Akamae
Organization Details
Akamae is an ethical fashion brand with a unique approach. We connect creatives and refugee artisans. Together designers and artisans work to co-create what neither could do alone - exclusive capsule collections.
As a co-creation fashion design house, our website is a platform for uniquely co-created and ethically-sourced and produced products.
We provide connection, a marketplace and a global reach for disconnected artisans. The result is entrepreneurship, self-reliance and preservation of traditional skills. Our base is in the Jungle of northern Thailand where we live and work with refugee artisans displaced from ongoing conflict in Burma.
Akamae means freedom, which is exactly what we aim to see. Freedom to create, to change, to be and to allow our inner guidance. Freedom within ourselves, no matter what our circumstances - political, environmental or otherwise. Freedom to choose Love over fear.
Support Needs
We’re looking to improve our business model with:
Finance
Impact Story
Akamae is a co-creation which was directly asked for by people living in these refugee situations. Together, we have created a marketplace for the use of traditional skills, provided Entrepreneurial Training and worked on Community Projects which are identified and managed by the communities themselves.
Our projects focus on sustainable-living, self-reliance and empowerment. The underpinnings of our relationships focus on the valuing of people and their skills and experiences.
Akamae focuses on valuing and connecting people. We value people and their skills and experiences and our largest impact has been on seeing people's self-worth grow!
We have undertaken training (all requested) including; large loom weaving, sewing machine and entrepreneurial (financial planning).
We have supported a guest house income generation project and a biogas project.
We have worked with the villages to develop a mutually empowering model of tourism. The village now offers ongoing Bamboo Workshops.
We have placed and managed English teacher volunteers in the villages.
We have worked on natural building projects with the villages and local schools.
We hosted a crowdfunding campaign for a village to purchase the land that they reside on.
We have employees in the villages and have provided a marketplace for over 40 artisans.
