"Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life." 
  — Nelson Mandela

We are asking for your help to change the cycle of poverty facing Siem Reap’s most vulnerable women: those with disabilities. Karakia is working closely with these women, supplying materials, training in jewellery making and the platform from which we may sell their wares:  with your help, we can offer them a chance to improve their quality of life and experience dignity and independence.
This campaign is to help Karakia Collective grow and establish itself with the aim of being self-sustainable within a year, making it a reliable and dependable soure of income for these women. Working together with Cambodians to help alleviate the discrimination people with disabilites face. The 'perks' - I will be donating 10% of profits from this fundraiser to a variety of other charitable enterprises based in Cambodia, to show how collaborating and working together we can have more of an impact.

UPDATE: We have just been in negotiations with the team at Bracelets for Buildings and we may have Nom and her family in a new house by CHRISTMAS. $1000 from this campaign will go directly to building Nom and her family of 5 (about to become 6!) a new home that doesn't get flooded for two months every year.

The way the perks work - 10% of profits raised from this campaign will be donated to various organisations who are doing wonderful things here in Siem Reap. This is to encourage collaboration between organisations to maximise the positive effect we can have when we work together. For larger donations you will also recieve a hand written thank you note and a bracelet made by one of the Karakia ladies. If you would like to donate on behalf of someone as an ethical Christmas present please let us know and we can send a Christmas card along with the bracelet.

The beginning of our journey:

Hello! My name is Cherrie Fox. I founded Karakia Collective here in Siem Reap, Cambodia, after being deeply moved by the number of families living in poverty; unable to afford food, healthcare or education. The real issue is that there little opportunity for them to change that on their own. Over 80% of Cambodia’s population live rurally - this isolation enhances the negative effects of poverty as access to a means to make a living are limited. Gender inequality and discrimination leave women in a vulnerable position, especially if they have a physical impairment inhibiting their ability to work.

The story I am about to share with you is not my own, it is theirs.
 

Sett has been blind since the age of 5, housebound due to her disability, she has never been able to provide for herself: always reliant on others simply to survive until Karakia began working with her in July. When asked during a subsequent visit last week how she was doing. She responded with “today I am happy because now I have money I can afford medication for my mother”. Sett is now the provider, able to give back to the woman who has cared for her throughout her entire life.
Nom became paralysed 11 years ago following a severe case of tuberculosis, after her husband walked out on her and two daughters she was plunged into poverty. Her home is low lying within the rice fields and for two months every year is turned into a swamp with water over 30cm deep flooding her home. Her 18 year old daughter is about to give birth to her first baby and it is our aim at Karakia to help build them a new home before the baby arrives, which is due in December. We have been conversing with the incredible guys at Bracelets for Buildings and that dream may just become a reality if we can raise the funds in time.

By empowering these women we can successfully initiate a valuable shift in their lives, changing the way they see and feel about themselves.

When one woman is lifted out of poverty it is not just she who benefits but all those connected to her are uplifted also.

How are we making a difference?

Karakia Collective is directly impacting poverty reduction through our work: our trade is hand woven macrame jewellery and other crafts. Our focus is on women with disabilities living in rural Cambodia. These women face social isolation and ostracism from their communities, which leaves them in a desperate situation with no opportunity to improve their quality of life. Many are housebound due to their disabilities and are completely reliant on others for the bare necessities to survive. By working closely with these women and their communities we offer them a chance to gain a livelihood they can depend on. The positive impact we have on the lives of these women ripples out to their wider community thus reducing the negative affects of poverty. This does more than put food in their bellies, it gives them a sense of self-worth; a dignity and confidence that comes from being self-sufficient. Empowering them to do it for themselves, Karakia is simply opening the door of opportunity to allow access to the means to improve their situation. To experience inclusion and acceptance and a chance to give back to those who have given them so much.

Why do we need your support?

We hope to grow Karakia Collective into a community of like-minded individuals who wish to see a positive change in the world. By collaborating and working together we can turn our individual ripples into a tidal wave, sweeping humanity towards a brighter future for all people, no matter their nationality, gender, age or beliefs.
Karakia Collective is the network and the tools that these women require to bring meaning and purpose to their life. We are about empowering these women, showing them that they are worthy a good life, security and of peace of mind.

Karakia provides:

• A vital link to a means of making a living, providing training in making macrame jewellery, the materials and the means to sell their creations,
• a fair wage for their work, and opportunities to grow and learn a new skill set within a trade,
• access to professional healthcare, with medical expenses covered by Karakia as well as transport to and from the facilities and any medication they require,
• a chance for them to care for their families, provide for their communities and become active members in their society,
• we hope to be able to fund different projects to assist these women, being able to provide the basics they need to live a comfortable life. Like building Nom and her family a new home.

By supporting our crowdfund campaign you will help launch Karakia Collective into the world, to build a solid foundation upon which it may grow to reach more women and create a vital link between them and the global community.

How the funds will be used:

• A significant portion will go towards funding the build of Nom's new house, we hope to have her and her family in it before Christmas. The video shows the extent of flooding in her home, this happens for two months of every year. A new house would cost around $2600 and will have a significant impact on the health and well-being of her and her family.
• A new website will offer the platform to share the stories of the women involved and keep people up to date with developments. A website will provide the means to showcase the jewellery and crafts to potential buyers and suppliers from around the globe.
• An investment into marketing will allow us to reach a wider audience and customer base, as well as raising awareness about the project and the work we are doing here. The more people we reach the more women we can bring on board!
• We wish to start a medical fund in order to cover all medical expenses of the Karakia ladies; this includes access to professional doctors, medication and any treatment they may require.
• Materials!! The means to purchase a more diverse range of materials, allowing these women to express themselves creatively and branch out into making other crafted goods. Access to quality materials in Cambodia is limited and the cost of acquiring materials from outside of Cambodia can be expensive but is necessary in order to create a quality product.
• Transportation costs as these women live rurally, some over an hour away from the city. We go out to see them every couple of weeks, to check up on how they are doing, drop off supplies and their pay and collect their wares. I wish to make the visits more regular to provide more training and up-skilling.
• Eventually we would like to open a stall at a local market, providing an opportunity to showcase Karakia's creations to a wider customer base. It will also provide the opportunity for a local Siem Reap woman with disabilities to gain employment and experience in retail.

Thank you for your support!

Thank you!!! From everyone at Karakia Collective, our gratitude runs deep and we could not do this without the support of those who believe a positive change is possible if we work together. Be sure to connect with us on Facebook to keep up to date on our progress and to learn more about the women we reach and work with.
If you would like to donate on the behalf of someone, as an ethical Christmas present, please be sure to contact me and I will post them a handmade thank you/christmas card explaining a bit about Karakia and where their donation gift has gone, as well as a bracelet from one of the ladies.

And, even if you’re not able to support us financially, we’re eternally grateful for sharing our story with your own community. The more people we can reach, the more women we can help to reclaim their lives.

All profts from this campaign will be going into the project, the most important thing is make this project self-sustainable, to create a livelihood these women can depend on and to connect with more women as we grow.

Please have a look at the amazing work being done by the team at ABCs + Rice, they offer free education to children from disadvantaged families as well as providing nutrition and healthcare. Be sure to check them out, they are doing an incredible thing there in Cambodia.
This is their website - http://www.abcrice.org/

Video Credits -
Footage shot by Cherrie Fox
Edited by Jo Osbourne and Ryan Wheeler - So much gratitude for these two, who despite being ridiculously busy took the time to turn my amateur footage into video you see.
Music - Original track by Sub Roots, who took the time to alter it to fit the video. Be sure to check these guys out they are awesome!

https://soundcloud.com/sub-roots