We’re always on the look out for craftspeople who we can develop products with to sell through our shop, Vagabond Van. Through ongoing trade, we hope that we can help the wonderful people we meet along the way and share their talent with you.

Near Harare, in Zimbabwe, we came across a business which produces copper and zinc bands (which are believed to have empowering properties but I’ll save that for another post).

After wearing these special copper and zinc bands for a few days, inspiration struck. We came up with an idea which has the potential to spread hope, not just in Zimbabwe but across the globe. (When you’re stuck in a Land Rover for hours every day, its amazing the ideas you come up with :) )

We had the bands made in our own design and, here’s the significant part, each was engraved with its own unique ID. We then built a website so that, when it goes live in the next couple of weeks, owners will be able to pass on their Band4Hope and watch its journey unfold online as it travels from person to person, gathering hopes and memories. 1/4 of the sale price from each Band4Hope goes to a charity of your choice and there’s also the option for people to donate through your band to this chosen charity.

The project aims to band people, hopes and actions together, while raising funds and awareness for charity through the continual passing on of Band4Hopes and the recording of their journeys online in a HopeTrail.

[hope + action] x crowd = a movement 4 positive social change.