An introduction to the NGO SEWA over 10 years ago by a dear friend was the beginning of a wonderful working relationship. SEWA is the Self Employed Women’s Association, registered in 1972 with a membership base of over 1.5 million women workers across 16 states in India.

SEWA’s philosophical roots are strong and their ongoing commitments are powerful. They aim to strengthen women through establishing a common identity as informal workers while making the rights, needs and visions of each worker a priority. Each woman is empowered through education. Each woman is taught a skill. Each woman is shown how to properly manage her own bank account. Each woman is welcomed into this association and encouraged to become a leader of her own program and to up-hold non-violent methods of demonstration. Each woman begins to feel the warmth of no longer living in poverty in the shadows. 

Full employment & self reliance are SEWA’s goals for each and every one of their workers. Full employment provides economic security, food security and social security while self-reliance aims to allow for both mental and economic independence. 

Clothing and homewares design came hand in hand with a realisation that I could make a difference. Small as it may be, by bringing my designs to life with a number of NGOs, I was able to not only follow my own dreams, but also help others. Sharing my story with you here, you can understand that sometimes even if the path takes us on a slightly rockier one, the end results are worth every second of it. Through friendships and business ventures strongly forged along my journey, and with thanks to my dear friend Penny McIvor, I was introduced to The Women’s
Interlink Foundation (WIF). Not the first philanthropic foundation I have worked with and it certainly won’t be the last, but it is one that I have a huge amount of respect for. Based in Calcutta, the WIF vision mirrors my own of a world where disadvantaged women, vulnerable children and communities have access to basic amenities, and are empowered to improve their quality of life.

Being a part of empowering women workers to find the strength to provide for themselves & their families is a blessing. Since the 90s, WIF has been working with women who have been enslaved into prostitution, some at unthinkably young ages. These women, often at the point of despair, are taken in, taught a craft in happy & healthy working conditions and also taught how to manage their new-found freedom. The shared community space becomes their home. The fellow workers become their family. Together they share domestic chores of cooking and cleaning, learn to read & write, become savvy in the intricacies of home economics in order to manage their own bank accounts and generally prepare for a new way of life the rest of us so easily take for granted.

Finding the right foundation to bring my designs to life can be quite tricky but strong friendships over the years have often developed into even stronger working relationships and I feel blessed to be part of a network of so many skilled artisans. Over 17 years ago a journey with my dear friend Dayan began. Originally from Finland, Dayan had a vision to become a guardian of an ancient Buddha Temple in the Himalayas, and created a community which has evolved into a foundation of equally empowered workers. Together with her Nepalese husband and the strength of a village, this wonderful foundation now helps to support their local economy and provides food, clothing and health care for the community as well as supporting the education of 165 kids from very poor backgrounds. Inspiring community growth, care for the elderly is lovingly provided and everyone is kept warm and cosy during the colder winter months with hand stitched blankets and clothing. The unschooled are guided and trained to implement useful skills & crafts like stitching, knitting, crochet, organic gardening, cleaning, cooking, teaching and so much more! No task is too big or too small and everyone plays a part.

We absolutely love Solid’s motto “some say that life isn’t fair, but we think it should be!” and we fully agree! 

Solid is a fair trade project in Peru that helps vulnerable women support themselves and their families. They fight gender-based violence and teach skills to improve wellbeing and welfare through workshops. Social work is woven into the workplace, providing coaching, workshops and free childcare on site. 
They produce absolutely beautiful sustainable and socially responsible textiles, knitwear and we are obsessed with their alpaca pieces.
Happily supporting their artisans, the Solid team know that they are uplifting the communities they live in. 

All products are sustainably sourced and treated using indigenous methods.