Fabric of Life Foundation

The Mission of the Fabric of Life Foundation is to create economic independence for women and families in developing countries through cooperative development projects. Our vision is to improve the quality of life for women and families through cooperative, sustainable, and appropriate development projects that respect and honor local traditions and cultures.

We work in Bamako, Mali with young women begging on the street. The average age of our students is 16-17. Mali is among the poorest countries in the world. 65% of its land area is desert; 80% of the labor force is subsistence farming and fishing. The average annual income is $980 and wealth distribution is extremely uneven. Female literacy is 24%. Female life expectancy is 38 years and the average number of children per woman is seven.

We work in Bamako, Mali with young women begging on the street. The average age of our students is 16-17. Mali is among the poorest countries in the world. 65% of its land area is desert; 80% of the labor force is subsistence farming and fishing. The average annual income is $980 and wealth distribution is extremely uneven. Female literacy is 24%. Female life expectancy is 38 years and the average number of children per woman is seven.

In 300 words or less, state the problem and/or issue that your organization seeks to address.
In Mali, many rural families send their female children to the cities to beg, due to a lack of food in the villages. Poverty levels in the cities and the lack of programs for beggars means escaping from a life of begging is unlikely. Traditional microfinance programs typically address those who already have an income generating activity. No program exists in Mali to address those who are economically inactive and begging. We use our cooperative credit union model to break the poverty spiral for those who are caught in a generational cycle of begging.
The Fabric of Life Hèrè jè Training Center offers a place where begging young women come to learn life skills and income generating skills. The women attend the training program 6-days per week. Each participant receives a $20/week stipend while she is training during an 18-month period, which pays for transportation, rent, food and water. The curriculum includes health and nutrition, family planning, AIDS prevention, literacy training, and income generating skills. After 18 months, students graduate and form a producer cooperative of five graduates. Working under the umbrella of the Center, they create products using local cotton resources and traditional beading. These items are sold in the local African market and are also exported to Edmonds, Washington where the Fabric of Life Foundation opened a Fair Trade retail store to showcase the products.
Our experience so far proves that the cycle can be broken. Since the program has started, 20 students have graduated and started using their skills in full or part-time jobs. Four have become trainers at the center. When girls see successful graduates employed, able to rent a room, feed themselves and set aside savings, it provides hope of a future for themselves and their children that does not include begging.

No other organizations in Mali have addressed the needs of long term development for young begging women. Some teach skills, such as housekeeping, but do not address the number of other issues that enable women to stay employed. Furthermore, traditional microfinance programs offer services to those who already have an income generating activity. Our program differs in that street children have no skills, place to live, or resources to go to school. These are the poorest of the poor who must beg day to day for food. By teaching income generating skills, offering health and nutrition programs, providing a safe savings account, and guaranteed future employment, we give begging young women the opportunity to break out of the cycle of begging.

Carol on the roof!  www.upontheroofwithcarol.org
Website  www.fabricoflife.org

Fabric of Life Boutique:  A Fair Trade Retail store in Edmonds, Washington  where we sell fair trade items from our own projects as well as from other women’s artisan cooperatives from around the world.  We will be launching an online eBoutique in early Fall 2009 to sell our products through the internet.

YouTube: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBl919B-tBA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tQYQKnmS4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRhZXgFVzz4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhc6NHihwuc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV7JcLfOZe8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YTlBdG6p8M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP0l2QDP8qU
http://vimeo.com/5704929

Edmonds Beacon Newspaper:
http://www.edmondsbeacon.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&i...
http://www.edmondsbeacon.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&i...
http://www.edmondsbeacon.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&i...
The Enterprise Newspapers:
http://www.enterprisenewspapers.com/article/20090805/ETP03/708059872&tem...
http://www.enterprisenewspapers.com/article/20090603/ETP03/706039853&tem...
http://www.enterprisenewspapers.com/article/20080910/ETP04/709109768&tem...
The Journal Newspapers
http://www.journal-newspapers.com/articles/2008/11/04/business%20watch/2...

The Seattle Times
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/retailreport/2008417942_retailrepo...
KOMO TV NEWS
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/52265562.html
KIRO TV NEWS
http://www.kirotv.com/news/20295544/detail.html
KING 5 NEWS
http://www.king5.com/localnews/north/stories/NW_080609WAB-woman-on-roof-...
http://www.king5.com/business/stories/NW_032009WAB-fabric-for-life-store...