Raven + Lily is a non-profit studio dedicated to empowering marginalized women through design partnerships and micro-enterprise opportunities.
We support women's empowerment programs that comply with fair trade standards and provide design focused micro-enterprise training. In addition, proceeds from each product are returned to assist with community development.
WHY WE EXIST:
We focus on women because many women have little or no opportunity to rise above the cycle of poverty or their circumstances.
- 70% of the world’s poorest people are women
- 2/3 of those who cannot read or write are women
- At least 2 million girls per year are at risk of undergoing Female Genital Mutilation
- AIDS is becoming a women’s disease with women increasingly bearing the brunt of the epidemic
- 80% of refugees & trafficking victims are women
- 100 million girls are expected to enter forced marriages in the next decade
- We are intentionally focused on creating economic opportunities for the disadvantaged.
- We support women's empowerment programs that comply with fair trade standards. This ensures women are valued and rewarded for their work.
- We seek transparency and accountability in all of our transactions.
- We encourage our artisans to develop independence.
- We desire all of our artisans to work in a safe and healthy environment.
- We use recycled and remnant materials when possible.
- Proceeds are sent back to the artisans' communities to help with education, healthcare and micro-loans.