(Photo courtesy of Sudara)
Social enterprise announces relocation from Orange County to the Northwest.
Sudara, a social enterprise and growing lifestyle B-corp dedicated to job creation for women working to remain free from the ravages of sex slavery, today announced that the company is relocating its offices from Orange County to Bend Oregon, founder Shannon Keith’s place of residence.
Sudara was founded in 2006 after Keith visited India and witnessed modern day slavery for the first time. She developed partnerships with micro-enterprise sewing centers where she first employed six Indian women. They were trained to be seamstresses to create quality, beautiful products which empowered them to transition out of the cycle of sex-trafficking.
This offered these women education, financial stability, hope, and most importantly, a fresh start. These beautiful PUNJAMMIES™ and loungewear pieces were then exported to the U.S. and sold online to countries worldwide. “I noticed these women were wearing these beautiful saris in Indian textiles and I realized that sharing these beautiful fabrics would embrace their culture, and also give back to their community in a positive way,” said Keith.
After ten years, the quickly growing lifestyle B-corp employs over 175 women in India and has since branched out into robes, tee shirts and a men’s and boy’s line. Now that Sudara has officially made the move up to the Northwest, Keith is hoping to grow the business even further by providing jobs for people in India and also in Central, Oregon.
“Oregon is a fantastic place to do business — Bend’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is thriving and Oregonians really embrace social enterprises like Sudara,” said Keith, an outdoor enthusiast, who loves living in Bend and enjoys all of its activities like trail running, camping, and snowboarding.
As Keith settles her business in Bend, she will continue to raise awareness of the horrors of the sex trafficking industry through her entrepreneurial successes and humanitarian efforts daily. “We need to treat slavery today with every bit of vehement disgust and intolerance as we did when slavery was abolished with the Emancipation Proclamation. We can’t call ourselves a civilized society if we do not respond with this type of decisive action.”
Customers can purchase Sudara products at http://www.sudara.org/. Their new spring collection launched today, featuring imagery from Keith’s recent trip to India. Sudara’s official headquarters will be at 615 SE Glenwood Drive, Suite A105, Bend, OR 97702.
About SUDARA
Founded in 2006, SUDARA is a social enterprise and growing B-corp dedicated to creating pathways to freedom for women escaping the ravages of sex slavery to achieve lives of hope and dignity. Partnered with indigenous organizations to establish micro-enterprise sewing centers, SUDARA offers women a fresh start and a place to heal while learning the trade of sewing. Each woman receives a wage higher than fair-trade along with housing options, medical care, and, where applicable, education for her children.
