The Samugam Foundation

 

Fair and Square is the sales partner for the Sewing the Seeds Project of the Samugam Foundation in Pondicherry, India. Our bags are handmade by disadvantaged women who enjoy a paid tailor training program. We choose to work with women because studies have shown that money placed in the hands of a woman is more economical. When you invest in a woman, she invests 90% back into the health, nutrition and education of her family. Contrasting this with men who invest only 34% back into their families. Empowering women in developing countries creates jobs, helps contribute to economic growth, and promotes greater liberty and democracy.
 

We use the profit from your bag to support the different projects of the Samugam Foundation like Jaly Home and SamuPlan, two projects that send the children of these disadvantaged women to school and give them the opportunity to be a carefree child. Thanks to your support we can help to give the next generation a brighter future with more opportunities.

 

In the tailor shop, each woman has access to free drinking water, multiple fans and a toilet, which is not very common for India. She gets personal guidance and coaching during her paid training program and finishes it at her own pace. When she's ready to work independently she can choose to get a free sewing machine or a full-time contract in the tailor shop. Now she can generate her own income and greatly improve the living conditions for her and her family.

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Greenamity

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At Fair and Square we acknowledge the impact we have on the environment by producing and transporting products.

 

Therefore, we’ve partnered with Greenamity, a Belgian startup, to plant trees in Madagascar on our behalf. Our annual CO2-emissions are calculated and an according amount of trees is planted.

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Greenamity works with NGOs and social cooperatives in places where trees are needed and makes a real impact on local communities. Trees are planted and taken care of by local farmers and each tree is geolocated with its imagery published on Greenamity’s website. Fair and Square has already planted  50 trees and 50 more will follow during our second year!

 

Thanks to Greenamity we are a CO2-neutral company!