Love connects us all. 

Connecting Hearts 

Global Crafts 

This sweet Connecting Hearts soapstone decor piece is hand-carved from a single piece of natural soapstone. Soapstone is mined from great pits in the area surrounding Kiisi, Kenya. The mined soapstone is then delivered to carvers who carve sculptures from the natural stone. It takes intricate skill and craftsmanship to take one piece of stone and create two intertwined hearts. Once carved, the craftspeople smooth rough edges of the soapstone with sandpaper dipped in water and polish the piece to a high gloss or paint African motifs in brilliant colors with etched accents. 

Global Crafts’ soapstone pieces are carved by the artists of SMOLArt—a group of artists who live in the rural village of Tabaka, Kenya, the heart of soapstone crafts. The name, a shortened version of Small, Medium, and Large Artists, refers to the size of the soapstone products the artisans make, not their stature. Established in 1990, SMOLArt is a member of the WFTO, which ensures the artisans are paid a fair price for their work. In addition, the organization supports community development by contributing to projects that improve living conditions, education, and health of their members and the village at large.

For over 20 years, Global Crafts has worked with marginalized artisan groups in 8 different countries with a mission to create economic opportunities that empower individuals and transform communities. Global Crafts is a member of the Fair-Trade Federation and is committed to fair trade principles when working with partners. 

“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2