This organization was the little warm holiday hug I knew I’d end up needing. A friend of a friend of a friend, that’s how we came to know of Carry 117. Carry 117 is an organization that empowers women to preserve families and prevent orphans in Korah, Ethiopia. Korah is known as a “cursed” place. It’s where the locals would send people who were infected with leprosy and backs up to the trash dump. Henok, the founder, was raised by a single mother and knew he needed to find a way to not only give back to his community but to bring honor to his mother. He saw a problem, created a solution and pursued a strategy to maintain a business and petition partnerships. The problem being that there are currently 5 million orphans in Ethiopia. Some children are orphans because both parents have died and some because their parents couldn’t support them. Solution: providing single/at risk mothers with job opportunities and a meaningful source of income. The business strategy is to provide a “hand-up” rather than a “hand-out”. To empower women with a sustainable job, skill, and trade which allows them to provide for their families. These women are proud of their earnings, and smile with a sense of dignity knowing that they worked hard for what they have. The company provides medical aid, financial and job stability, and eagerly pushes each employee to save a portion of their monthly wages that the company then matches at the end of the month. Carry 117 continually sees restoration in these women’s lives with leaps and bounds of confidence, children being fed and educated, and the hope of a bright future.
We were invited to visit the Carry 117 facility and hang out with the ladies. We were welcomed in with the biggest smiles and motherly embraces from one of my newly found favorites, Chef Alem. She brought us all into her kitchen while she was preparing lunch and put each of us to work. She had me help her grind some freshly roasted coffee beans (this was a dream, and the smells coming from these beans… if only you knew, if only I could verbalize a fragrance). We immediately felt like family and asked Alem to teach us a few sayings in Amharic. My favorite is “iwedishalehu” which means “I love you”. Henok met us and shared his story and the vision behind Carry 117. Henok knows each person there by name. He knows each one of their stories and loves on all the ladies’ children as if they were his own. He is the brain and the heart behind this incredible company. He came up with the idea to name each bag after someone. The name behind each leather good and hand bag embodies a beaming light of joy and purpose. Alem’s daughter, Salem, had the first bag named after her and calls herself Henok’s favorite.
(sweet moments by Kati Simpson)
Growing up with a single mom, I sympathize deeply with Henok and his passion to want better for other women. Both of our mothers did their absolute best for us and we strive to give our best in return. To be able to partner with him and his organization for even just a month has been the biggest honor. Carry 117 isn’t just a place where stunning leather hand bags are designed and crafted. Carry 117 allows women to carry hope and carry love with them wherever they go. I have loved our time with these women and have been inspired by their hard work. To learn more about Carry 117 click any of the hyperlinked (colored) words. My gal Kati Simpson also says more about Carry 117 in her latest blog. Check it out!
(captured on the first try by the epic Kati Simpson)
~written in love by your local gypsy
