By doing your shopping at the Wereldwinkel in Voorschoten you are directly helping small farmers and artisans in the Third World to earn a decent living so that they can put food on their tables and send their children to school.

Respect for man and environment
The Wereldwinkel stocks a wide range of food and arts-and-crafts, all of which have been made by small-scale producers and co-operatives in the developing countries of Africa, Central and South America and South-East Asia. We buy directly from importers accredited by the Landelijke Vereniging van Wereldwinkels (National Association of World Shops). All food sold in the shop carries the "Max Havelaar" trademark, which stands for:
  • Respect for man and environment
  • Decent working conditions and equal opportunities for both men and women
  • Fair trading agreements with producers, and a decent price for their products
Variety of foods
As you would expect we sell a variety of foods including teas, coffee, jam, marmalade, chocolate, wine, sauces and rice as well as the Dutch staples of peanut butter and chocolate sprinkles! Are you looking for that special present? We specialize in small baskets filled with a selection of our food products; ideal for birthdays and dinner parties.

Arts & crafts, beautiful jewellery and toys
We sell an eclectic range of beautiful jewellery, from silver rings and pendants to earrings and bead necklaces. Our selection of handmade wooden, pottery and stone carvings from Africa and India is bound to provide you with inspiration whilst scarves and pashminas are always a popular gift. The younger generation is catered for by our colourful toys, most of which are handmade in Sri Lanka and are just that bit different from the toys found in the larger stores.

And last but not least you can also find paper products and that special greetings card for every occasion. Most are handmade in the developing world from recycled paper or from a special material such as banana leaf.

We might be small but you will be surprised by just how much we stock. Because of our size we replenish our shelves at frequent intervals - you can always be sure of finding something of interest in our shop! Look in our regularly changing window displays both in our shop at Schoolstraat 45 and in "Edmondo" dry-cleaners at Schoolstraat 182.

Run by volunteers
The Wereldwinkel in Voorschoten is one of over 400 in The Netherlands. Our shop is run and staffed entirely by volunteers. Each volunteer undertakes to cover two or more shifts per month in the shop and may take on additional tasks if so desired. We welcome new volunteers to join the team – what better way could there be to improve your Dutch?

We are also willing to provide a well-stocked stall at that special event organized by your office or club. For more information please contact us by email or phone. Check this website for details of our special events such as the annual sale of cribs in November under the tower of the church.