CARE Bangladesh Wins Prestigious Gold Standard Award for Linking Rural Rug-Making Enterprises to Profitable European Markets

The rug-making enterprises not only increase the incomes of women in the project – allowing them to save more and invest more in their families – but they also dramatically transform the women's social positions by enhancing their decision making power, voice and participation in their families and society.

According to Radha Muthiah, vice president of strategic partnerships and alliances at CARE, "This award is an affirmation of the good work of CARE Bangladesh and the indigent Bangladeshi women who succeeded when they were provided the opportunity and resources to do so."

CARE and Kik brought together poor female artisans and then incorporated them into a profitable rug-making value chain that was directly linked to international markets. The women in the project received support in everything from quality training, to accessing raw materials, improving workplace safety, and of course linking with a secure market. The deep partnership with Kik ensured the impact of CARE's work would be sustainable over the long term.

This project in Bangladesh has the potential to benefit many marginalized women across the country if taken to a larger scale.

Muthiah adds, "CARE aims is to establish more partnerships with the private sector, such as the one with Kik, to yield better and more sustainable results for the communities in which we work. If we can leverage the strengths of corporate partners, including connections to their global supply chains, even more women, families and communities around the world will benefit."

CARE has a goal of economically empowering 10 million women and their families by promoting dignified employment and sustainable incomes by 2015.