Devik Wyman in her Sudbury store, Mango Tree Artisans, filled with ''fair trade'' items from across the world. (Wendy Maeda/Globe Staff)
By Susan Chaityn Lebovits November 9, 2008
Once a chef, restaurateur, and library director, Devik Wyman continues her passion catering to the public with her Sudbury store, Mango Tree Artisans, which specializes in "fair trade" items from around the world. A tajine from North Africa, fabric from Nepal, and pottery from Peru are just a few of the items found in the 750-square-foot shop that was inspired by a trip to Guatemala.
"Like many people who have volunteered in a developing country, I was drawn to return and learn more about the people and their struggles against financial, political, and personal obstacles," said Wyman. "I'm inspired by the groups in Guatemala working for peace and justice, sometimes risking their freedom or their lives to do so."
Wyman, a 62-year-old Framingham resident, said that her mission is to support artists and share the beauty of their creations. One way that's proved successful is by purchasing goods that have been approved by the Fair Trade Federation, which ensures workers and artisans have safe and sanitary working conditions and are being paid market value.
Some of the companies that Wyman supports include Hope for Women, a Vermont-based organization that imports handmade greeting cards from India and Guatemala. Their products are made with "tree free" paper that comes from recycled cotton rags, nontoxic vegetable ink, and eco-friendly packaging created from a compostable film made from corn.
Another company Wyman buys from is UPAVIM, a nonprofit women's cooperative in Guatemala City that has 66 residents, many of whom are the sole providers for their families. The cooperative has a sewing workshop, Montessori preschool, pharmacy, clinic, bakery, soymilk facility, and Internet cafe.
"All of this is located in a dangerous section of Guatemala City that the cab drivers prefer not to visit," she said.
Wyman took her first trip to Guatemala in 2000 when she and her two teenage children embarked on a weeklong adventure, living with a family in Quetzaltenango and studying Spanish. Her second visit was in February 2006 with her business and life partner Tim Brainerd to purchase goods before opening Mango Tree Artisans.
Last year, Wyman returned again with the Guatemala Solidarity Project to visit grass-roots organizations working for peace and justice. While there, Wyman said, they met with a number of groups including one based in the jungle that's working to get land entitlement; a leader in the banana workers union and various associations in the city that are supporting domestic workers by giving them training and housing.
Wyman said she has been drawn to adventure since she was a child, when she'd spend hours reading about other cultures and time periods that took her away from her Wellesley home.
She attended the University of New Hampshire and after graduation took a job as a camp cook. When the summer came to an end, she tried to find a chef's position at a ski lodge, but settled for a desk job at a Boston bank. After a year, Wyman hopped on a train across Canada and ended up in Seattle, where she worked as a cocktail waitress. She spent her days hiking and skiing in the mountains and taking a few college classes.
