Newsletter | March / April 2010 | Sponsored Charity
Bloom-EcoBags Handmade In Cambodia
Proud supplier to Amnesty International
WHAT IS BLOOM
Bloom is a social enterprise founded in September 2006, by Singaporean Diana Saw. Bloom bags are made from recycled rice and fish feed bags and are all handmade by our team of ten Cambodians who spend their working hours dreaming up and making bags. Diana came to Cambodia for a holiday in April 2006 and was shocked into action by the country’s poverty and decided to do something about it: specifically, giving jobs with fair paying wages to disadvantaged Cambodians, especially single mothers. One of the things Diana wanted to do when she started the project was to be in control of workers’ wages and their working conditions. This is why she started the workshop and did not just focus on design and outsource production to another company, as many people do. All Bloom bags are made by the Bloom team. We do not outsource to other sewers because we want to be in control of the supply chain, to ensure that everyone involved in making a Bloom Bag is paid fairly. There is no middleman taking a cut and passing on the work to another. At Bloom, our mission is to alleviate poverty and save the environment at the same time, through our recycled bags.
WHAT IS A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE?
A social enterprise has the same mission as an NGO: to help people. The difference is that social enterprises do not depend on donations. We have to make it on our own. We do not want a donation from you, we want to provide you with a product or a service and be paid a fair price for it. We are proud to be able to produce quality goods and services that are appreciated by our customers. All Bloom profits go to our Khmer staff and to growing Bloom so we can employ even more Khmer staff in the future.
WHY BLOOM IS NOT AN NGO
We believe there are too many NGOs in Cambodia and that the country is too reliant on NGO money. Cambodia gets hundreds of millions in aid annually (USD690 million for 2007, a 15 per cent increase over the last year). Yet, “while Cambodia’s economy is one of the fastest growing economies in the region, some 35 percent of the kingdom’s 14 million people live in poverty, with nearly 50 percent of its national budget coming from international aid." (AFP, 12 Feb 2007). Bloom believes regular and constant handouts create a dependency mentality that is ultimately detrimental to Cambodian people. Furthermore, it is risky to rely on NGO funding, as donor nations are as wont to cut donations as they are to give them, depending on the donor’s economic performance. We believe it is important—indeed, necessary—for Cambodians to be self-reliant and to have a sustainable income. Here at Bloom, we are taking small steps for Cambodians to learn a skill and a trade so they can produce quality products and be part of the international trading community.
WHO FUNDS BLOOM?
Bloom is funded personally by Diana Saw. It is also funded by you, the customer. Whenever you purchase one of our bags you contribute to the Bloom team’s ability to be self-sufficient. SOCIAL ENTERPRISE, NGOS AND CAPITALISM As a social enterprise in Cambodia, we are competing with many NGOs on the one hand (which get donations) and for want of a better word, capitalistic businesses (which drive down costs in an effort to maximise profits). We recognise and accept the challenges that face all business, but are committed to principles of Fair Play, and will NEVER sacrifice those principles in order to be competitive. This means, for instance, we will never sacrifice workers' pay just so our bags will be cheaper. The average pay at Bloom today is more than twice the market rate. So please, before you ask us to discount our bags, remember that we are not a minimum wage factory; we are a social enterprise. If you want a cheap factory-made bag, Bloom is not what you are looking for. If you agree that workers (where-ever they are--Singapore, Germany, France, the US) should always be paid fairly and are not here to produce goods and services at low wages for the profit of big business, then please consider Bloom. To view our bags, or find out more about Bloom, please visit www.bloomcambodia.com, www.cambodiacalling.blogspot.com OR email Diana at dianassy@yahoo.com
THE BLOOM MANIFESTO
1. We believe in the right of all people to a decent life, free of poverty and with access to education
2. We believe you will be enriched helping the poor
3. We believe women hold up half the sky
4. We believe workers should always be paid a fair wage
5. We believe if you knew the truth, you would not be an accessory to the exploitation of workers
6. We believe exploitation is evil
7. We believe in the power of good over evil
8. We believe in the power of the individual to bring about change
9. We believe your bag is a reflection of you - are you really a sheep?
10. We believe quality is worth paying for
11. We believe in love at first sight - at least where our bags are concerned!
12. We believe in life, liberty and the pursuit of handbags!
Website: www.bloomcambodia.com
Blog: www.cambodiacalling.blogspot.com
Email: diana@bloomcambodia.com
Tel: +855 (0)92 601328
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