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Lotus Culture is endeavouring to raise USD 200,000 between 2010 to 2012. The funds will go towards educational support, and the setting up of psychology clinics and social enterprises to empower poor and disadvantaged women and children to create sustainable livelihoods.
We have chosen to work with AFESIP (Agir pour les FEmmes en SItuation Precaire - Acting for Women in Distressing Situations) Cambodia as our first beneficiary. AFESIP is an NGO (Non Governmental Organization) which provides and develops an appropriate response to the causes and consequences of trafficking for sexual exploitation of women and girls. AFESIP runs three centres with a capacity of sheltering up to 200 survivors in Phnom Penh, Kompong Cham and Siem Reap. It provides care, recovery support and occupational skills (hairdressing, sewing and weaving) for the rescued girls and women from sex slavery and reintegrates them into the community through financial independence in a sustainable manner.
Lotus Culture will support AFESIP Cambodia in the following 3 areas:
Provide resources (financial and non-financial) in education. This includes language literacy courses in Khmer and English, numeracy, managing finances, building self esteem and confidence. Illiteracy & lack of education keeps many in the poverty trap. Life skills is a building block to aid re-integration into society.
Provide resources (financial and non-financial) to set up psychology clinics (counseling) and to employ psychologists/counselors. This is a critical first step in the long journey of recovery from the trauma, not only of the physical violation of their bodies but also the mental distress from having been sold or duped into sex slavery.
1. Financial Support for a Trauma Specialist Volunteer at Siem Reap Centre
Lotus Culture is sponsoring a Trauma_Specialist_Volunteer, Ms. Candace Blase at Kompong Cham Centre for a one year tenure with effect from April 2011 as part of the Ragamuffin Project, a 3-year partnership project with AFESIP. Ragamuffin is an international NGO offering psychological services, specialising in art therapy and has been working in Cambodia for the past 9 years. The aim of the project is to improve the level of mental health care in AFESIP, to help to address the psychological cycle of exploitative relationships and it aims to significantly lower the risk of survivors being re-trafficked or returning to sexual exploitation. The ultimate hope is that each survivor will find peace within, a belief in themselves and a life worth living.
Ms._Candace_Blase comes from Maryland, USA. Candace has over 30 years of experience working in direct psychological services, public policy, and social justice with and on behalf of survivors of significant trauma. She is a board-certified, registered art therapist in the US, and has lived and worked in South Africa. She is passionate about helping girls and women heal from traumatic sexual abuse. She loves children and young people and all her work has been related to helping people who have been traumatized to heal and lead healthy, thriving lives.
Candace’s responsibilities will be to manage both the Ragamuffin Project, the partnership with Ragamuffin and to build the structure, procedures, policies and administration of the Psychology Department at AFESIP.
Candace started work on 20 April 2011.
2.Financial Support for part purchase of land in Siem Reap Centre
August 2011 Lotus Culture has contributed $16,000 out of the $26,000 cost for land purchase by AFESIP, which will be used for a new building for medical and psychological services.
Develop a social enterprise that provides the survivors with employment and secure income. Presently, following their 2 years in AFESIP and acquiring a skill (in weaving, sewing or hair dressing), the survivors are left very much on their own to make a living in the local market which is somewhat saturated. Having access to new and higher value markets is a key enabler to sustainability and if there are collective efforts offering scale and synergies (example B2B arrangements), then there will be a higher probability of long term success.
Kumnit Thmey
Kumnit Thmey (pronounced as Koom-Nit Ter-mai - Khmer for ‘new beginnings & ideas’) is a business enterprise set up in Phnom Penh. Kumnit Thmey (the Enterprise) is developed and funded by Lotus Culture Ltd., a company registered in Singapore.
The Enterprise is a small business that provides employment to the disadvantaged in Cambodia. The Enterprise will sew products for exports mainly to ASEAN countries, into the higher value markets on a business to business (B2B) arrangement. Products such as high quality cushion covers, runners and paper (recycled) woven products and corporate gifts will be the initial core products. Please view our downloadable catalog of products or go to the "One Edition" product gallery.
The Enterprise will offer accommodation to its employees at a nominal rent for their first year of employment.
At a later stage, the Enterprise may go up the value chain to weave fabric, or diversify to produce other products thereby providing more employment opportunities.
The Business Model
- The Enterprise is a stand-alone entity with its own P/L, answerable to its Board - Lotus Culture Ltd. will provide funding in the form of donations or loans, expertise and training to develop the Enterprise. Upon steady state, Lotus Culture Ltd. will oversee its operations via the Board of the Enterprise. Financial surpluses will be set aside to grow the Enterprise and/or to further develop existing or new employees. Any financial shortfalls not anticipated in the business plan may be met by further loans or donations to be raised by Lotus Culture Ltd. provided that the social-impact performance of the Enterprise is met and the business potential is still viable. - All its employees will be recruited in the local market, with priority given to survivors of human trafficking and sex slavery under AFESIP’s care - Its employees will be paid a competitive salary with medical insurance, and fair terms and conditions of employment - Products will be sold at market price, on a business to business platform - Minor retailing of oddments and filler products via various channels
If you wish to be our customer and/or our business partners, please contact us.
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