Rick and Tina Jolley lived and worked in South Africa in the late 1970's, Rick for an American multinational corporation and Tina as a volunteer for Educational Wildlife Expeditions and the Endangered Wildlife Trust. They were able to travel extensively through southern and east Africa and, because of Tina's volunteer position , to visit remote villages while on walking safaris in several countries. They never forgot the desperation and hopelessness they observed in those villages. There was no running water or electricity, no sanitation, no medical facilities, no schools, and few older people. There was no work other than a little subsistence farming and almost no hope for a better life. The plight of women and children was particularly sad because of the number of children they had, the lack of basic medical care, and their inability to make a living if anything happened to their husband. The situation has only become worse in recent years because of the AIDS epidemic, which has resulted in millions of widows and orphans across Africa.

The Jolleys returned to the United States with a strong love and concern for Africa, and through the years have supported Africa as much as possible with financial contributions, prayer, and serving on the Chicago Area Committee of Africa Inland Mission and the missions committee of their church. They were never able to return to Africa because Tina was diagnosed with Lupus and experienced several years of declining health.

Tina died in May, 2006 and to honor her and to fulfill her desire to help the poor women and children of Africa, Rick started Tina's Great Things based on the following concepts:

A) We take our inspiration from the following Bible verse: James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

B) We will purchase products only from African companies which adhere to fair trade ideals.

C) All net profits will be contributed to organizations which encourage entrepreneurial efforts by making loans or grants to poor African women to start micro enterprises and/or support orphans medical care and education.

D) As much as possible we will duplicate handicrafts that Tina brought back from Africa.

E) Our goal is not profit but self sufficiency and empowerment of marginalized African women, and the improvement of living conditions and opportunity for women and children.

Empowering African women to combat poverty
through Fair Trade and the concept of Micro Enterprise...

© 2007 Tina’s Great Things

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