1 to 4 p.m., and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will also be open for an hour, 11:30 to 12:30 am, each Sunday in December, except Dec. 30.