I'm elated to announce my new endeavor as a...
Noonday Collection Ambassador!
"Noon-whaaa?" you
ask.
What began as a fundraiser for the founder's adoption, Noonday Collection quickly grew into a social enterprise for women around the world. Noonday is a company
that provides sustainable income to artisans in third-world countries by
employing the impoverished and underprivileged. Artisans make (all by hand)
the most beautiful necklaces, scarves, bags and home goods. Each item is
on-target with current fashion trends and colors. (Our Spring Line has
lots of similarities to Anthropologie. No joke.)
The purchase
of these goods provides a platform to shed light on poverty and social justice
issues in developing countries. Each artisan receives a fair,
live-able wage according to fair trade standards.
Scarves are hand woven by women in Guatemala.
Paper scraps are turned into beautiful beaded necklaces in Uganda. Women are being sponsored to go through sewing school in Rwanda to earn a living.
Farmers in Northern Ethiopia supply local bead makers with artillery shells discovered on their lands following former war conflicts. Village artisans melt down these shells to create delicate beads. The beads are sent to a mountain tribe of women who live with HIV, who create incredible jewelry. Remnants of former weapons of conflict are now upcycled pieces of redemption, as women begin to be defined by their handicraft rather than their disease.
This clutch was crafted by young adults with special needs from underprivileged communities in New Delhi with recycled VHS tapes. The special artisans in India are provided vocational training as part of their overall development in order to inspire their creativity and help prepare them to become self-sufficient in the future.
As an ambassador, I get to advocate for these artisans by telling their stories and selling their goods. God has certainly orchestrated these details according to His perfect timing. I've been praying for an opportunity to be a voice for the voiceless in the next steps of my career, and this is it!
I'll be sharing more within the next days/weeks/months to come... and maybe even a Noonday merchandise giveaway, too!
