Sofair
SoFair is a social enterprise developed by Professor Steven Henderson that aims to help people from poorer parts of the world by inspiring local graduates and students to apply their skills to the marketing of fair-trade products.
SoFair has begun by selling organic, pure cotton products made by a firm of women based in a Chennai village devastated by the Tsunami. SoFair are building a commercial clientele, where order sizes and profits are greater, helping to secure the long term future of the women and their families. Recent funding secured from UK UnLtd will be used to revolutionise the merchandising effort in conjunction with Vandanamu Ethical Cottons who handle the UK distribution. Volunteers on the project have also gained a great deal from their experiences.
The long term plan is to reach a point where interns and volunteers can maintain a self funding social enterprise where students can learn the techniques, joys and pitfalls of managing a small firm before starting their own businesses. The dream for the future is that one day SoFair could offer scholarships at Solent to some of the children who will have been supported through the project.
For more information see the SoFair website|