Details of some of our products
The story behind the Charlotte di Vita Collections is remarkable. Charlotte di Vita witnessed a famine in Northern Ghana which left over 6,000 families' farms in ruins. Determined to help she offered her £800 savings to the local Bawku tribe to buy much needed seed. In exchange, their master- carvers made wooden Ashanti statuettes as pendants for her to sell in the UK. They became the fashion accessory of 1993, and by 1994, Charlotte had raised £30,000 to enable the funding of food security for 25,000 people in northern Ghana. By 1995, the sale of handicrafts had also funded the building of three schools and the training of 37 teachers.
Charlotte continues this tradition by donating funds from the Charlotte di Vita Collections to enable underprivileged communities to fund their basic needs. By reviving traditional skills, creating secure employment and ensuring decent working conditions, Charlotte and her trading partners assist individuals to generate income and become self-sufficient.
Since 1992 Charlotte, has been able to return £5,000,000 to talented artists producing pieces such as those shown in this catalogue. In addition through her fair trade organisation, Trade plus Aid, Charlotte has donated £380,000, to initiate charitable projects.
Charlotte di Vita, who founded Trade plus Aid in 1992, was invited to Buckingham Palace on 2011 October 1998 to receive an MBE (Member of the British Empire), an honour bestowed upon her by HM Queen Elizabeth 11, in recognition of her charitable work. The day after her investiture, Charlotte was delighted to receive a letter from HM The Queen's office. The letter expressed Her Majesty's interest to learn that the secret of Royal enamelling had now been handed down, to preserve ancient traditions.
"Our trading projects mean more to our craftspeople than merely economic opportunity. They foster the fundamentals of self-esteem, education, health care, cultural continuity and the chance to protect the past whilst shaping the future."
Charlotte di Vita, MBE