Community Building through Fashion: Unkara’s Role in Fostering Economic Networks and Support Systems
Giuliana Inturrisi,
Abby Sun
Date
09/22/2023
Unkara's unique approach combines the community-based model of the United Nations with a market-driven touch.
By placing people at the centre of their activities, Unkara promotes resilience and self-protection mechanisms within communities. With tailored training, communities can become the driving force behind positive change, utilising their strengths and weaknesses to involve other relevant actors. Unkara provides the proper tools for communities to bloom and flourish.
The community-based approach reaches people within a certain geographic area or people with common interests or characteristics. The targeted community will be gathered together and mobilised to participate in the proposed activities to increase their resilience and self-sufficiency.
A decent amount of tailoring training programs have been carried out by the UN, institutions, and non-profit organizations. According to Science Africa, Shinning Hope for Communities (SHOFO), a local non-governmental organization based in Kibera, has successfully provided a self-reliant and sustainable solution to alleviate extreme poverty in the slum and significantly change the living conditions for the community of over 10,000 women and girls. However,we recognize the challenges faced by those trying to achieve financial self-sufficiency. Limited resources and a lack of financial knowledge can make this difficult to sustain.
That's why, at Unkara, we are committed to providing training for women from vulnerable backgrounds, helping them become professional and reliable workers. We are also working to address existing challenges in the field.
Create employment opportunities - shift consuming power to slow-fashion products
Skill training becomes more efficient when paired with applicable employment placement. By showcasing talents and skills we discovered in places with limited access to resources outside of their community, we connect the source of production to our customers.
Our mission is to create employment opportunities and shift consuming power to slow-fashion products. Our approach connects skilled workers to customers by showcasing talents and skills discovered in places with limited resources. By sticking to community-based sourcing and production, we create job opportunities for local women and revitalize the textile industry eroded by fast fashion.
Create a safe space to promote financial independence
For this reason, without excluding willing male actors, our social movement is made by women for women.
Unkara believes in creating a safe space for the vulnerable women of our community. We provide livelihood training and a sustainable work environment to foster economic networks and support systems.
Financial independence is crucial for breaking the cycle of violence and empowering women towards self-sufficiency. By providing ethical and sustainable employment opportunities, we help women gain a stronger sense of self-esteem and identity. Join us in creating a society where women are the protagonists of change.
Women have great potential if only they are given the opportunity to express themselves and to make ethical and sustainable life choices for themselves and their families.
