A local non-profitsa国际传媒檚 new project is helping Okanagan women in a new way.

HOPE Outreach launched its new initiative, Jewels of Hope, on Sept. 18. The program will give marginalized and exploited women, often living in the streets, have the opportunity to earn a little bit of money while learning some skills in crafting and retail that they can use in their resumes and help them find work.

Participants learn how to make bracelets, which are then sold through the projectsa国际传媒檚 website or through pop-up markets. This way, they get to learn how to handle online and physical sales.

Lorraine Richmond is HOPE Outreachsa国际传媒檚 project lead and she said the goal of the initiative is to bring resources to women who otherwise wonsa国际传媒檛 get access to them.

sa国际传媒淲e teach them something tangible, a horizontal skill. For now, wesa国际传媒檝e started with bracelets because itsa国际传媒檚 simple,sa国际传媒� she said.

sa国际传媒淏asically, wesa国际传媒檙e teaching them skills for potential sustainable employment.sa国际传媒�

Besides making learning accessible, Richmond said the goal of the project is to give dignity back to vulnerable women and for them to realize that they, and the work they do, matter.

sa国际传媒淲omen are given a five-dollar honorariumsa国际传媒� and we give them a gift card to a store so they can buy food and other necessities,sa国际传媒� she said.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 about human dignity and because finances are often an issue, this way they can supply their own bare and basic needs. Itsa国际传媒檚 a safe place and will bring them belonging and help them build a community.sa国际传媒�

Richmond said theysa国际传媒檙e also partnering with other community organizations for retail education.

sa国际传媒淪HARE Society, for example, has a retail training program. So for the women that make these bracelets, itsa国际传媒檚 something they can put on their resume,sa国际传媒� she said.

sa国际传媒淪HARE can teach them WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) or Foodsafe. This way they can have put together their own table at the farmerssa国际传媒� market or grow their own business. Some places, once the women gain the skills and confidence, want to hire them.sa国际传媒�

She added that another important part of the program is the product itself: the bracelet, which features yellow, white, black, and red beads, with a silver pendant in the shape of the word HOPE. The colours are reminiscent of the traditional Indigenous medicine wheel.

Now with the initiative live, Richmond said theysa国际传媒檙e looking for stores they can partner with and sell the bracelets, as well as volunteers who can help HOPE Outreachsa国际传媒檚 clients in making the bracelets.

More information on Jewels of Hope is available through .

READ MORE: Harvest a mixed bag for Okanagan fruit growers this year

twila.amato@blackpress.ca
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