SOLID Exchange

The SOLID exchange is one of the most important means by which SOLID raises funds and awareness for our projects in Africa. Over the past 10 years SOLID has helped to support seven different projects in five different Sub-Saharan African countries ranging from the Ndi Moyo Palliative Care Centre in Malawi, Apple Trees for Orphans in Swaziland, the Tasaru Girl’s rescue Centre in Kenya, Dormer K Learning Centre in Kenya, Goats for HIV + Mothers in Kenya, and Phelisanong Disabled Community Centre in Lesotho.

The SOLID exchange also provides an access point for members of the Salt Spring community to interface directly with other volunteers and to see first-hand the positive outcomes that can be achieved with volunteerism. One profound example of this exists in the Knit Wits, a group of elderly women at Meadowbrook who regularly contribute their considerable skills in knitting and sewing to the SOLID Exchange, and in return have the satisfaction of hearing that the cap or doll that they have taken the time to knit has found a home with an African orphan. This in itself is of immeasurable benefit to both communities.

The physical location of the SOLID Exchange allows for a transparent and accountable means by which community members can directly access information and network with other minded organizations and people. The store front is a community access point for a number of local non profits, including Institute for Sustainability Education and Action (I-SEA), Seeds for Malawi, Ometepe Coffee and others. The store provides a physical outlet for the commercial aspect to these partner groups’ fundraising efforts. We also carry products to assist the fundraising efforts of other groups like the RCMP calendar and SaltSpring Dollars. As Meron is also connected with the high school through the Global Awareness group, we plan to offer volunteer and work experience to GISS students at the SOLID Exchange.  The SOLID Exchange is completely volunteer run, maximizing the profit that supports both local and international projects.