Programs: Fairwinds Trading
Announced:
January 7, 2011
Category:
Providing Small & Growing Businesses with Access to Financing & Business Services
Fund Amount: $174,832
Disbursed to Date: $174,823
Meet artisans in Jacmel.
Fairwinds Trading, partnering with current Clinton Bush Haiti Fund grantee Aid to Artisans will implement the second phase of a sales and marketing campaign for local artisans. This effort will build upon the momentum of a large order from Macy’s for its Heart of Haiti collection. The expanded program will work with artisan efforts in three additional communities and increase employment opportunities for Haitians — particularly women.
With funding from the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund and in-kind services from Fairwinds Trading, the loan could sustain the employment of 740 artisans and artisan managers and provide secondary employment for 185 additional individuals. Follow-up orders from Macy’s could provide income to support 4,544 individuals.
What is a PRI?
Program Related Investments (PRIs), are loans, guarantees, and other forms of investments that organizations like the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund use to support projects and programs.
Since the investments usually come in the form of a loan, the Fund eventually gets back the money loaned-out to invest again elsewhere. This enables the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund to expand the number of Haitian projects supported by donors’ dollars.
Why We Invested in Fairwinds Trading
Clinton Bush Haiti Fund's PRI loan to Fairwinds Trading reflects our commitment to supporting small and growing businesses and promoting jobs — especially for women.
Transforming Lives and Livelihoods
With support from the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, Fairwinds Trading plans to:
- Grow Haitian handicraft sales in the US by doubling distribution from 25 to 50 Macy’s stores and develop products for sale to additional retailers.
- Expand the program to work with artisans in additional communities by sharing best practices and building upon current marketing efforts.
- Increase employment for women in the artisan sector by 33% in targeted communities.
About Fairwinds Trading Company
Fairwinds Trading is a for-profit company that uses business as a strategy for economic empowerment in the developing world. In addition to being a woman-owned firm, Fairwinds Trading chooses to focus on women as evidence demonstrates that raising the standard of living for women has the greatest positive multiplier effect within families, communities, and cultures. Fairwinds Trading’s philosophy and business model embodies a new paradigm for global economic empowerment. It recognizes that compassionate aid needed in moments of crisis becomes culturally destructive if continued too long. Fairwinds Trading exemplifies how cross-cultural business partnerships, rooted in mutual learning and growth, can bring sustainable economic power to women around the world.
Trusted by both Haitian artisans and US retailers, Fairwinds’ strong buyer network includes Macy’s, Anthropologie, and Starbucks. Fairwinds Trading has opened US markets to thousands of artisans and entrepreneurs from the developing world, while introducing high-value, culturally expressive products to millions of Americans. Through its history of success with artisan products from developing nations, Fairwinds has already demonstrated that collections such as Heart of Haiti can generate jobs and social benefits in a manner that is ultimately both sustainable and profitable.
Learn more about the work Fairwinds is doing at www.fairwindstrading.com.
