A new ethical fashion business which helps female victims of violence in India has launched a Crowdfunding campaign to take it to the next level.
Siona McClenaghan, 28, started her business, Daughters, after learning about the charity Maitri India which teaches women who have faced gender-based violence to sew so they can find work.
Now Siona, who went to Longsands School, in St Neots, is trying to raise £3,000 to fund her next clothing collection, which will be made by the women and the money will also go towards setting up costs, equipment for the seamstresses and marketing.
Siona learnt about the charity while she was working in India.
She said: “My most recent post was India where I got to hear about the wonderful work Maitri does.
“Unfortunately, in many areas of the country there isn’t the support needed and there is still stigma attached to acts of violence against women.
“Daughters is born from the idea of creating a new community and support network for these women whilst offering them employment that helps create conversations about the issues they face.”
Siona, who designs the clothes, said Daughters empowered both the women who make the clothes and those who wore them.
She said they used Indian fabrics for the clothes, with a percentage of the profits going back to the Maitri programme.
Siona hoped that all the products would be produced by the charity’s graduates in a safe working environment by the end of next year.
“The idea is to make jackets, trousers, shirts, the sort of thing my girlfriends could wear to work or in the pub,” she said.
After studying fashion at university in Newcastle, Siona worked in the fashion industry in Paris before moving to the travel industry which led to her working around the world, including India.
She also plans to start a masters degree in social work next year which she wants to run in parallel with Daughters.
Siona has already raised £1,000 towards her target.
Donations can be made to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ourdaughters.
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