Pangea Artisan Market & Cafe opened its doors at the International Finance (IFC) building in Washington, D.C., on May 22, to rave reviews from those present. The store is operated under the auspices of the IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group - in collaboration with World Craft and Café, Inc (WCC), a private retail operator owned and managed by entrepreneurs, Sunil and Deepak Shrestha.

Pangea, which means “all lands”, is a celebration and tribute to the spirit and resilience of women in developing countries. These women use traditional handicraft techniques to produce exquisite, high-end fashion accessories and home décor products - while they have little access to basic health services, and almost no opportunity to use their dynamic skills to generate income for their families.

The concept for Pangea raises awareness to the plight of women in developing countries, while giving each patron an opportunity to take finding solutions to the World’s problems out of the hands of their governments and policy makers, and make an individual impact with every purchase.

The store has an educational component that allows visitors to scan each item into interactive kiosks and learn the stories of the artisans who fashion the most intricate patterns and exquisite deigns that adorn every window and shelf of the store’s interior.

World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, and representatives from three NGO’s (Hagar, SEWA and Gone Rural) whose products are featured at the store, cut the ribbon at the ceremonial opening.

"Pangea provides a window into the work that the World Bank Group does with local communities in developing countries, and is assisting socially-oriented enterprises to become sustainable businesses," said Mr. Wolfowitz.

Pierre Tami, founder and executive director of Hagar, said the ability to earn a living “enhances the dignity” of women, especially those who have been rescued from trafficking. These women are now given a trade and self-respect. The Pangea store showcases the handicrafts that the women produce. “Today the women are able to earn a living wage, showing how empowerment can affect them,” noted Tami.

“Pangea has given us an outlet for our products in the United States, so not only are we selling, but we are able to grow our business through this wonderful store,” said Zoe Dean-Smith, managing director of Gone Rural.

What would a market & café be without bagels, pastries, sandwiches, wraps and smoothies? These are only some of the treats available to tantalize the platelets of those browsing through the store.

Pangea is not all about handicrafts and smoothies - patrons can drop in, grab a coffee, and enjoy scheduled cultural events and lectures centered around economic, development and trade issues in their lunch hour or early afternoon.

This all encompassing vision is the impetus for this artisan market and café that has been described by IFC’s Grassroots Business Initiative director Harold Rosen as the first of its kind in this type of neighborhood showcasing high-quality merchandise and contributing to the well being of artisans in developing countries.