Kiwicha - Weltladen e.V.

About us

The Kiwicha (pronounced: Kiwitscha) is a particularly protein-containing South American plant. The Spanish conquerors forbade the cultivation of the Kiwicha to weaken the health and robustness of the Indians. Therefore, its re-cultivation has also become a symbol of release and independence.

The Kiwicha world-shop was founded in 1987 as a charitable association. The centre of our activities is our world-shop at the Vaihinger market where we sell goods that are traded in an fair way. These goods distinguish themselves by the fact that their production and marketing process is compatible with a welfare state and environmentally friendly. All of us work in an honorary capacity and we use the surplusses we make for the extension of our work in the shop, our educational and information work and the promotion of "Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe" (help somebody to help himself/herself)-projects in the "Third World ". We meet twice a month in our world-shop to discuss subjects related to development policy and to organize events.

We want to secure the bases of the life of people in the so-called developing countries and to open positive perspectives for them and contribute at the same time to a creation of awareness related to development policy in Germany. We are selling goods that are traded in a fair way. We buy them through alternative organizations who pay fair prices to the producers. We give information on products, producers, countries of origin, trade channels and the problems of world trade. To be able to put these objectives better into practice, we are working close together with the world-shops in the region and other groups who are involved in development policy. We are active members of the "Dachverband entwicklungspolitischer Aktionsgruppen in Baden-Würtemberg = DEAB" (umbrella organization of action groups in Baden-Württemberg who are involved in development policy) and the Bundesverband "Arbeitsgemeinschaft 3. Welt Läden (confederation "working group Third World Shops").

The producers get higher prices for their products than on the world market, an acceptance guarantee and sometimes a preliminary financing. Social and economic improvements are reached for the men and women and their families who produce, respectively cultivate our products. A certain share for that is included in every price. The guarantee of work prevents rural exodus which ends for many people in the slums of the cities. The producers of our products are partners and not only suppliers. With donations, such as "Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe" (help somebody to help himself/herself), we have financially supported one project in Peru and one project in Egypt until today.

We can offer one overnight accommodation for other net participants.