Mother’s Day gifts that give back
Apr 17, 2025
At Concern, we love moms. We work with millions of them each year, helping them get the care they need during and after pregnancy, giving them the tools they need to raise happy and healthy children, and working with them to launch businesses and build financial independence for their family — breaking what can be generations of cyclical poverty.
You can give two gifts this Mother’s Day — one that celebrates your own mom with Mission Market (which showcases products we’ve sourced from some of the 25 countries we work), and one that helps us work with more mothers and families in the years to come. We have everything below from a coffee and mug combination that elevates a Mother’s Day standard, to embroidery from Ukraine and Afghanistan, to a gift for the mom who says she doesn’t want anything. But first, let’s start with a rhinoceros…
1. Sleeping rhino pot
$69 / Malawi
Handmade out of ethically-sourced jacaranda wood by Bangwe carvers in Malawi, this unexpected statement piece infuses any space with joy. The rhinoceros has a special history in Malawi, where it was poached into extinction in the 1980s. In 2003, an initiative brought the animal back into the country. A crash of them now live safely and happily in the Majete Wildlife Reserve.
In a similar way, the carvers in the Bangwe Club are likewise keeping a centuries-old tradition alive in a time where artisans and craftwork are being lost. And, if your mom is more of a bird-watcher, we also have the Sleeping Ostrich pot — made by the same collective.
2. Potted flower embroidery
$25 / Ukraine
You can give your mother real flowers, which will be gone in about a week, or you can give her this potted flower, a popular motif in Ukrainian embroidery (with each region of the country having its own unique designs). These handmade ornaments can hang year-round and are crafted with care and skill. Concern has been working in Ukraine since 2022, helping many who have been displaced by the conflict to rebuild their livelihoods through craftwork and other skills in their new host communities.
Shop the Potted Flower in white
Shop the Potted Flower in green
3. Lapis double-oval ring
$45 / Afghanistan
Lapis lazuli has traditionally been a symbol of wisdom and love, and a gemstone unique to Afghanistan for millennia. Ethically-sourced, this exquisite blue lapis ring highlights the gemstone’s mesmerizing beauty and is expertly handcrafted by Afghan artisans. The ring is also available in circle and diamond cuts.
Concern has worked with Afghans both in their home country and in Pakistan on income-generating projects that also keep these traditional crafts alive and passed on to the next generation.
Shop the Lapis Double-Oval Ring
4. Concern Worldwide mug
$25 / Malawi
This one is a mug with meaning, handmade in Malawi where we’ve been active for 23 years, working with communities to build financial independence and security with livelihoods programs that have helped thousands of families to transform their lives.
5. Luna Coffee’s Concern blend
$10 / Ethiopia
Pair our Concern Worldwide mug (above) with a bag of single-origin Ethiopian coffee from our friends at Luna. The illustration on the bag captures a moment from one of our program participants in Ethiopia, preparing coffee as part of the jebena ceremony — a daily ritual for gathering, socializing, and celebrating community (as well as drinking coffee). For every bag sold, Luna donates a portion of the proceeds to Concern, and you can even sign your mom up for a regular subscription.
6. Four diamonds pillows
$50 / Afghanistan
A universal truth that binds us together as a global society: Our moms love pillows. These cases (measuring 20” by 18”) can slip over her existing cushions, or be paired with a new set to bring this traditional Afghan pattern to her favorite armchair or sofa. Every stitch reflects precision and care, resulting in a one-of-a-kind, high-quality piece that adds timeless beauty with added meaning to a space.
Shop the Four Diamonds Pillowcase in teal
Shop the Four Diamonds Pillowcase in Red-Blue
7. Mission Market sweatshirt
$55 / USA
This super-soft sweatshirt in Concern’s signature teal adds another level of comfy to your mom’s wardrobe, while furthering Concern’s mission to end extreme poverty, whatever it takes. (If you’re looking for something to transition to the warmer months, we also have a long-sleeve T in cherry red.)
Shop the Mission Market sweatshirt
8. Oversized wall hanging
$45 / Malawi
This oversized wall hanging is hand-woven by craftspeople in Malawi, who bring to each piece the character of a homemade work of art, together with a rich cultural heritage that they’re able to pass down from one generation to the next.
Shop the Oversized Wall Hanging
9. The vibrant geometric rug
$250 / Afghanistan
Rugs in Afghanistan are more than a decorative or functional item. They carry centuries of tradition, skill, and community, woven into vibrant patterns and colors. We have collected a variety of kilim and wool rugs from the communities we work with in Afghanistan, and this is just one of the one-of-a-kind pieces currently on sale in Mission Market, with more ranging from wall-hangings to large area rugs (and in price from $75 to $1,000). You can view the full selection in our Afghanistan collection.
Shop the Vibrant Geometric Rug
10. One full, lifesaving course of RUTF
$50 / Worldwide
Shopping last minute? Have a mom who “doesn’t want anything”? We’ve got that covered, too: a $50 gift to Concern Worldwide US is fully tax-deductible, and can cover the cost of a full treatment of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for a child suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Like any good gift, this one also has a story behind it, and you can share the history of RUTF and the program through which we administer it, Community Management of Acute Malnutrition, with your mom as well.
