Arushi is a social business and has been operating in the UK, marketing products for Gramshree and Earn N' Learn since December 2010. Our mission is to market ethical, handmade products that strengthen the communities they come from through sustaining livelihoods.
We wanted to do something meaningful and that kept us connected to communities that we have grown to love over the years. Many organisations work with local communities with the vision that these communities will eventually become self-sustainable. This got us thinking how we can act as a vehicle between these communities, their handmade products and people here in the UK.
With a vision to strengthen these communities and initiatives, and after carrying out research into the current status of these products in the UK, we approached two projects associated with Manav Sadhna - Earn N' Learn and Gramshree. Both of these initiatives work with either the children or women who live in the urban slums or streets of Ahmedabad to give them an opportunity to earn fair wages, but also have access to education, health, security, a safe and nurturing work environment – at no cost to their dignity.
The products that they make include greeting cards, wedding and event stationary, clothes, accessories, amongst other things. We started this platfrom to offer handmade and bespoke products that are ethical.