One World Market: August 2015

Volunteer Nikki here, and I’m betting that if you’ve been to the store recently, you’ve probably seen some cute bags and clutches from JOYN!

JOYN is a company based in Rajpur, India that does way more besides adding to your bag collection.

What I love about JOYN is that they provide their workers with more than just a salary. Handouts aren’t enough to pull people out of poverty.

It takes at least 12 people to make one JOYN bag.

The company employs people to card and clean, spin, and weave cotton into fabric. An artisan dyes the fabric, and then another stitches it together to make a bag. JOYN provides a numerous amount of people with employment, but they go further. They provide their workers with a daily meal plan, education for their children, English and vocational training, and medical care.

Many of these workers had nothing to begin with. Some of them were beggars who had no education, skills, or sense of identity. Many of them suffered from hunger, abuse, leprosy, drug addiction, and chronic illness.

Society tends to label these people as outcasts. Because they’re poor or because they make unwise decisions or because they’re sick. Generally speaking, people aren’t willing to reach out to others who struggle on these levels because we have a negative perception of them even though these people really don’t have any control over their circumstances.

I like companies like JOYN because they challenge that way of thinking. Through these companies, impoverished people are able to redeem themselves and develop a sense of dignity that they never had before. Their work just shows that everyone deserves hope and a future no matter what their background is, and I think that’s a wonderful thing.

Raju has polio, and like many disabled people, he was forced into begging at a young age. With JOYN, Raju was able to master a skill and make a living off of it. He no longer feels limited by his disability and continues to work hard and be independent.

Ajay started out as a block printer, but he now handles shipping and invoices occasionally. Ajay struggled with addiction, but he overcame it and started working at JOYN. He has been sober for over a year now.

Guddu is a block printer who was born hearing impaired. Through JOYN’s medical plan, Guddu was able to receive hearing aids. Because of this, his speech has improved and he is able to learn English.

These are just a few people whose lives have been changed by JOYN. If you want to support these awesome folks, stop by the store sometime and check out our wide selection of JOYN bags. We recently ordered products from their Fall/Winter collection, and they could be yours!