Anonymous Angels crafts Fair Indigo fall jewelry line
05 Sep '07
4 min read
Meet Marlene. At age 50, she has only recently begun earning a regular paycheck and the sense of independence and self-worth that comes with it.
An acute heart condition kept her from finding meaningful work in her native Peru where, like many countries in the developing world, disabled citizens are often considered "unemployable" and struggle to make a living.
Sadly, many are forced to resort to begging or to making crafts and selling them on street corners. Marlene dreamed of a life for her children that would be better than her own.
Marlene is one of the Anonymous Angels, a San Luis, Peru-based cooperative of disabled artisans that is crafting jewelry for Fair Indigo's Fall 2007 Collection.
Marlene's new found sense of independence and financial security is the direct result of the explosion in fair trade retailing that has expanded from coffee into apparel and accessories.
She is also representative of the people whose lives are directly impacted by Fair Indigo's socially responsible approach to retailing, said Rob Behnke, a Fair Indigo co-founder and vice president of merchandising.
"Putting on a beautiful piece of jewelry becomes even more special when you know it is literally taking someone off the streets. Each exquisitely hand-crafted piece we sell makes a difference in the lives of these people."
"It means food on the table not just for one day, but every day. It means educational opportunities for their children. It means a better life all the way around," he said.
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