We are so incredibly excited to announce #blogABLE – an opportunity to bring some of our favorite online voices to see our work in Africa. fashionABLE is partnering with our sister company, Mocha Club, to take a group of amazing, talented bloggers to see our work in Ethiopia. From August 10-14, we’ll spend time with our partners both at Women at Risk and at the fashionABLE headquarters. Follow along on our adventure!

THE BLOGGERS

		Emily Maynard     EmilyMaynard.com   @emilymaynard   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .			Erin Loechner       DesignForMankind     @erinloechner     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
		Jenna Weber       EatLiveRun     @eatliverun     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .			Gaby Dalkin       WhatsGabyCooking     @whatsgabycookin     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
		Dana Weiss       Possessionista     @possessionista     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .			Ellie Holcomb       EllieHolcomb.com     @ellieholcomb     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
		Hayley Morgan     TheTinyTwig     @thetinytwig     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .			Shannan Martin     FlowerPatchFarmgirl     @flowerpatchfg     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
		Trina McNeilly       LaLaLovelyThings     @lalalovelyblog     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .			Blair McLeod      virtual traveler   Wild-and-Precious     @blairita     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Trip Leaders

Marisa Pardo         blog.themochaclub.org   @mochaclub   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Barrett Ward       livefashionABLE.com   @livefashionABLE   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Over the next few weeks, we will be introducing each blogger. Stay tuned and follow along at #blogABLE.

As we lead up to Mother’s Day (on May 12!), we thought we’d highlight a few of the courageous moms that are a part of or who have been a part of our work. Because of your purchase, these women are ABLE to provide for their families and be the MOM they want to be.

Next… Anchinalu, who is ABLE to have peace in her life. (see her story here)

“When I was 20 years old I came to Addis to live with my aunt because she promised to send me to school, but she did not. Instead, I worked as a maid and I was not happy at all. A woman who lived in my neighborhood dressed well, and that interested me. So she showed me I could work at a bar and be a prostitute. I had a baby, but my family took her from me because they didn’t want her to repeat my life style. // When I joined fashionABLE I changed my life. When my family saw this they gave my daughter back to me and now I now have great joy & peace in my life. This means a lot to me because now I can say there is a God who is for me.”

>> Purchase the Anchinalu scarf here. #giftswithmeaning

As we lead up to Mother’s Day (on May 12!), we thought we’d highlight a few of the courageous moms that are a part of or who have been a part of our work. Because of your purchase, these women are ABLE to provide for their families and be the MOM they want to be.

Next… Meselu, who is ABLE to send her son Eyob to school. (see her story here)

“My husband and I got in bad disagreements. When I was 25, I left and took my son and started sleeping outside a church’s door. I met this woman who had a prostitute business, and she offered me money and a house to rent. This is how it began… // My neighbors said there was a company who helps women with situations like mine. Now I work here making scarves. My job has taught me how to love, have self-respect, and it has been a positive change in my life.”

>> Purchase the Meselu scarf here. #giftswithmeaning

As we lead up to Mother’s Day (on May 12!), we thought we’d highlight a few of the courageous moms that are a part of or who have been a part of our work. Because of your purchase, these women are ABLE to provide for their families and be the MOM they want to be.

Next… Frehiwot, who is ABLE to provide for her family. (see her story here)

“In 2006 I got a divorce then I started facing the challenges alone and didn’t have any option to raise my children well. One day one of my “friends” gave me advice to start a prostitution business and I was convinced by her idea. I rented a small room in Addis and started. Some days I went to my house without getting any money and wasn’t even able to feed my children. I would then beg for food that I would bring home to my children. This was the biggest challenge in my life. // The happiest day in my life is the day that I joined the program. It was a big moment for me because I didn’t like my previous work. Now I am able to provide for myself and my children.”

>> Purchase the Frehiwot scarf here. #giftswithmeaning

As we lead up to Mother’s Day (on May 12!), we thought we’d highlight a few of the courageous moms that are a part of or who have been a part of our work. Because of your purchase, these women are ABLE to provide for their families and be the MOM they want to be.

Next… Etanesh, who is ABLE to see her son, Abel, grow in character. (see her story here)

“I moved to the city to live with my uncle and go to a better school, but he died and left me by myself. I got into prostitution because I was all alone and had no money. Everything was dark. I was abused and wanted to die, and prayed for God to take me out of this life. // I’ve never looked back at leaving because I am so happy now. I have found motivation to have my own business one day, and I want my son to grow and be in a good place. I am so grateful to everyone who has helped me get this point”

>> Purchase the Etanesh scarf here. #giftswithmeaning

As we lead up to Mother’s Day (on May 12!), we thought we’d highlight a few of the courageous moms that are a part of or who have been a part of our work. Because of your purchase, these women are ABLE to provide for their families and be the MOM they want to be.

First up… Genet, who is ABLE to embrace her role as a mother. (see her story here)

“I don’t remember my birth mother, and I was brought from the countryside into the city of Addis at age 3 by an aunt who promised my family I would have a “better life .” Instead, I was groomed to be a housemaid and given so many responsibilities that the load of work became impossible. By age 12, I ran away and began living on the street. I felt lost and I was continually raped . Eventually, I became pregnant . With a baby at 15, I learned to have sex for money so I could support her. I coped with life through drinking, drugs and smoking. // I enrolled in counseling to work through my addictions, my childhood trauma, and learn ways to reconnect with my now 7-year-old daughter. I am thankful to be working at fashionABLE where I am surrounded by friends who love me. I have a job that provides dignity, and I am now able to embrace my role as a mother to my two daughters.”

>> Purchase the Genet scarf here. #giftswithmeaning

We shared yesterday how our newest scarf, Genet, was crowdsourced and created through a design contest. The partnership of fashionABLE + ONE + the ALT Design Summit community has been a beautiful collaboration. Our winning designer, Janette Crawford, is an ethical fashion blogger at fashionlovespeople.com. Here’s a little more insight from Janette:

Behind the design: About the Genet Scarf from FashionABLE and ONE

We’re so excited to introduce to you the Genet Scarf– a product of the ONE Campaign and fashionABLE’s latest partnership. In collaboration with the Alt Summit Community, ONE and fashionABLE crowd-sourced this handwoven Mother’s Day scarf in order to highlight the powerful role women play in alleviating extreme poverty.

How did it work? ONE Moms took a trip to Ethiopia and the fashionABLE facilities with a bunch of great bloggers, then one of the ONE Moms, Gabrielle Blair of DesignMom, helped facilitate a collaboration between ONE & fashionABLE by hosting a contest at her design conference Alt Summit. Over 60 designers submitted their designs, 12 designs were produced by fashionABLE in Ethiopia, and 4 scarves were voted on. The winning scarf is designed by Janette Crawford— journalist, copywriter, ONE member, and blogger on her site, fashionlovespeople.com. We could not be more excited about the final product: a black & white cross design that makes for a bold, year-round fashion statement.

The handwoven Genet scarf is an online exclusive, and we are holding a pre-sale launch today & tomorrow that includes free shipping! Scarves will continue to be on pre-sale until April 19th, when the scarf is officially available. We think this is the perfect Mother’s Day gift, don’t you?

So go ahead… grab your Genet scarf now!

LAUNCHING TOMORROW…

We’ve got a ONE + fashionABLE exclusive scarf comin’ at ya tomorrow,  and we couldn’t be more excited for you to see it!

In the meantime, meet Genet, the woman that the scarf is named for. Genet is now on the road to restoration after living on the streets. Genet says that “by age 12, I ran away and began living on the street. I felt lost and I was continually raped . Eventually, I became pregnant . With a baby at 15, I learned to have sex for money so I could support her.”  Now, she is enrolled in counseling and is working at fashionABLE, where she is surrounded by friends who love on her and her daughters. You can read the rest of her story here.