Robert Edmond

Arzo

Arzo is a determined group of individuals whose plan is to create a tight-knit community of women around the world who support each other and are employed in impoverished regions of developing countries. Through Arzo, these employed women are provided with a steady income by way of an international marketplace. Each of our collections allows us to employ and support the women who make these products. For example, our "shop one of a kind" section is for employees who need money quickly in order to pay for expenses that are out of their reach. This may include medical operations, educational opportunities, allowing a child to pursue a hobby, etc. They receive X percentage of the final sale to meet their financial needs for the emergency; this percentage varies per case. We aim to help women based on their individual needs and invest in them long-term to fully witness the effects of our shared efforts. After uploading our products, we begin selling to see which designs are more popular so our artists can meet the demand. Our artists then produce products similar to those successful products. For each piece of their collection sold, the woman behind the piece is paid twice as much as they would regularly sell it for. For example, if they typically try to sell it for 5 in their currency, we will pay them 10 in their respective currency for EACH piece they make. This provides them with a steady increased wage which can go very far in many countries. Our first country of interest is Turkey. Due to the impact of the political turmoil in the country over the past five years, a decline in tourism has greatly impacted the income of women who depend on dexterity to care for themselves. They often have no education to fall back on and no family support, so we aim to provide these women with a platform which allows them to help themselves, their families and their communities. We plan to expand and grow to other developing countries in the near future.