Ninety-five Zimbabwean families can look forward to new homes - thanks to practical help from our customers and supporters.

When most of the workers at Dezign Inc, the screen-printing company supplying Traidcraft, were made homeless by the Mugabe regime last year, the company began looking at ways to re-house them, through an officially recognised scheme.

They could not fund this work themselves, however, so they appealed for support from their fair trade customers.  Traidcraft responded by developing a simple table runner for Dezign Inc to make, giving them much-needed work. They asked supporters to pledge to buy table runners and the £20 price, while high, meant they could make a significant donation to the housing project, along with some donations that supporters had also sent spontaneously.

By the end of March, Traidcraft had sent more than £5,000.  This will pay for all the land preparation work, putting in water, drainage and electricity and getting all the foundations built, which was due to happen by early May.

"Dezign Inc has appealed to other buyers for help but so far, only Traidcraft has sent money," said Traidcraft producer Support co-ordinator Catharine Howe.

The workers are already organising some fund raising activities and Laputa, the general manger said recently: "The housing project has given a new lease of life for the workers. It has brought everyone together."

Some of you may have seen the two table runners that I pledged and have now bought, they hang down the front of my stalls.

Thank you for your support of my stall.  Traidcraft does just go that extra mile in helping its producers.