January 20, 2003

SURAT KABAR

The Suradi Imports Newsletter

Hello and welcome again to the Suradi Imports Surat Kabar.  2002 was a busy year at Suradi Imports.  We have been busy increasing our line of quality handcrafted products from Indonesia and increasing our services to our Indonesian community.  Our team of artisans in Central Java has been working hard to create new and unique products for us to enjoy here in North America.  Suradi Imports continues its devotion to small family workshops and our growing customer base just increases the number of artisans we are able to support.  We continue to buy goods directly from village artisans and small home industries.  I am happy to report that on our most recent trip back to Java, at least two of our suppliers had built extensions onto their homes and workshops since our last visit.  It is by the growth of our producers that we measure our success.

As our product lines expand, we continue our mission to bring the unique art of  Java into our American homes.  We are very excited about the expansion of our line of carved wall panels, or Anginan.  These teak pieces are hand carved reproductions of actual panels used as ventilation above doors in traditional Javanese homes.  Our skilled carvers, Suyamto and Sukidi create each piece individually so you can be sure each one is unique.  You’ll find their signature carved into the back of all our finer Anginan.

We are also excited to announce the expansion of our line of Buddha and related items to include cast bronzes from East Java.  Cast bronze Buddhas come in a number of sizes and shapes, ranging from a five inch sitting Buddha to our 15 inch Buddha head.  You’ll also find Thai style Buddhas and bronze elephants in this line.  Buddhas have been very popular this year, and our stone carved and cast Buddhas continue to sell out.

In our continuing commitment to social programs in Java, our scholarship fund has had another successful year.  With the help of the Traderbug Network in Seattle, we were able to give five junior high school scholarships and one elementary school scholarship in 2002.  This year we  tried something new.  W e bought goats for the families of the recipients.  The children and their parents were instructed to care for the goats until funds are needed for school tuitions, when they should sell the goats to help pay fees.  They also have the option of breeding the  goats, creating a real investment from which the entire family can benefit well into the future.

Please contact us at Suradi Imports if you are interested in participating in this scholarship fund.  It costs less than $150 to register a child for junior high or high school and outfit him or her for a year of learning.

We thank you for your interest in Suradi Imports and look forward to sharing our experience of the Javanese culture with you this year.  Please visit our website at www.SuradiImports.com

for more information about products and programs.

Sincerely,

Amy McDonald

Director and Founder

Suradi Imports