Intrepid tote baggage. Helpful for carrying stuff. Assist us keep away from single-use plastics. Make good mementos of nice adventures.
However we’re proud to say there’s a bit extra to it than that. We’re a B Corp in any case – which implies we squeeze each drop of goodness we will into our enterprise and consciously select to work with suppliers who create a constructive social impression.
In the case of tote baggage, meaning fastidiously handpicking native producers to make sure that wherever doable, your on-trip reward instantly helps small social enterprises inside your vacation spot. We provide free totes to travellers on most of our journeys, wherever it’s sensible to take action – however should you’ve come ready or would slightly borrow one and hand it again to your chief in good situation on the finish of your journey, that works for us too.
So how a lot good can a bag actually do? Seems, rather a lot. Listed here are among the methods Intrepid totes are empowering communities, difficult dangerous stereotypes, preserving cultural heritage and altering the lives of individuals all around the world.
Conserving households collectively in Thailand
When textile employee Mrs Isada left her manufacturing unit job to go freelance, she merely hoped to achieve extra freedom. She enjoys working from the consolation of her dwelling neighbourhood, On Tai, on the outskirts of Chiang Mai. Little did she know her enterprise would ultimately blossom right into a group enterprise supporting virtually 30 artisans.
The stitching work her organisation brings in allows extra native girls to stay at dwelling with their households, slightly than having to go away for larger cities to seek out employment. COVID-19 hit the group arduous – however because of orders from the likes of Intrepid, they’re beginning to bounce again. Our travellers in Thailand every obtain a novel tote that includes conventional Thai fish designs made by Mrs Isada and her colleagues.
Creating group and alternative for refugees in Greece
We work with humanitarian organisation Naomi to provide our totes baggage In Greece. In addition to offering emergency support to refugees and asylum seekers, the organisation additionally presents language classes and programs in stitching and tailoring, equipping them with tangible, transferable abilities.
Rosemary Onwugharam got here to Greece from Nigeria as an asylum seeker in 2006. She discovered to stitch on the Naomi workshop in Thessaloniki in 2016, and has stayed in contact ever since. She gained a part-time contract on their textile manufacturing line in November 2022, and went full time in January 2023.
“At Naomi I can work in a secure, pleasant and truthful work atmosphere. I earn cash for my household and may cowl my wants and be unbiased. It’s nice being a part of a crew with a powerful sense of belonging.”
On our Mainland Greece Discovery journey, travellers even swing by the workshop to fulfill Rosemary and her colleagues and be taught extra about Naomi’s work.
“It’s a very good feeling to fulfill individuals from all around the world,” says Rosemary. “I’m very proud that the tote baggage we make are travelling all around the world, spreading a message of solidarity and respect for human rights.”
Professionalviding a secure area for trans girls in Peru
Since 2019, Casa Trans – a challenge created by and for trans girls – has been offering a secure area for the trans group in Lima, Peru, providing sexual well being recommendation, HIV exams and counselling. In a rustic the place life expectancy for trans girls is simply 35, assist methods like these are essential.
Gaining secure paid work is one other important problem going through trans individuals in Peru. In response to a latest IPSOS Peru survey, solely 3% of Peruvian trans girls are in a position to entry formal employment.
Enter FUERZA by Casa Trans – a textile startup launched throughout the pandemic that initially produced protecting clothes and face masks. Nowadays, orders from the likes of Intrepid assist Casa Trans to offer coaching and employment to the group and an important stepping stone in direction of a brighter future.
Breaking down obstacles for girls in Kenya
If you need one thing carried out proper, do it your self. That appears to be the way in which at Kisisyo Girls’s Group in Kenya. This collective of 12 girls shaped the self-help group in 1995 in an effort to enhance their residing requirements and discover mutual assist. For Lucy Gichu, a 55-year-old founding member from the Majengo slums in Nairobi, their mission is easy: “We shaped the group to empower our girls.”
“Ever since we partnered with Intrepid, our members have been economically uplifted. Because of the orders from Intrepid, members of Kisisyo Girls’s Group are not falling sufferer to medicine, alcoholism, intercourse work and different unfavourable impacts that include residing in slums. We’ve got been economically empowered, as we will afford every day easy meals and to take our youngsters to highschool”.
Maximising the potential of younger adults in India
In Hindi, ‘Jugaad’ roughly interprets as ‘making essentially the most out of the little you might have’. And that’s precisely what occurs at Jugaad, the sister challenge of youngsters’s refuge Karm Marg, positioned close to New Delhi, India.
Right here, younger adults (principally Karm Marg alumni) and girls with restricted employment alternatives from surrounding rural areas be taught to create baggage, wallets, stationery and different handicrafts. They typically use donated waste supplies comparable to newspapers and second-hand textiles to up the eco-credentials of their merchandise. This vocational coaching helps to empower individuals in Indian society who are sometimes neglected, whereas supporting Karm Marg’s vital work.
Supporting ethnic minorities and folks with disabilities in Vietnam
Natural cotton, hemp and pure dyes – thus far, so fashionable eco-warrior. However the usage of these textiles and methods is in no way new and stylish. Within the mountainous areas of northern Vietnam, ethnic minority communities have been utilizing these supplies to create conventional costumes and handicrafts for generations. Now, with the assist of Indigo in Hanoi – a workshop aiming to protect Vietnam’s ethnic minorities’ cultural heritage – they’re transferring these abilities to our travellers’ totes.
This yr, we’ll even be working with new Intrepid Basis companion Vun Artwork. They work to eradicate social stigma and discrimination in opposition to individuals with disabilities by offering them with coaching and employment at their textile workshop.
Empowering the indigenous Otavalo group in Ecuador
Ecuador’s indigenous Otavalo individuals are recognized for his or her intricate embroidery and textiles. The very best place to see their wares is the colorful Otavalo market – which occurs to characteristic on the itinerary of our Ecuador Highlands journey.
We work instantly with the Picuasi household from Otavalo to supply tote baggage for Intrepid travellers within the area, in addition to our leaders’ vibrant t-shirts and baggage. By way of their enterprise they supply employment to no less than 10 native indigenous households.
Improving the lives of girls from townships in South Africa
In South Africa we supply our fairtrade tote baggage from Township, an umbrella organisation representing seven unbiased women-owned cooperatives based mostly in Cape City.
They’ve been working since 1997, offering sustainable financial alternatives to girls residing in South Africa’s township communities. At present over 60 girls produce stunning handmade clothes and baggage constructed from 100% pure cotton, jute and recycled PET cloth.
Wish to journey with Intrepid and get your arms on a tote bag that modifications the world? Take a look at our small group adventures.
