Romania remains one of the main countries of origin for victims of human trafficking in Europe.
Many victims of trafficking or people at risk are so primarily due to a lack of work opportunities; finding decent employment is what allows a victim to fully recover after a human trafficking experience.
Romania has a long tradition of sewing and embroidery.
Based on a pilot project carried out in 2015 with Idee Migranti, an Italian NGO based in Milan, the Samilia Foundation now aims to develop a true textile social enterprise in collaboration with the Italian stylist Alessandra Dentice Di Frasso from Idee Migranti, in order to provide work and proper training for women in difficulty and offer them a second chance in life.
The project covers all of the following aspects:
- Renting a space to accommodate 10 to 15 women and sewing machines
- A 3-phase training program for the women in the project
- Development of a range of home textile products by Alessandra
- Purchase of necessary equipment (sewing machines, sewing tools, fabrics, threads, tables, chairs, boards, etc.)
- Management and supervision of the project by Idee Migranti and Samilia
- Travel for training and project supervision
- A project coordinator in Bucharest
- A product manager in Bucharest
- Salaries for the women employed in the social enterprise
- Development and management of an online sales website for the products
We need a budget of €50,000 to launch the project.
Initially, the products will be sold directly in Milan at the Idee Migranti store.
However, our goal is much more ambitious: the financial independence of the enterprise.
Examples of traditional Romanian embroidery created within the framework of the social enterprise project:
