Meet the Artisans - Learn more about the Empowerment Mindset and the Artisans' benefits
Ethical. Sustainable. Empowering.
These three words are taken seriously in terms of how we view people and our world.
That's why we're proud to share how Elevate is investing and empowering our artisan partners at the Tecsoe Leather Shop in Kolkata, India!
The Empowerment Mindset
As previously mentioned in our 2020 Impact Report, most people are surprised to know that the leather shop in India isn’t called Elevate; it’s called Tecsoe, a Hindi word that means “longevity.”
That’s because we don’t own the leather shop in India, but rather have dedicated our efforts to empowering a group of entrepreneurs and artisans to start their own business from scratch!
Why?
Seeing people equipped and empowered so they can sustainably care for their families and see their dreams come to life—well, let's just say that makes our hearts sing.
And we know that it makes yours too...
In less than five years, Elevate's customers and gracious donors have loved on this heart mission, turning it into a non-profit by replicating the empowerment model 160+ times in 10 different countries around the world.
This means that every time you purchase with us, you've directly fueled the livelihoods and small business dreams of one out of 160+ families in some of the world's most underserved areas.
Something we are still humbled by every day.
The Fashion Industry and Living Wages
While our relationship with our partners has evolved over the years, we believe that the empowerment mindset model stimulates independence and restores ownership and dignity to those working in the garment and textile industry.
Tecsoe sets its own fair and living wages, provides its artisans with benefits that are rarely provided in the leather industry, and controls its own work production schedules.
Our artisans' benefits and bonuses.
In most cases, small, unregulated factory workers have no social security coverage, such as health insurance or pensions. We’re proud to share that our artisans are provided with adequate health care, end-of-year bonuses, retirement plans, advance payments, and education/training regarding savings and investments.
When it comes to medical bills and health care, each of our team members is given health insurance right when they join the Tecsoe team, which will cover up to 200,000 rupees in medical bills ($2,695 USD). This is a major benefit that most workers in the fashion industry never receive.
Artisans also receive end-of-year bonuses equal to one month's salary.
Tecsoe teaches team members about savings and investments and how to use money wisely for the future. This helps artisans create a plan and direction for their income in order to best serve their families.
Also available to each artisan is the option for advance payments! If a family is in need, Tecsoe will pay them their monthly salary in advance to meet that specific need. While this may seem simple, it is perhaps one of the most helpful benefits to workers in developing countries because most people don’t have access to large amounts of capital. If there is a family emergency or funeral to prepare for, advance payments help workers who need cash fast but don’t want to turn to a loan shark. This is too often the case with so many, and it can be crippling when the interest rates are so high, they can't pay them back. Advance payments change that!
One of the newest benefits, which took effect last year, is that every artisan may receive a retirement plan when they join the team. The funds deposited to their accounts are not drawn from their salaries! This is a major perk for those who join the team.
We are so proud of the honest ways in which the Tecsoe team has been taking care of its workers, putting its people first above profit.
Now, meet the faces behind every purchase!
Asgor
Age: 32 | Married | 2 Kids
One of his kids is currently going to school.
When asked how he found out about Tecsoe, he responded that his friend introduced him. If he could learn anything additional in this line of work, he'd choose to learn sampling.
Santosh
Age 50 | Married | 3 Kids
Three of his kids are enrolled in school!
A close mentor introduced him to Tecsoe. Given the opportunity, he would love to learn embossing.
Sayon
Age 22 | Unmarried | Currently lives with his family.
Sayon has a friend who introduced him to Tecsoe.
If he could learn anything in the leather shop, he'd like to pick up stitching.
Nazirudin
Age 34 | Married | 1 kid
One of Nazirudin's friends introduced him to Tecsoe. If he could grow into a new position he'd learn stitching on the cylinder bed.
Mortoza
Age 29 | Married | 1 Kid
One of his close friends introduced him to the leather shop. He's interested in learning how to make patterns during sampling.
Rashid
Age: 32 |Married | 3 kids
2 of Rashid's kids go to school.
A friend introduced him to the leather shop, and if given the opportunity, he'd love to learn skiving and gage cutting.
Faruk
Age: 30 | Newly married
He's been with the Tecsoe team from the very beginning.
He's been with the Tecsoe team from the very beginning.
Faruk aspires to learn CAD and digital prototyping!
