Buying Shakti will help improve the lives of these women producers in many ways... Economic empowerment leads to enhanced status at home and in the community Income generation means improved subsistence levels, improved diet, lodging and medicines... ...and decreased dependency on often abusive family members, moneylenders and others Increased business knowledge and market awareness leads to emergence of small businesses They become able to create safety-nets for their personal and family’s security Woman empowerment in the community, including socio-political representation Increased social mobility and improvements in the status of women, particularly from lower castes

Read our case studies to find out how fair trade is helping groups of women from NEED’s projects.