The Women’s Interlink Foundation (WIF) has launched an initiative whereby scarves made by vulnerable young Bengali women will be sold in the UK through Topshop, with all the profits going back to the women.
The charity’s Key To Freedom initiative, which is supported by HRH the Duke of York, provides women in West Bengal in India who have been exposed to domestic abuse, and in most cases trafficked into the sex trade, with skills to earn an income.
The initiative is supported by a point-of-sale, digital and social media campaign by Mother.
Each Bengali woman signs a swing tag attached to the hand-printed scarf she has created which carries the call to action “Share how you wear your scarf at Keytofreedom.org” — encouraging people who buy the garment to submit pictures of themselves wearing it.
These images will form the basis of the brand’s social presence and provide content for its Facebook page at Facebook.com/KeyToFreedom.
Key To Freedom branded scarves will go on sale in Topshop in London, New York, Las Vegas, LA, Hong Kong and Melbourne on July 16th. WIF provides accommodation in safe houses for the women where they are taught sewing and textile printing. The Indian printed designs available Topshop are an example of the garments the women hope to produce to help them become economically independent.
Kieran Bradshaw, strategist at Mother, said: “We have a great set-up with WIF, a beautiful product and now a great brand, so this initial launch is just the starting point in being able provide an income for the girls and to build a sustainable social enterprise model. “
Credits:
Creative Advertising Agency: Mother, London
Art Director, Copywriter, Planner, and Agency Producer: Mother