GoodWeave
Anji Mountain is proud to partner with GoodWeave whose mission is to end child labor in the carpet industry and to offer educational opportunities to children in weaving communities. GoodWeave rescues children directly from the looms and strives to deter the employment and exploitation of other children. GoodWeave also inspects and certifies carpet-weaving facilities and authorizes use of its trademarked label on rugs made at looms meeting GoodWeave standards. The certification program helps fund educational opportunities for children as well as support and resources for families and weaving communities.
Through a combination of forces including GoodWeave’s efforts, child labor in the carpet industry has dropped by an estimated 75 percent since the organization was founded in 1994. GoodWeave has directly rescued more than 3,600 children and deterred the employment of many thousands more. It has helped to build awareness by shining a spotlight on child labor, the hidden tragedy of the carpet industry. Though there is much more work to be done, GoodWeave’s efforts are making it more difficult for looms to profit by selling luxury goods made by exploited children.
Once children are freed from the looms, GoodWeave makes every effort to reunite them with their families. GoodWeave runs its own education and rehabilitation facilities, and it partners with other organizations to support children’s education. Other initiatives help create strong, financially independent communities by providing health clinics, daycare facilities, adult literacy programs and worker health and training seminars.
GoodWeave International has field operations and offices in India, Nepal and Afghanistan, and national initiatives in the United States (also serving Canada), Germany and the United Kingdom (serving Europe).
Habitat for Humanity
Anji Mountain has been a constant and committed supporter of Habitat for Humanity in the metropolitan St. Louis region since 2013. As a long term partner, we have just completed a multi-year giving commitment of more than $275,000 in home decor items to The Restore which is dedicated to reusing and repurposing donated goods and diverting items from landfills in order to lessen the societal impact on the environment.
Our support aligns with our core principles and has not gone unnoticed. Leah Crowe, communications manager for the St. Charles County Habitat for Humanity shares that “Over the past 5 years Habitat St. Charles has built or renovated 32 homes. In addition, our new Homebuyer Readiness Financial Education program has reached 50 people who are getting financially fit to become successful homeowners. More than 170 individual lives have been improved with regard to housing, finances and a brighter future. The support of Anji Mountain made this possible. We cannot build homes and transform lives without great and generous partners like you.”
Engagement Manager at Habitat for Humanity, Lorie Kehoe, states that “Anji Mountain has made so many awesome donations to the ReStore that our regulars ask for the rugs by name—customers are constantly asking when the next donation is coming. They know that they are getting great quality products from a company that really cares about the community.” She further commented, “When a company provides ongoing support to the ReStore, they are serving the mission of Habitat for Humanity; Anji Mountain continues to prove that community is a priority.”
The mission of Habitat for Humanity is critical to the health and well-being of our communities and will surely continue for years to come. Anji Mountain will be there to support them in their steadfast efforts along the way.