SOMO is a company dedicated towards generating funds for children's school fees in Gulu, Uganda. The Acholi women are incredibly talented artisans and create a variety of beads and necklaces out of upcycled paper products which SOMO then purchases on a consistent basis and then markets them to a Western audience. The profits from the sales are reinvested into the education of rising generations in Africa and beyond.
With school fees around $150 a year per child, mother's without security are unable to provide the money to allow their children to have an education. The social business provides Acholi women with a consistent and dependable wage while also ensuring that profits continue to fund school fees. As their website confirms, SOMO is "incorporating fashion and function with passion and purpose."
Contact Information
SOMO website
SOMO on Facebook
SOMO on Twitter
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Social Business
- SOMO's model of generating funds for children's school fees through the sale of jewelry highlights the potential of social business to address educational barriers.
- Upcycled Fashion
- SOMO's use of upcycled paper products to create beads and necklaces showcases the trend of sustainable fashion and upcycling materials.
- Purpose-driven Marketing
- SOMO's marketing strategy of targeting a Western audience with a focus on the purpose and social impact of their products exemplifies the trend of purpose-driven marketing.
Where This Applies
- Fashion
- SOMO's jewelry business operates within the fashion industry, with a unique focus on sustainability and social impact.
- Education
- SOMO's innovative approach to generating funds for school fees highlights opportunities for disruptive innovation within the education industry.
- Artisan Crafts
- SOMO's collaboration with Acholi women artisans showcases the potential for disruptive innovation within the artisan crafts industry by incorporating sustainable materials and social impact.
