ABOUT
Palm to Palm
Habitant enforces the right to personhood by moving from palm to palm. Habitant’s products begin as a wild-growing member of the palm family, called the Chambira plant. Habitant’s products, when exchanged, press an income into the palms of the women of the Waorani tribe, allowing them to put food on their families’ tables.
“Habitant” is a variant of the English word inhabitant. Habitant’s goal is to provide opportunities to the jungle-dwelling Waorani woman of Ecuador, the urban-dwelling American, and everyone in between to fulfill the universal roles of stewardship, cultivation, and storytelling.
Stewardship describes responsible use of the gift of our globe. To steward this gift individually means the wise use of available resources, both financial and natural.
Cultivation describes the opportunity to bring order to chaos. In the same way that a gardener cultivates a wild patch to produce healthy tomatoes, so a Waorani person may cultivate the jungle to produce beautiful products, and a businessperson may cultivate a market to benefit customers. Cultivation is a universal word for daily human work. It is a privilege.
Storytelling is a human phenomenon that allows us to share the challenges, strategies, and victories of cultivating in all areas of human life. Stories inform our motivation for work and drive us to connect with human beings around the globe.
A BETTER SOLUTION
Branded gifts or merchandise, while explosively popular, tend to be repetitive, low-quality, or useless for recipients. “Tchotchkes” lose their effect when they don’t reflect the priorities or values of the organization. Habitant Exchange offers a unique and sustainable option for subtly-branded gifts while also providing income to female tribal artisans.
Event organizers and marketers, store owners, and even religious organizations are challenged to discover appropriate, moderately-priced gifts or branded offerings. Customizable packaging combined with high-quality handmade accessories creates the right item for women’s conference and event giveaways, merchandise for gift shops and cafés, and wholesale additions to retail stores.
NEWS
CSU ENGAGED BLOG : MORE THAN JUST A SIDE-HUSTLE
International business and French double major, dance minor, art and cooking enthusiast and now business owner with a purpose. CSU senior, Rachel Jablonski, is taking the "side hustle" from earning a little extra on the side, to helping humanity...[Read more here!]
MEET THE CREATOR
I'm Rachel!
The idea for Habitant struck me first when I visited the Waorani tribe in Ecuador on a short-term mission trip in 2018. When the pandemic created financial rifts for the tribal people, I knew the timing was right to bring my idea to life.
I'm a fourth-year college student studying international business, French, and dance. I'm passionate about creating economic opportunity for women around the world, discovering artistic outlets in everyday life, pursuing beauty by making my own art, and building intentional relationships.
In my free time, I like to read, cook for my family and friends, paint, dance, hike, embroider, eat bananas, and sit down for encouraging conversations with friends.