Opportunity for Women x Agir Sa Vie, a partnership for the empowerment of women
The Agir Sa Vie Foundation, founded in 2001, supports innovative projects that provide assistance to people living in extreme poverty and isolation. The goal of the association's projects is to encourage the autonomy of its beneficiaries by empowering them to play an active role in their own development. The environment and its preservation are also central to the foundation's commitments and the projects it supports.
Opportunity for Women responded to the call for projects with the aim of contributing to the emancipation of women from the Lao and Thai ethnic groups in the Dien Bien Phu province of Vietnam. The project was selected by the Foundation and its main goal is to develop the traditional weaving activity. Production is also intended to be sustainable while promoting local craftsmanship and know-how. This weaving activity had already been structured since 2019 by Anh Chi Em, a local branch of Entrepreneurs du Monde and TrendEthics. An initial catalog of patterns and natural colors had been put together, and the Opportunity for Women association had already helped the women create a first collection of cushions sold in France.
Thanks to the call for projects from the Agir Sa Vie Foundation, Opportunity for Women will be able to boost its impact even further!
New wooden machines for separating cotton from seeds have arrived to assist the weavers and facilitate weaving. These machines will facilitate organic cotton cultivation and spinning near the village and by the weavers themselves. Cotton plantations had already been planted in July 2020, but due to a lack of suitable equipment for spinning the cotton, the weavers preferred to source their cotton from another village.
In addition, the women will be able to receive even more training because a natural dye expert will be able to teach them new techniques, which will ensure quality and environmentally friendly products. The women already knew how to make some colors, including a beautiful blue, but there were some problems during washing.
With the goal also being emancipation, Opportunity for Women will also collaborate with the aim of developing sales throughout Vietnam, particularly through a website to promote their know-how and products!
