Catrinka founder Megan Cayten has always loved textiles. The granddaughter of a weaver and the daughter of a folk artist, her interests in clothing and culture played an immense role in creating her social enterprise. But Cayten's biggest inspiration was her young daughter.
It all began when Caterina (whose nickname happens to be Catrinka) was four years old. Seeing her happy, healthy daughter enjoy school each day made Megan think about the millions of girls worldwide who do not have the same privilege. All across the globe, girls are forced to drop out of school during early adolescence in order to marry, work to support their families, or to avoid the threat of dangerous environments. But more is at stake for girls than missing out on their multiplication tables: girls who don't finish school marry and have children earlier, are at an increased risk of contracting HIV/AIDs, and are more likely to die from complications during adolescent pregnancy.
For each year that a girl continues her education, her future economic opportunities increase. Women who are able to make and manage money impact their communities in a huge way, reinvesting twice as much of their income in their families and communities as men. With a firm belief in the importance of empowered women and educated girls, Megan fashioned the business model so it would not only employ women, but also invest a share of the profits in mentoring programs and girls' education. Since its launch in 2013, Catrinka has provided over 55,000 days of education for girls in developing countries, giving them the knowledge and skills they need to have a better future. The social enterprise has also empowered the artisans who make each of their bags. So far, Catrinka has provided over 3,500 days of fair work for women in 16 countries. But it doesn't stop there. Catrinka seeks to provide both opportunity and community.
Each bag is and emblem of women's fortitude. Megan explains, "My mentor, Judith Bruce, says that every girl needs five friends and a place to meet them." Catrinka prioritizes education and employment for women because they can provide these places. One example is a woman-owned co-op in Sierra Leone, where Catrinka sources their Zoe clutch. Tailoring is typically seen as a man's job in Sierra Leone. With Megan's help, the business broke the mold of traditional hiring practices and began hiring female tailors. Now it is a place where women come together to learn skills and work in a fair, safe environment. One of these women is nineteen-year-old Mabinti Conteh. Mabinti's childhood was disrupted by the chaos of a civil war, which prevented her from getting an education and left her homeless. She is now a full-time employee who cannot only provide for herself, but is also able to financially support her sister.
Success stories such as Mabinti's are what drive Megan. "A central focus of our work, [is] to call attention to the extraordinary capacity, resilience, generosity of women and girls around the world... I think it is also important to celebrate the power of women and girls -- all of the good that happens when you invest in them," says Megan. Because when we invest in women and girls, they can experience the joy of making their own choices, working towards their goals, and investing in the next generation.
Learn more about Catrinka here.