And no you don’t even have to go to South America to be in on it! This fabulous shop in Sonoma, California with an online store, is chock full of handmade textiles, arts and crafts from artists in South America.

After paying artists fair wages and covering bare operating costs, Fred and Janneth Johnson, the storeowners donate all proceeds to African-Ecuadorian students pursuing graduate and undergraduate studies.

Right now South American Secrets is supporting a handful of students through its donation efforts. Representing Ecuador's marginalized communities, each pupil's remarkable journey to attend college often requires a six-hour canoe trip or helicopter flight just to get to a bus stop.

"Eighty-five percent of Ecuadorians never even set foot in these villages. They don't even know they exist," Fred added.

The research projects students choose have the potential to help their own villages. The academic focus ranges from cultural and anthropological studies to scientific pursuits. One student is examining local river pollution, which could aid in the fight against logging companies—an industry that has not only ravaged river water but exploited many regions in Ecuador.

"These students are amazing people," said Fred, who tries to visit them a couple of times a year. Their homes seldom have electricity or running water.

In an attempt to bypass the political corruption in Ecuador, South American Secrets works with both Ecuadorian universities and two major nongovernmental agencies—one in the United States and one in Ecuador—to ensure the money gets to the students. The funds cover transportation, study materials, food and other essentials.

So step right into the store and see the beauty and craftsmanship for yourself - Scarves, ponchos and sweaters —alongside burnished bamboo furniture, wooden sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, carved chessboards and paintings.

SHOP: www.southamericansecrets.com