NZ fashion house joins with ChildFund in giving Indian families the gift of economic independence this Christmas

New Zealand fashion house High Society is taking a creative approach to its corporate Christmas gifts this year with the purchase of 25 sewing machines from the ChildFund ‘Gifts that Grow’ catalogue to benefit poverty stricken families in India.

The sewing machines will be donated on behalf of High Society’s retailers and suppliers in lieu of normal corporate Christmas gifts. They’ll be accompanied by a message explaining how the machines represent the enduring gift of economic independence by enabling the recipient families to earn an income and take the first steps out of poverty.

High Society, which sells the Chocolat, Mosaic, Catalyst, and Obi women’s fashion brands within New Zealand and internationally, will donate 25 manual sewing machines at a cost of $100 each. Managing Director, Robyn Hall, is also challenging other businesses to consider how they can put their annual corporate Christmas gift budget to better use.

“Rather than choosing traditional corporate gifts for our clients, we decided to select a special gift that would benefit those in need. ChildFund’s catalogue had the perfect solution for us. Sewing machines are an integral part of our business, so it was particularly meaningful for use to give Indian families the means to create their own small garment businesses to support themselves and their communities.”

ChildFund National Director Paul Brown says “High Society’s generosity will make a very real and on-going difference to families in need. Like the sewing machines, many of the items in our ‘Gifts that Grow’ catalogue have been deliberately selected to keep on giving well beyond the initial gesture.”

“For instance, our biggest selling item this Christmas is the gift of 10 baby chickens to a family in Sri Lanka ($25). This gift offers the promise of eggs not just for the family to eat, but also to sell for much needed income, and potentially more generations of baby chickens. The second most popular item is a vegetable starter kit for a family in Honduras ($22) which similarly offers the opportunity to not just feed the family but also earn income.

Paul Brown says the ChildFund ‘Gifts that Grow’ catalogue has options for every budget and it’s easy to buy by calling 0800 223 111 or visiting www.childfund.org.nz/catalogue. Purchasers receive a voucher for each item explaining exactly how it will benefit a child, family or community, so that friends and family understand how the gift they’ve received will make a real difference to the lives of those in need. (Please allow 14 days to receive vouchers). All purchases are tax deductible.

Animals
One sheep for a farmer in Uganda $45
One goat for a family in Indondesia $90
One dairy cow for a family in Ethiopia $1,100

Education
15 packs of colouring pencils for a school in Uganda $35
Scholarship for an Ethiopian girl to attend school for one year $220
Teacher’s salary for a rural Sri Lankan school for one year $660

Health & Nutrition
Hygiene kit for a child in Thailand or Uganda $22
Malaria medication for five pre-school children in The Gambia $55
Hand-pump water well to provide clean water for a community in India $1,100

Income generation
Vegetable garden starter kit for a family in Honduras $22
A manual sewing machine to sew clothes in India $100
Employment training and tools for an unemployed youth in East Timor $220

Emergency relief
High nutrition biscuits for up to 30 Sri Lankan children $44
Bag of Unimix formula for malnourished children in Kenya $110

ENDS

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