“The most common
way people give up
their power, is by
thinking they don’t
have any.”
-Alice Walker
At Kimjoux, we truly believe that everyone can be a star; that everyone deserves to feel empowered, feminine, successful, strong and that they can take on the world. We feel so strongly that we put our feelings into actions and have made a commitment to support a number of charities across the world. Every charity has been chosen for the difference that they make in women’s and girls’ lives all over the
world. The charities that we supports are:
Malaika Foundation
We know that empowerment can come in many different forms, shapes and sizes. We also inherently appreciate that everyone is empowered by different things and are governed by different motivations.
While some women love crushing it in the workplace and are driven by exceeding everyone’s expectations in their career, some women express their power and value by raising their children and creating the citizens of the future.
Not everyone is afforded the same opportunities in life and women can be held back by the smallest of things, such as lacking the self-belief that they need to make it in the world of work. While to some people, the right outfit might seem like an added extra, we thank our lucky stars that Smart Works knows only too well that some women need a boost and a hand to take a step up the career ladder. Smart Works makeovers for unemployed women and also offers career advice and interview
coaching to help women help themselves.
The charity works with unemployed women to help them appreciate and identify their value and to understand the positive difference that they could make to a company. Smart Works works with women to boost their self-belief, hope, confidence and independence. Founded in 2013, Smart Works seeks to combat the negative effects that unemployment can have on women. These include mental health issues and physical health conditions, poverty, low confidence and low self-esteem. Working with women to help them overcome their issues, the charity realised that the women they were working with were at greater risk of discrimination and economic hardship. Through their work they have helped over 20,000 women across the UK. A completely transformational service, 95% of the service users feel more confident going into their next job interview
and 69% get a job within a month of using the service. This is exactly why we chose
this amazing charity to support.
At Kimjoux, we also believe that gaining this confidence naturally starts at the root: education. In the words of Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world”.
That’s why we whole-heartedly support Malaika Foundation. With a focus on education in the Republic of Congo, Malaika has totally transformed a village and more. Before the charity was founded, a village called Kalebuka had no school or educational resources, no fresh water and no electricity.
In 2011, Malakai opened the doors of Malakai School. The school provides free primary and secondary education to 400 girls, whilst also equipping them with the belief in a brighter tomorrow. The charity has also opened the Malakai Community Centre. The centre is a learning hub that provides education, internet access, sports and training to adults in the community, which ensures that people across the wider village are also empowered.
Our work in aid of Malakai featured a collaboration with Mumble Forum and MTart. Creating a limited-edition collection, called Jewellery for Hope, Kimjoux donated 25% of proceeds from the sale of the collection went straight to Malakai. We want to support Malakai as we believe, just as they do, this model can and should be used on a global scale, to ensure everyone can feel empowered.
Our third charity, Women for Women International, works with women who find themselves in the middle of war and conflict. The charity helps to provide these war-torn women with the important skills and tools that they need to be able to transform their and their family’s lives. Women for Women International believe in a world where women’s voice, role and contribution are visible and valued. The charity runs a number of different programmes that include Stronger Women and Stronger Nations. Stronger Nations is a programme that works to help women break down barriers, find a support network and improve their skills, education and resources.
The charity also runs programmes that work with men, such as the Men Engagement Program and Community Advocacy Progammes. We were proud to support the Women for Women International charity by sponsoring the Mumble Charity Gala Ball, an event held in aid of WfWI. The event, together with other amazing sponsors, raised over £8000 for the charity.
Golden Thread
Our work at Kimjoux is as much about the future as it is about the present – and that’s why we feel so strongly about supporting the three charities that we do. We understand the importance of creating a legacy – heirlooms – to pass down from generation to generation. However, we feel that this is not enough if we don’t pay enough attention to the state of play in the world.
It is wonderful and fabulous to be part of a team that knows we’re working on pieces that will be around for years to come, and also making sure that there’s a safe and happy world for everyone to live, learn and work in is equally important to us.
We know that the playing field isn’t level for people across the world, and this is as likely to be true in our local area as on the other side of the planet. Through our support of our three chosen charities, we are able to empower ourselves as a team and unite to make the world a better place for as many as we can.
When you shop with Kimjoux, you join a community of change makers.
Thank you so much for your support.