It was thanks to Musikhjälpen that the idea for the fabric bag THIS BAG, and by extension FAIRLY, was born.
During the fall and winter of 2018, I did my internship for IM (Individual Human Help) in India, where I worked at MESH (Maximising Employment to Serve the Handicapped). The organization focuses on creating employment and independence for people with disabilities. As December approached, Musikhjälpen came out with this year's theme: Everyone has the right to function differently.
A theme that felt incredibly relevant and close to me and that inspired me to combine these two commitments. The idea of a cloth bag made from leftover fabric from another project, which was then printed with a design readable with Braille, took shape as a way to both raise money for MESH and contribute to Musikhjälpen.
Creating the bag became a collaborative project that involved many people. I got in touch with Alamelu Bangaru, a blind professor from Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, who not only helped me learn Braille but also checked my design to make sure everything was correct. Working with Alamelu was both educational and inspiring – she gave me a whole new understanding of the importance of accessible design. The fabric bags were then sewn by skilled tailors who themselves had various types of disabilities, including blindness. Working with these people and their amazing craftsmanship in the context of Musikhjälpen’s theme really gave me an incredible context for my project.
When the cloth bags were sold, the proceeds went to both Musikhjälpen and the people I worked with in India. Around 2000 SEK was collected for MESH and Musikhjälpen each. Being able to support MESH's work while contributing to a larger fundraiser felt incredibly meaningful. For me, it wasn't just a project – it became a matter of the heart.
During this time, I also had the opportunity to lecture to Alamelu students about fashion and identity, which became a whole new experience and story in itself. I may tell you more about that in another blog post, but that meeting really reinforced my understanding of how fashion can be a tool for self-expression and inclusion.
Musikhjälpen is so close to my heart because it represents a unique opportunity to combine creativity and social responsibility. It was during my internship in India and during this project that FAIRLY began to take shape – the idea of creating sustainable products that also have a positive social impact.
So when I work with FAIRLY today, I carry with me the lessons from that time. Getting involved in Musikhjälpen, working closely with people and creating something that really makes a difference – it's a philosophy that permeates everything I do.
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