Field Notes

I knew Nazia before she knew me. I knew that she had an arranged marriage and became pregnant at age 16. I knew that her husband abandoned her and their son when she was only 18 years old and she often feared that she wouldn't be able to provide for her family. I knew that this fear grew over the years as her mother's health declined.

The True Cost is a documentary about clothing -   the clothes we wear, the people who make them, and the impact the industry is having on the world that we share. The price of clothing has been decreasing for decades, while the human and environmental costs have grown exponentially. The True Cost is a groundbreaking documentary film that addresses an issue that may arguably be one of the most urgent problems of the 21st century.

In May of 2015 we received a generous grant from Circle of Sisterhood to provide educational opportunities to Anchal artisans. The Circle of Sisterhood is a non-profit organization that focuses on removing barriers and providing educational opportunities for women and girls in the developing world. 

From work to home, Maya is a light in the lives of many (ours included). As a wife, a mother of 3 boys, and an Anchal artisan of 4 years, Maya is very busy, yet she maintains a positive outlook on her future. Her long-term goals are to give her children an education and to own a home.

Design thinking is an important term commonly used here at Anchal. It is an approach to problem solving that has allowed us to developed into the organization we are today and how we continue to expand and formulate new ideas. It is innovation at its finest. It is a collaboration. It is a process.

We did it! We received sustained funding from Dining for Women for our newest initiative, Designing Colorful Change, which will allow us to train 135 women in harvesting and natural dye techniques in Ajmer, India!

Last month our educational workshop covered an exciting topic: entrepreneurship. The goal of the workshop was to enhance the women's knowledge about potential opportunities and inspire them to use their skills to start small businesses and make smart investments, further elevating themselves and their families from poverty.

The center point of the dyeScape plan at 1655 Portland Avenue and 609 North 17th Street has completely transformed since we originally purchased the lot.

Social enterprises are revenue-generating businesses with a twist. Whether operated by a non-profit organization or by a for-profit company, a social enterprise has two goals: to achieve social, cultural, community economic or environmental outcomes and to earn revenue. On the surface, many social enterprises look, feel, and operate like traditional businesses. But when you look more deeply, you can see that their mission is at the center of everything they do.

 

 

I never understood what true empowerment felt like until this moment. Despite the immense hardship each artisan has faced, they have fought for change.

We almost didn't write this post because we didn't know how to put our experience into words. It was an unparalleled, pinch-yourself-to-make-sure-this-is-real, out of body moment that we will try our best to share.