THE BEAUTY OF FREEDOM
A$1,052
of $1,700 targetyrs ago
Closed on 28th Oct 2013 at 1:00PM.
THE REALITY
Human trafficking and poverty feed India's sex industry.
The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates up to 20.9 million people globally have been stripped of their dignity due to human trafficking. Of those exploited, 4.5 million are victims of forced sexual exploitation.
This is the reality for some 10,000 girls and women who 'work the line' in India's city of Calcutta. Many are trafficked from neighbouring countries and for others poverty has left them without options.
The lives and freedom of these women are no longer their own. They are trapped in this 'trade', with no skills, no opportunities and no hope. This robs women of their freedom – they remain sex workers, with no other means of earning a living and imagine no other life.
The POSSIBILITY
Global Awareness + Conscious Consumerism = FREEDOM
The collaborators that make this equation possible?
FREESET GLOBAL is a fair trade business that offers freedom to women trapped in India’s Calcutta sex trade by empowering them with training, skills and employment. FREESET women make environmentally friendly, organic cotton and canvas Bags & T-shirts which are manufactured in line with fair trade principles.
Women are employed based upon their need for a job, not their skills.
Their business is Freedom!
HIPPIE LUXE is an emporium for all things holistic, yogic, feel good and inspiring. We are an online health & wellness boutique specialising in organic & natural skincare and non toxic cosmetics.
Our business is the Freedom to choose!
YOU! By heightening your global awareness and acting as a conscious consumer, you can exercise your freedom to choose what products and issues you support. Every choice you make has a lasting impact not only on you, but on a global level.
What do you choose?
Human trafficking and poverty feed India's sex industry.
The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates up to 20.9 million people globally have been stripped of their dignity due to human trafficking. Of those exploited, 4.5 million are victims of forced sexual exploitation.
This is the reality for some 10,000 girls and women who 'work the line' in India's city of Calcutta. Many are trafficked from neighbouring countries and for others poverty has left them without options.
The lives and freedom of these women are no longer their own. They are trapped in this 'trade', with no skills, no opportunities and no hope. This robs women of their freedom – they remain sex workers, with no other means of earning a living and imagine no other life.
The POSSIBILITY
Global Awareness + Conscious Consumerism = FREEDOM
The collaborators that make this equation possible?
FREESET GLOBAL is a fair trade business that offers freedom to women trapped in India’s Calcutta sex trade by empowering them with training, skills and employment. FREESET women make environmentally friendly, organic cotton and canvas Bags & T-shirts which are manufactured in line with fair trade principles.
Women are employed based upon their need for a job, not their skills.
Their business is Freedom!
HIPPIE LUXE is an emporium for all things holistic, yogic, feel good and inspiring. We are an online health & wellness boutique specialising in organic & natural skincare and non toxic cosmetics.
Our business is the Freedom to choose!
YOU! By heightening your global awareness and acting as a conscious consumer, you can exercise your freedom to choose what products and issues you support. Every choice you make has a lasting impact not only on you, but on a global level.
What do you choose?
The Women
At thirteen, Sonali* was stolen from her village, dragged to the back streets of Sonagacchi and sold into prostitution. Her first customer drugged and raped her unconscious body.
Bashanti*, a daughter of poverty-stricken parents, was sold into the sex trade by her mother, sacrificed so the rest of the family could eat.
DEBI's story..
My mother's life as a sex worker was very hard, but she did it for us (my brother and I). There were customers in our room all the time which was hard. Because of this, it was difficult to study when I was young. I had to stay outside and play in the street with friends. It was really hard. More...
When I got older it got even worse - many customers wanted me. That's when I thought, If I could just grow up and get married I could get away from this, but my mother didn't have enough money to give me in marriage. I couldn't study because of the room situation and when I was home I had to help around the house so I couldn't study even then - so I knew study wasn't for me. I thought it would be good if I could find a job, then I could have money for myself - enough money for my own marriage.
At first I didn't know there was a factory at the Freeset building, I just played outside because of customers in our room. I saw Kerry coming and going from Freeset, then one day I asked him if I could have a job and he said, "OK, come."
Freeset solved lots of my problems. First I was able to get married. I didn't need to stay in my room all day - I was away at work for 8 hours - that was great. I got a salary, which meant slowly I could save. I didn't have a bank account at first, but I was able to get one and start saving. Freeset helped me to save lots of money.
I used my own money to get married. I didn't take any money from my mother. Where would she have got it? Because of my job at Freeset, I was able to help my mother, which meant she didn't need to have so many customers.
To meet more of the women at Freeset Global pleases read HERE*names have been changed
Bashanti*, a daughter of poverty-stricken parents, was sold into the sex trade by her mother, sacrificed so the rest of the family could eat.
DEBI's story..
My mother's life as a sex worker was very hard, but she did it for us (my brother and I). There were customers in our room all the time which was hard. Because of this, it was difficult to study when I was young. I had to stay outside and play in the street with friends. It was really hard. More...
When I got older it got even worse - many customers wanted me. That's when I thought, If I could just grow up and get married I could get away from this, but my mother didn't have enough money to give me in marriage. I couldn't study because of the room situation and when I was home I had to help around the house so I couldn't study even then - so I knew study wasn't for me. I thought it would be good if I could find a job, then I could have money for myself - enough money for my own marriage.
At first I didn't know there was a factory at the Freeset building, I just played outside because of customers in our room. I saw Kerry coming and going from Freeset, then one day I asked him if I could have a job and he said, "OK, come."
Freeset solved lots of my problems. First I was able to get married. I didn't need to stay in my room all day - I was away at work for 8 hours - that was great. I got a salary, which meant slowly I could save. I didn't have a bank account at first, but I was able to get one and start saving. Freeset helped me to save lots of money.
I used my own money to get married. I didn't take any money from my mother. Where would she have got it? Because of my job at Freeset, I was able to help my mother, which meant she didn't need to have so many customers.
To meet more of the women at Freeset Global pleases read HERE*names have been changed
The Challenges
The bags might not be a retail success. This will directly impact how much we can support the women of Freeset and Calcutta and your involvement in assisting these women on their journey to freedom.
Our main interest!
Our main interest!
You make the production of 1 Freedom Bag pozible! Your reward = A love note and big virtual hug expressing my gratitude for your generosity
3 chosen / 97 available
Est. delivery is Nov 13
You make the production of 3 Freedom Bags pozible! Your reward = A love note and big virtual hug expressing my gratitude for your generosity AND a 10% off coupon for the Hippie Luxe website
7 chosen / 43 available
Est. delivery is Nov 13
You make the production of 7 Freedom Bags pozible. Your reward = 1 x Hippie Luxe cosmetic bag + a personalised thank you on the website & blog.
3 chosen / 17 available
Est. delivery is Dec 13
You make the production of 12 Freedom Bags pozible. Your reward = 1 x Hippie Luxe cosmetic bag + a 15% off coupon for the Hippie Luxe website + personalised thank you on the website & blog.
1 chosen / 19 available
Est. delivery is Dec 13
You make the production of 14 Freedom Bags pozible! Your reward = 2 x Hippie Luxe cosmetic bags + 15% off coupon for the Hippie Luxe website + a personalised thank you on the website & blog.
2 chosen / 8 available
Est. delivery is Dec 13
You make the production of 24 Freedom Bags pozible! Your reward = 2 x Hippie Luxe cosmetic bags + 20% off coupon for the Hippie Luxe website + a personalised thank you on the website & blog.
0 chosen / 20 available
Est. delivery is Dec 13
You make the production of 96 Freedom Bags pozible! Your reward = 2 x Hippie Luxe cosmetic bags + 2 products of your choice from the Hippie Luxe boutique + a personalised thank you on the website & blog.
0 chosen / 20 available
Est. delivery is Dec 13