Products include: woodcarvings, silver-coloured Buddhas, scented soaps, handmade books, wooden masks, mirrors.

For about 20 years, windhorse: has been working in partnership with a company in Bali who supply around ¼ of our stock. They produce items in their own workshops, which we have visited many times.  The workers have sick leave, maternity leave and doctors on the premises (state medical provision in Bali is pretty rudimentary). 

They also act as middlemen for independent artisans who produce goods on a small scale in their home villages, nearly all of which we have visited.  The artisans work together on a very loose cooperative basis, so that families will help each other out if there is a large order to be completed.  They can't usually take advantage of the facilities available in the big workshops, since they are widely scattered through the countryside, but the extra money that they earn is some compensation.  30-40% of our Bali items come from such artisans.

Our trade helps to support local handicraft skills and to maintain a good quality of life that is community-based and quite prosperous. We pay 50% of the cost of goods before they are made and this helps producers to finance materials etc. (We have the same 50% upfront policy with craftspeople in other countries)

The wood comes from sustainable plantations, and we try to ensure that the palm oil used in soap from Bali does not come from plantations that have caused rainforest destruction.

We asked our suppliers in Bali if there was anything we could help with in their immediate area, and they suggested we fund essential repairs and basic equipment at two schools attended by the children of their employees. Our supplier liaised with the schools, co-ordinated the purchases, and matched our donation.  We were able to fund repairs to the school buildings as well as purchasing desks, sports equipment, office equipment, phone and computer, and giving scholarships to some pupils whose families could not afford the school fees. The funding has been renewed in 2006.  We are also discussing other local welfare projects; one possibility is social support for people living with AIDS.