From their garage in Springwood, two former CMS missionaries hope to transform the way Australians shop.

This month, Grant and Mignonne Murray, who spent six years living and working in rural Tanzania, are launching a fair-trade company called Tribes & Nations.

“Firstly we want to educate people about being ‘fair’ when we shop,” says Grant Murray.

“And secondly it’s about Christians helping Christians who are producing great products but don’t have a market to the West.”

Grant explains the heart-breaking circumstances of many Christians in the developing world who are struggling to survive, such as Muslim converts in Bangladesh.

His on-line company [url=http://www.tribesandnations.com.au]http://www.tribesandnations.com.au[/url] sources homewares, fair-trade coffee and tea, and accessories for adults and children from these groups in the third world.

Grant and Mignonne’s Tanzanian experience allowed them to see the devastating impact of poverty first hand.

“We are especially concerned for those who have experienced poverty because of social stigma, such as minority religious groups or AIDS sufferers,” says Mignonne.

Yet, Tribes & Nations itself was born in traumatic circumstances.

“We came back to Australia from Tanzania because our son was seriously ill,” explains Mignonne.

“It was devastating because mission work was our life’s calling. It was so exciting to be sharing the gospel and teaching the bible in another language.”

Confused about what God could do with them in Australia, a light went off when they realised that through fair trade they could use their contacts in the third-world to contact unreached people here in Sydney!

“We knew all about these beautiful products from our time in Tanzania,” Mignonne says.

“We were convicted of the part we could play, in providing a fair trade market bridge between developing countries and the West.”

The idea for a fully fledged Internet fair-trade company emerged when Mignonne began running a stall at Springwood?s local Blue Gum markets late last year.

Goods are imported from South Africa, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia.

Because Tribes & Nations sources directly from local producers and operates a virtual boutique, the goods are exceptionally good value.

The structure of Tribes & Nations ensures that the ?one who does the work receives a fair wage or profit?.

The Murrays have partnered with organisations like the Priscilla Centre in Assam, India.

This group works with women who are or have been commercial sex workers, alcoholics, drug addicts, those who are HIV positive, and early school leavers.

Working alongside local churches, The Priscilla Centre sets up counselling and vocational centres, aiming to transform lives- economically, socially, physically and spiritually.

Grant explains, “The artisans we work with receive realistic and fair prices they have set themselves. We pay 50 per cent in advance so our suppliers have funds to cover raw materials and their needs during production.

“By bypassing middlemen, costs are cut and a greater percentage of the retail price goes to the artisans.”

The Murrays long-term dream is to have a thriving website that supports Christian ministry in the developing world, and perhaps even a shop front in the Blue Mountains tourist mecca of Leura.

“It’s quite exciting but nerve-wracking because we have to pay the bills,” says Mignonne.

“We know God is sovereign and we are praying that our customers would be touched by God?s love through our work.”