pathways, DECEMBER 2008
Ethica Accessories is the trading name of the Sisters of St Joseph Peruvian Project Ltd, an initiative that provides employment and income for hundreds of women and their families living in some of the poorest areas of Peru, South America.
Co-operatives have been established by the Sisters of St Joseph to train and equip women in producing accessories for sale in Australia.
They include handbags, finger puppets, alpaca scarfs, children clothes, Christmas decorations. The women benefit from direct and fair payment for their work.
According to sales and operations manager Gina Bradley, Ethica Accessories provides marginalised women with the tools to help themselves out of poverty.
"By nurturing a woman's abilities and skills, we can offer a more sustainable and secure future rather than just a 'hand-out'," she said.
"We target women in poverty-stricken areas who, without such help, have few or no means of earning an income needed for food, medicine and other basic necessities.
"In that way, the project provides a strategy for poverty alleviation and sustainable development, teaching them skills for the future and giving families and communities involved a better quality of life."
Ethica Accessories is a non profit organisation, member of the Fair Trade Organisation, winner of the Reed Gift Fair award for the Most Socially Responsible Product in 2006 and 2007.
Only weeks ago, the Sisters of St Joseph were granted a decoration of the Order "Merit for Distinguished Services" by the Peruvian Government in recognition of the work carried out in its country by the Sisters for 27 years.
If any reader would like to be involved with the project or to purchase gifts for Christmas or other occasions while helping these women, contact Gina Bradley on (02) 8912 2716 or gina.bradley@sosj.org.au
Top of page
