Helping Communities in Nepal

Help support indigenous communities in Nepal this Christmas with Aveda’s 2009 Holiday Collection. Featuring many all-time favourites, the gift sets are topped with Nepali paper fabric handcrafted in Malika and Dolakha, two forest regions located high in the Himalayas. This paper is sustainably sourced from the bark of the lokta shrub and harvested without destroying the plant stock. By sourcing Lokta paper, Aveda helps support the local industry, thus keeping families together and reversing local deforestation in the region.

Beginning as a partnership with Nepali communities back in 2002, this support helps promote environmental stewardship and builds a brighter future for families in the region. When local communities receive fair payment for their products, it provides increased income and fosters economic independence. For example, family members previously forced to travel to India for work have been able to stay home.

Aveda belongs to a group that consists of non-government organizations and Nepali businesses that protect local forests. As a result, forests in the Malika and Dalika Dolakha regions were the first in Asia and only the fifth in the world to acquire FSC certification, guaranteeing responsible management and better lives for local Nepali people. This has helped communities regain, manage and protect 50,000 acres of FSC-certified forest. In addition, they have also linked communities in Nepal with child-rights advocates working to end abusive practices including child bonded labor and child trafficking.

“When you give an Aveda holiday gift embellished with Nepali Lokta paper, you support a centuries old indigenous craft, and help break the cycle of poverty for the next generation,” said Dominique Conseil, president of Aveda. “This example of successful micro-enterprise reflects the Aveda mission as it cares for both the community and the planet.”

Do your part and choose from seven limited edition gift sets for loved ones: Caribbean Rejuvenation (HK$280), Source of Replenishment (HK$770), Himalayan Glow (HK$370), Seven Points of Balance (HK$580), Ritual of Relief ($495), Carry-on Companion (HK$180) and Conserve Vibrancy (HK$480).

Call Aveda customer service hotline (852) 2737 3026 for more information. Available at salons, spas, stores and online at www.aveda.com.

Esther Ng