Do you ever ask why?

It's  mid February and 2018 feels like it has begun in serious. As a family the lazy days of summer holidays are behind us and the routines of the year are in full swing. So before I go too far forward, I am pausing to reflect for a moment.

I gave up New Years resolutions a long time ago. But reflecting on the year gone by, celebrating the highlights and learning from the mistakes, has proven to be a valuable activity. 

I  want to share with you one of the highlights of 2017.

For Dignity officially turned one in October!
 

At a special first birthday celebration I was able to talk about the why, the how and where to, of for Dignity and below is some of the conversation. Enjoy the interview!

Returning to Melbourne after 8 years in Vietnam I wanted to see Australian women empowered to have an impact on some of the major issues relating to poverty. Connecting most ladies love of purchasing beautiful, quality gifts to a significant international issue seemed to make sense to me.

What situation motivated you?

I had worked for a not-for-profit in Vietnam and grew aware of the issue of human trafficking. It unsettled me. I knew firsthand how it felt to be relocated to a new place and the challenges involved but I had done that by my own choice, with my family and I had a wonderful life in Vietnam.  But what would it be like to be a forced or coerced and end up enslaved and alone in a situation that is less than pleasant? Sadly millions of children and adults each year have that story.

How do you select your suppliers?

That's a great question, but my answer would take a long time! I began by connecting with people I knew were involved in enterprises that were tackling the issue. It grew from there and now I have a rather lengthy list of criteria...which I would love to share at a later time so stay tuned.

What has been your greatest joy in this first year?

My greatest joy would definitely be the opportunity to work with so many people both in Australia and internationally that want to address trafficking. This has resulted in a team of people involved in for Dignity, who have given their time and talents to develop for Dignity into what it is today.

That's all for now, you can always learn more about for Dignity by visiting our website or get in contact with me, heather@fordignity.com.au.