Do good with every purchase.
Our purpose for creating Red Thread Life is simple: we want to help as many women in need as we possibly can.
We are starting small, quite simply because we have to start somewhere. But though we are small, we are already having an impact on women in countries around the world. (Read more about these individual women and countries below.)
Our shipping department is staffed entirely by women who are in need in the US, women who have had to escape violent situations in their homes. These women have children who are also benefitting from their mothers being able to care for them while working.
In time, we will grow. We are currently taking no profits from our work, but are reinvesting our proceeds (what we do not pay the women in our shipping department) into expanding our work. See our plan for more information on how we plan to help others as we move forward.
Our products will never be the result of sweatshops or cheap and unfair labor. Our goal is ethically made products that will benefit women in need.
Our products have an impact in the following countries:
United States: In the United States, many women are faced with terrible challenges, such as domestic violence, poverty, and homelessness. Our shipping department is staffed entirely by US women who have escaped domestic violence.
“You are loved” in the Targhee National Forest.
We also support refugee women in the US through Prosperity Candle. Every Coco Shine and travel tin candle creates opportunities for women refugees building a brighter future in the U.S., and supports women’s entrepreneurship around the world.
Prosperity provides jobs for refugee women who have resettled in the United States.
We also support The Women’s Bean Project in Denver, CO. The WBP offers a public way to address chronic unemployment, recidivism, welfare dependency and a host of other challenges.
Throughout the course of nine months, WBP works with Program Participants to help them discover their capabilities, talents and interests.
As they approach the end of the program, participants will decide whether to further their education, access more training through another community nonprofit, or search for a new job.
Democratic Republic of Congo: Congo is home to one of the world’s deadliest and most underreported conflicts. Women are brutalized and whole communities are terrorized on a constant basis. (Learn more here and here.) Our Congolese chocolate is fairly sourced and provides real help for farmers in Congo.
Cocoa beans in DRC. (Source: Eastern Congo Initiative.)
Nepal: An estimated 12,000 victims of sex trafficking cross the border between Nepal and India every year. The human trafficking industry, which is the world’s second largest criminal enterprise, is gaining momentum worldwide. It is a problem that is incredibly prevalent in Nepal, where women’s low status and insufficient education make them vulnerable targets for traffickers. Our Red Thread bracelets provide an income for rescued girls.
Rescued girls in Nepal weaving bracelets. Source: Red Thread Movement.
Vietnam: In Vietnam only about 15% of disabled persons receive training in vocational skills, and many end up unemployed and very poor. Our scarves enable women to earn almost double the Vietnamese national livable wage.
Vietnamese artisans. Source: Craftbeauty.
Bangladesh: The soap we carry provides alternative employment for former sex workers. The stories of these women involve abuse, victimization, trauma, and pain.
Sacred Mark employees in Bangladesh. (Source: Sacred Mark Enterprise)
Iraq: Our pillar candles are hand poured by women in Baghdad in partnership between Women for Women International and Prosperity Candle.
Prosperity Candle entrepreneur in Baghdad, Iraq.
India: Our pajama pants are created by Blue Mango Trust, a Training and Income Generation Program for village women in Tamil Nadu, South India. Their goal is to provide an infrastructure that gives marginalized women a chance to gain financial self sufficiency in a supportive and healing environment. Blue Mango gives priority to women who have minimal support and few options: AIDS Affected, Widows, Physically Disabled, and Victims of Domestic and Sexual Abuse. As the women gain confidence, take home good earnings, save for the future and embrace ownership in the program – feelings of hopelessness subside and a sense of empowerment takes root.
Blue Mango Trust
Syria/Lebanon: The situation in Syria is dire, causing refugees to flee in large numbers. Many Syrian refugees have ended up in Lebanon, and the living situation for them is extremely difficult. Women are frightened to go outside, and there is no work for men. People are very hungry. Domestic violence is rampant. Basmeh and Zeitooneh provides many services to help, one of which is a women’s workshop where women are able to learn to embroider and earn money for their work. Our pillow covers are custom and hand-embroidered by refugee women in these workshops.
Refugees in Lebanon learning custom embroidery.
Uganda: In Uganda, young girls are often not given the same opportunities as boys. Without access to education they often marry young, have large families that they are unable to care for, and are forced to work difficult jobs for very little pay. We believe educating young girls is the first step in ending a seemingly never ending cycle of poverty in Africa. Help us Unlock Hope in their lives for a better future buy purchasing one of our Unlock Hope Tees.
Every T-shirt sale supports girls who are receiving an education in Hoima, Uganda.