Haiti Natural Skincare Startup Business
My name is Marla Bosworth from Back Porch Soap Company
and I'm traveling to Haiti on February 28-March 3 to launch an entrepreneurial startup with a group of women from OFEDA. This group of women has a rich history together since the earthquake four years ago (you can read more below). The women have come together to form a natural skincare business group. During this trip they will learn to make herbal balms (healing moisturizers) and solid perfumes.
The women will practice producing these products over the next couple of months and I will continue to visit them throughout 2014 as well as encourage and coach them throughout the life of this business or as long as they need my assistance - from product development to pricing and sales.
Your donation will help fund this trip and future trips. 100% of your donation will go to:
* Supplies and Materials for This and Future Workshops This Year
* Ongoing 2014 Supplies and Materials (we are working to source local ingredients for them, although this takes time)
* Cost of Translator (I speak English - they speak French/Creole)
* Cost of our Haitian Driver, Marco
* Travel to and from Haiti
Building on Success
This will be the fourth business startup for OFEDA. Paula Allen, of Paula Allen Photography (NYC) began a cardmaking business with OFEDA in 2010 after the earthquake in Haiti. In January 2013, Amanda Griffin of The Lovin Soap Project and I traveled to Haiti and helped launch a soapmaking and natural haircare business with the OFEDA women. Amanda, along with Benjamin Aaron continue to support the soap business. The third business is a jewelry startup, launched in 2013.
More About Who You're Helping
There is a group of women in Haiti, near Port Au Prince, located in a government-owned tent camp whose lives were torn apart in January 2010 after the country's disastrous earthquake. These women are known as OFEDA (Organisation des Femmes Devouees en Action). They are a unique and independent women's group founded after Haiti's disastrous earthquake.
The women, who range in age from 18 to 82 years old, came together for the first time in January 2010 soon after the earthquake. They began meeting under a tree in the tent camp to support and encourage each other with hope and possibility.
These women have a dream, and we want to help them achieve it. By starting businesses together (their first being a handmade greeting card company), they hope to find a way out of the tent camps to reclaim their lives and to continue moving forward with dignity and security.
The Impact
Your contribution will help us to provide education in natural skincare product formulation for women in Haiti. Our education and continued support will provide the tools they need to create a sustainable business using local ingredients sourced from Haiti. It is our hope that the cooperative that we are assisting will support themselves financially from the sale of finished personal care products.
Other Ways You Can Help
If you can't contribute, you can still help by spreading the word about our campaign to your friends on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites.
