Phrases such as environmental justice, fair trade, and sustainable development have penetrated the everyday lexicon of many Americans, and though most of us have an abstract understanding of what these concepts mean, few of us have seen, first-hand, the results on the ground level. And that's exactly what Global Exchange aims to change through their Reality Tours.

Global Exchange is an international human rights organization dedicated to promoting political, economic, environmental, and social justice. One of the ways the group pursues this goal is through Reality Tours, which educate the willing about domestic and international issues through socially responsible travel to more than 30 locales, including Ecuador, Kenya, and Vietnam. Sure it's a bit of an expensive gift—prices range from $750 to $3,000—but it's the experience of a lifetime. Explore how race, dance, and politics intertwine in Brazil, work with a Fair Trade coffee cooperative in Nicaragua, or witness how eco-tourism is slowly but surely aiding Tanzania's economy and, ultimately, its indigenous cultures.

If you can't spend the dough on a Reality Tour, you can still buy gifts that directly benefit producers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America by shopping in Global Exchange's Online Fair Trade Store. Choose from a huge selection of coffee and tea, chocolate, jewelry, books, and clothes.
www.globalexchange.org