The Atinga Project lives in between this tension: the power of charity and the power of business. Both do tremendous good. But only one does tremendous harm: charity. This is simply because it is very easy to give, when you have plenty... and many organizations do not do the hard work of researching the repercussions of this mindset and action.

Atinga, a West African term that connotes dignity, honor, and humility towards all working people, exists specifically to expose the fallacy of hand-outs and second-hand goods: free stuff shipped from wealthy Western countries severely damage local economies throughout the world, driving down prices and keeping people in a cycle of poverty. Please ask us for the many resources and research pertaining to this claim.

Assuming "poor people need things" or don't have access to clothing and shoes robs them of their dignity and industry - this has been documented thoroughly in the academic realm but not at all advertised in the public. Instead, companies like Toms shoes and many non-profits still advertise "the poor" and perpetuate denigrating stereotypes of them.

**To learn more about these truths and what you can practically do to reverse these trends, ask us for a copy of POVERTY INC. or stream this award-winning documentary online.**

The artisan-shoemakers of The Atinga Project and their families are hurt by donated and subsidized goods because they are *always under-priced* - how can you compete, making hand-made shoes from scratch (think of the costs associated with this business) when Americans send thousands of boxes of second-hand shoes into your marketplace? Those goods are sold at low prices *because nobody had to make them or they were sold at low market pricing*.

The conclusion of The Atinga Project after more than six years of research is that all second-hand shoes and clothing must be sensitively priced and tailored to the local destination economy, mirroring the pricing of free-enterprising entrepreneurs and other locally sold products. Otherwise, business men and women alike will suffer or even go out of business.