We've Interviewed Mao before, here: Saving Women, One Purse at a Time
Co-operatives, much like the one run by NOMI Network and it’s CEO Diana Mao, give back to the community, “…particularly helping women who are survivors [of human trafficking] become self-sufficient. They're in Cambodia primarily and we're going to be launching programs in India soon. So right now they're primarily in Cambodia.”
Photo credit: http://www.nominetwork.org/
Mao continues: “I really find value in what we're doing: being able to carry out opportunities for them to not only work but eventually move into other careers. Living out their dreams: becoming a teacher, becoming a nurse, becoming a pediatrician. And I've heard women express to me 'I believe that that can happen' y'know with the support of our organization and many others.”
“ [We also] help women not only build up their skill set but also develop products and , help facilitate the market linkages between what's being produced and what's really selling in the U.S. and the global market. We help create a demand for their products and the profit goes back to their education and training.”
Photo credit: http://www.eponaandoak.com/events-archive.html
Nomi network, whose prevailing slogan is “Buy her bag, not her body” use recycled rice bags to construct various products such as yoga mats handbags and laptop covers.
“[Our brand is geared toward] Cause-oriented women, college students, moms and young professionals” says Mao.
