Raven + Lily

The Raven + Lily foundation builds off the hidden talent of women living in unfortunate conditions to help them make the most of what they have by creating wearable works of art. Bracelets, necklaces, earrings and clothing items such as scarves are being designed by women expressing their different cultures. Once the art is discovered an the relationships are formed, Raven + Lily sell the pieces.

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So far Raven + Lily has been able to reach out to the women artisans in Ethiopia, India, Cambodia and the US--all having areas of poverty in common. Raven + Lily has been able to approach these environments with open arms.

CEO and co-founder Kirsten Dickerson, along with other co-founder and creative director Sophia Hirokawa Lin are passionate about promoting social business models as a means of providing a dignified way to alleviate poverty, especially among at-risk women. The co-founders focus on creating relationships, as well as friendships. These connections are destined for sustainable growth with the support of surrounding communities.

Help Raven + Lily as they discover the talents of the Maasai Women in the Esiteti community in Kenya. Their beadwork is too beautiful to not be seen. The beadwork consists of necklaces, earrings and bracelets. The beaded bangle is the featured item.

Raven + Lily want to do more than to give the Esiteti community the gift of jewelry. Specifically these Maasai women are helping to eradicate FGM (female genital mutilation) from their community. They are already on the right path, being the first generation to send girls to school. The money that Raven + Lily is raising will help cover the project set up, design work, marketing, and initial inventory costs. It takes a lot of resources to launch a partnership like this, but the good news is that we believe the women artisans of Kenya can grow a sustainable business after the initial support of surrounding communities. The Maasai women have decided to send 50 percent of all the money received from the Raven + Lily orders to fund the education of their children at the Esiteti Primary School. With everyone's support, women artisans are receiving the feeling of importance and passing it to their younger generations.

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**The partnerships allow cofounders to use entrepreneurial skills to give women in poverty a chance to to view their work and talent as consumer products in the fashion market. Raven + Lily believe in these women to achieve more than just their personal goals. They strive to eventually help these women to provide better lives for their families, as well as building a better community as a whole. 

Empowering Women Through Design

Important Facts and Deadlines 

August 1st is the deadline to donate to this inspiring cause. Help women empowerment to be the next chain reaction. 

As a thank you to their Kickstarter supporters, Raven + Lily has some great products to offer, so you can be the first to wear items from their Spring 2014 collection. 

Are you a truly adventurous person or know of anyone? For the truly adventurous, they're offering an opportunity to take the trip of a lifetime to Kenya to meet the Maasai women on a seven-day journey with Raven + Lily.

For more information, contact info@ravenandlily.com.