Sseko Designs: Fair Trade Fashion at it's Finest

I was first introduced to Ssekos while volunteering at One World Market.

When April, our Executive Director, first showed me the new display with different colored bases and straps, I squealed with delight. I knew that I wanted to buy a pair immediately, so I began to browse through the bases and straps. While I was debating whether to go with black or teal straps, April explained the Sseko project to me. So before YOU debate which adorable straps you want to buy, let me explain a bit too!

Sseko is a company based out of Uganda that provides an opportunity for high school women to make money during the nine month gap after high school and before University. The women are able to generate a substantial income by making gorgeous leather sandals that have a huge variety of interchangeable straps! So far, Sseko has graduated three classes of women! Sseko also employs a diverse full-time team of women in Uganda.

Through Sseko, Ugandan women are not just encouraged to dream but encouraged to PURSUE their dreams! These strong, independent women will not be making sandals forever. They will go "on to be doctors, lawyers, politicians, writers and teachers that will bring change and unification to a country divided and ravished by a 22 year-long war." That is the WONDERFUL thing about Sseko: when once class moves on to University, more women will come in and be able to pursue their own dreams and desires.

Watch the video below to learn a little bit more about the amazing things Sseko is doing.

"The Sseko Story"

Sseko explains that one of the issues in Uganda, and many other countries, is that "although charities and non-profits play a vital and necessary role in all societies, sometimes charity and aid can play a negative role by enabling dependencies and damaging the local economies." Instead of trying to treat the symptoms, Sseko "aim[s] to address the deeper, underlying issues of extreme poverty."

Sseko not only works with women who have just graduated from high school, but also those that have graduated from University. These college graduates have a chance to work with Sseko in the upper management levels. Sseko also collaborates with a local non-profit in Uganda that works with young women who have recently left the commercial sex industry. By providing a "stable, dignifying and fair wage employment," it is more likely that these women will not enter back into prostitution.

Sseko understands that it is absolutely important to try and help PREVENT issues such as poverty and prostitution from occurring in the first place rather than just treating them.

 Sseko is doing all of these amazing things with women in Uganda and they are also doing an AMAZING job helping to spread the work they are doing. For the past month they have opened up the opportunity for anyone to become a Sseko Signature Stylist! Being a Signature Stylist is awesome because you get to help spread the word about Sseko and encourage others to find their own Signature style! I dubbed my Signature Style "Global Chic" because I try to incorporate at least two different countries into my outfits each day! As a Signature Stylist you get the inside scoop on product development and $25 Sseko credit! (To become a Signature Stylist, visit http://ssekodesigns.com/sseko-signature-stylist/!) I am going to use my Sseko credit to order some accessories that I've been dying to get!

Pictured below are some of my fave Sseko accessories!

 Love this Triangle Tassel Accessory with the Navy strap- so nautical and hip!

The Rectangle Annabelle Accessory is part of Sseko's wedding collection, but I would wear this adorable chevron accessory every day!

Over the past months with my Sseko's I have accumulated at least ten different straps, two bases (thanks Sseko for my free base and straps- another perk of being a Signature Stylist!), and am about to order the above accessories! I absolutely love sharing pictures of my Fair Trade outfits, so below are some of my fave Sseko straps and ties and outfits!

Outside One World Market wearing Fair Trade jewelry, and Summer Sorbet Chiffon straps with a Holly tie!

Outfit of the day for One World Market's "Go Bananas for Fair Trade" event! Fair Trade jewelry (Ember Arts necklace and Mata Traders earrings) and black straps in a Classic tie!

Outside One World Market wearing World Finds earrings and Silver precious metal straps in a Diagonal bow tie!

 Left: Gift box tie in Silver precious metals strap! Right: Classic tie in Gold Shimmer straps!

 Wearing Fair Trade earrings, Lily and Laura bracelets and Gold shimmer straps in a Braided Flip flop!














One of my favorite excerpts from Sseko's website is below:

"Although Sseko Designs has been built for the purpose of impacting a specific social sector, we have chosen very intentionally to use a sustainable, self-sufficient business model to do this. Our hope is to help create industry and fair-trade with the belief that a large component of economic development lies in the business sector. We believe in the power of responsible consumerism. Instead of competing for limited donor dollars, we hope consumers think about the story behind their “stuff.” If we considered the impact that each product we consume has on the lives of those who produced that product and chose to see consumerism as a force and opportunity for positive social change, we believe the world would be filled with beautiful products with even more beautiful stories."

I think it is so important for consumers to just take a few minutes to THINK about where all of the stuff they buy is coming from. In today's world, it is so important to be a responsible and ethical consumer. Next time you go to the grocery store, think about the farmers that harvested the tomatoes in your grocery cart. When you are in Forever 21 buying a super cute dress, think about the person who made the cloth, sewed the dress, and added glitter to it. I do not believe that it is unacceptable to buy products from "big box" stores. I absolutely love Forever 21, Charlotte Russe and Target. However, I also love my clothes and jewelry from Fair Trade vendors such as Sseko Designs, Mata Traders, Symbology and Mamafrica Designs. All I ask of you is to be AWARE. Think, and educate yourself and others.

So fellow Fair Trade Warriors, I hope you have enjoyed this blog about Sseko! Please visit their website at http://ssekodesigns.com/, and check out theses fabulous sandals and the amazing women that make them! Comment below and let me know why YOU love Sseko! As always, feel free to send me emails with comments or stories about Fair Trade and Sseko and I'll put a few on the blog!

Fair Trade love always,

Catie