Debt AIDS Trade Africa (DATA)

A couple weeks ago, Bono, accepted the Liberty Medal for his humanitarian work in Africa and exhorted Americans to keep working to solve the world's problems and spoke of those who are without freedom.

"When you are trapped by poverty, you are not free. When trade laws prevent you from selling the food you grew, you are not free...When you are a monk in Burma this very week, barred from entering a temple because of your gospel of peace ... well, then none of us are truly free," Bono said.

Bono and the organization he co-founded, Debt AIDS Trade Africa (DATA), received the award from former Liberty Medal recipient Pres. George H.W. Bush at the National Constitution Center and he donated the $100,000 prize to DATA.

While some people don't agree with Bono's approach to solving the problems in Africa, as they often involve large amounts of aid, DATA also engages in product development projects through PROJECT RED. Though EDImports has not had the pleasure of creating any products for PROJECT RED, Hallmark recently announced that it had created some bags in Mali that will be featured, along with some cards and other items, at their stores this fall. The vendors who supply our mudcloth bags and much of our West African jewelry both participated in the program.

We congratulate them on their success!