A Moment With…Mihiri Udabage from Generation Wonder: An Extraordinary Fair Trade, Eco, and Organic Emporium
Posted: December 2nd, 2008Today I’d like you to meet the beautiful Mihiri from Generation Wonder. Mihiri lives in Sydney with her husband Raj, and their two children Maya, 6, and Arjan, 3.
Mihiri provides us with the most inspiring eco, organic and Fair Trade products through her specialty store Generation Wonder, and it is truly a wonder to discover these gorgeous goodies accompanied by such uplifting stories of how they came into being.
Mihiri’s passion and care shines through all her choices. I hope you enjoy meeting her, and hearing her story today – Angela.
Mihiri is extending two very special offers to KSF Readers for the next 7 days, ending December 9, 2008:
- 15% off Zid Zid Kids (one of my very favourite Fair Trade brands!!) Enter ‘KSF Zid Zid’ in the Special Instructions Box when ordering.
- 10% off the stunning New York artists Ida Pearle’s framed custom name prints. Enter ‘KSF Ida‘ in the Special Instructions Box when ordering.
Hot Tip: To locate all the brands on the Generation Wonder site, I like to use the site map.
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Tell us about your life, and what you did before you had your children?
Right now life is hectic…and I’m loving it! I think between my husband and I we have more jobs than there are people; we’re still working out why that is!
My life revolves around our little family of four and the communities we exist in. Generation Wonder takes up a big chunk of the day, we have a small extended family we see often, lots to do with school and preschool life, and a lovely group of friends we enjoy spending time with.
I’m also thriving on doing voluntary work with a very special charity called Room to Read, which builds schools and libraries for children (mostly in Asia and Africa) who would not otherwise have access to the lifelong gift of education.
Life was certainly moving at a more reasonable pace a few years ago, and before children…well, looking back, it seems like we had all the time in the world, even though we felt very busy at the time.
I grew up in Sydney, then Brisbane, then back to Sydney for University. I qualified as an Occupational Therapist and worked in the field of mental health for many years before taking up a human resources training and development role in the health sector.
I always had this sense of wanting to do a job that helped people. I did return to work after my first child but after the second, decided I needed to do something that was closer to home and allowed me to spend more time with the children and less time running them up and down to day care.
You stock only Fairtrade, eco and organic products only at Generation Wonder, and they’re all based around ‘stories’. Tell us a little about that.
As a child, I could always be mesmerised by a story. My happiest childhood memories are long lazy days reading books under the bed covers.
Of the things I remember learning about at school, much of what I remember is because I learned the story of it, the background, the bit that makes a trivial fact or figure vivid and real. So when I started Generation Wonder, the love of story, combined with the desire to do a job that helped others, led me to find wonderful products with wonderful stories.
I really believe our littlest citizens have the biggest capacity to make a difference in the world. Children are so receptive to learning, I feel it’s a missed opportunity not to introduce to them from a young age, stories that connect them to their global community. I believe that if we give them the opportunity to learn about the environment, or someone else’s human experience, we give them the opportunity of growing up knowing that they matter, and that they can make a difference in the world, just by the choices they make.
Because a major role in the life of a child is play, and that is how they learn, at Generation Wonder, I’ve combined the wonder of play with global stories, and hope that a little learning follows.
What are your top 5 bestsellers, and why?
My First Doctor’s Kit and My First Picnic Basket are very popular. Perhaps it’s the wonderful story of the ladies in Thailand who are supported by a local group of nuns to make these beautiful toys by hand. Plus they are delightful and imaginative and have lots of stuff in them!
Fair Trade dolls by Lanka Kade – I think everyone can find a doll that looks a little like the child they are buying for, because these dolls represent kids looking different, and that reality is generally not represented very well in children’s dolls.
Crocodile Creek bibs and place mats – These are selling well encourages me a lot. The message about the value of PVC FREE items for our kids and in manufacturing processes must be getting out there.
Zid Zid Kids Mini Poofs – I’ve barely loaded these on to the website and they are flying out the door! Zid Zid Kids is a family business in Morocco – their pieces are just beautifully designed, beautifully hand made – the stuff of whimsy and fantasy. I sigh with awe every time I see them.
The Purple Flower Felt Bag by Third World Craft, Nepal, is tops – it’s such a gorgeous colour and I think it’s just the right size for a young girl, not too big, not too small, just right. And teamed with a Lanka Kade skipping rope and a TWC heart purse, it’s a gorgeous, and completely Fair Trade, gift.
What’s your favourite activity to do with your kids?
Can I say putting them to bed at night?? Seriously though,there is something very soothing about that time of night when rapid-fire conversations slow down to hushed whispers and restless little bodies relax into the sheets.
We do love to go to the swimming pool or the beach. It’s an activity we can all do together, gets us outside, and everyone gets to relax.
Complete this sentence: Generation Wonder is…
…a community of families out to make a difference in the world!
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Generation Wonder stock the following brands:
Hot Tip: To locate all the brands on the Generation Wonder site, I like to use the site map.
Kidsonroof, Barefoot, Zid Zid Kids, Fleurville, Thermos, Crocodile Creek, Craft Aid Mauritius, Essential Angel, Taylor and Khoo, Ethica Accessories, Global Fund for Children, Global Mamas, Kindred Magazine, Lanka Kade, OBON, Organic Bubs, Papoose, Plato Puzzles, Remarkable UK, Sisters of Good Shepherd, Third World Craft Nepal, Tiny Revolutionary, Turtlegreen, Whole Child Series, and Blessed Earth.
Generation Wonder charge from $7.00 for postage Australia wide. Read the full post charges schedule here. Generation Wonder also ship globally. Contact Mihiri for a quote.
