Help our Fair Trade Shop for a Better World

Hello, Thank you for reading this page. I am Aditi Sharma, the founder of Aksa Home Decor. I am raising money so that I can place my next big order with artisan communities in India by April 2023.

Want to join me in making a difference? Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause which means so much to me.

About Aksa:

Aksa Home Decor is a fair trade home decor, garden decor, and jewellery shop with a heart. We are transforming the lives of India's marginalized communities and supporting Greening Australia charity through our shop.

"The purpose of Aksa Home Decor is to grow our small business whilst having an overall positive impact on our community and the environment, all through the simple act of buying."

I founded Aksa Home Decor during the COVID lockdown of 2020. I always wanted to help the artisan communities but wasn't sure where to start. The lockdown gave me an opportunity to think through the direction my life was taking, and this burning desire. Thus began the journey of creating Aksa with the support of WFTO fair trade artisan producers in India.

Our product suppliers are Guaranteed WFTO members (Membership Type: Fair Trade Organization). World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) members are fully verified as Fair Trade plus social enterprise. They have been peer reviewed and independently audited, along with their Fair Trade suppliers.

We promote environmentally responsible (No greenwashing ever!), socially beneficial, and economically viable practices for our artisans.

What is our Fair Trade Model?

The aim of our model is to provide financial confidence to our artisans while cushioning them from sudden market fluctuations and product design changes and to encourage the practice of their art forms which may be rendered into new modern designs popular in the Australian market.

The process starts with a discussion on product designs, and 50% advance payment on the fair price set by our producers (we do not negotiate to bring these prices down as it is important to provide a fair wage to our craftsmen) to provide enough to cover initial costs of raw materials and handcraft production. Once the products have been handcrafted and are ready for shipment we complete the remaining payment before items are exported (mostly by sea to reduce our carbon footprint) to our Australia warehouse.

We are currently member of Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand (FToA) and are an Endorsed Fair Trader of Australia.

Why this fund-raiser?

During the last few years, this online shop has been funded entirely by the money I have earned from my corporate job. It has not been easy but I have juggled running the house budget, and this shop so far while navigating the challenges of COVID, and inflation.

However, as a small business relying mainly on my salary for the day-to-day of this business I have not been immune to the economic situation gripping Australia. However, I still wish to continue Aksa's support to artisans and their families with fair wages to provide them with basic things like food, water, and shelter, education for their children, and medical welfare programs (that we arrange via our fair trade producers).

As consumers have a choice. Where we spend our money matters more than ever and with every purchase, we’re voting with our dollars. As the Aboriginal elders of our great nation said - "Yaka Gana" (Don't do it alone / Together always), together we can create a better and kind world by addressing entrenched disadvantages faced by developing nations.

Your donation will go towards:

- Placing Next Order (approx. AUD 5,000- AUD 9,000). We will pay 50% to artisans when the order is placed and the rest 50% when the order is dispatched by sea.

- This money will be used to give fair wages (which is more than the living wage set up by the Indian govt) to the women and men who would handcraft our products

- This money will also be used for small initiatives like eye checkups in artisan villages.

You can learn more about Aksa Home Decor on our website : https://aksahomedecor.com/

Why does it matter if you buy Fair Trade?

Fair Trade products not only provide a fair wage to the artisan community giving them much-needed financial security and dignity, but it also incorporates good practices to ensure we take care of our planet. In today's competitive global market, there is a lot of pressure to provide goods cheaper and faster. This model doesn't always lend well to taking care of the people and the planet. We aim to address this by following Fair Trade principles.

All of our products are made using sustainable or recycled materials. Most of our packaging is either using recycled materials or can be composted. We ship via Australia Post who invest in carbon-neutral deliveries.

I sincerely appreciate your time and consideration toward our cause.