Justice And Fashion Unite To Create Sustainable Opportunity For The Poor

WASHINGTON, May 14, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- One out of three women across the globe experiences violent abuse within her lifetime.  In many developing communities, basic daily activities – taking public transportation, collecting water – can put girls and women at particular risk of sexual assault.  And for many poor girls, school is the most common place where sexual violence occurs.

To fight this epidemic of violence against women and girls, and to provide them with sustainable opportunities for poverty alleviation, Noonday Collection, a socially conscious fashion brand, and International Justice Mission (IJM), a global human rights agency, have joined forces to protect and empower the vulnerable – and they are calling on the public to help.  

From July 11-20, an influential group of bloggers will travel to Rwanda with Noonday and IJM to help change the conversations around poverty. During their time in Rwanda, they will share with their followers the transformative stories of IJM clients rescued from violence and abuse who are now able to support themselves and their families by creating Noonday Collection products.

Collectively, these female bloggers and influencers will engage with more than half a million followers throughout the U.S. by sharing their life-changing experiences via blog posts and social media, with a goal to engage followers with tangible opportunities to make a difference through Noonday and IJM.  Bloggers on the tour include Jen Hatmaker, Kelle Hampton and Jennie Allen.

"We are on a mission to mobilize women in the USA to create opportunity for the world's most vulnerable by harnessing fashion and design. Partnering with IJM is another way we can engage the collective power of women in order to address the most difficult problems facing people living in poverty," said Jessica Honegger, founder of Noonday Collection.

"There is a hidden crisis silently undermining our best efforts to help the poor – it is a plague of everyday violence," said Melissa Russell, IJM's Vice President of Strategic Partnerships. "Every day we help women and children move out of violent situations, and we are grateful for partners like Noonday Collection who provide economic opportunities that generate hope and self-sufficiency.  The bloggers sharing these stories are giving a powerful voice to the voiceless."

Followers of the trip will get a glimpse into the ways that IJM and Noonday Collection are addressing both the short-term needs of the vulnerable, such as providing immediate intervention for child victims of sexual assault, while also promoting long-term economic solutions that create sustainable jobs for the poor.

They will meet strong, independent women such as Grace, who survived the Rwandan genocide when she was seven, and eventually graduated from Noonday Collection's seamstress course and is now supporting herself and her family through a satisfying sustainable job through Noonday Collection. Read more about Grace here - http://www.noondaycollection.com/impact/who/grace  and view products made by Grace and the Rwanda sewing group:   http://www.noondaycollection.com/bags/market-tote-bag

For more information, or to support this collaborative cause, visit noondaycollection.com/styleforjustice or search #StyleForJustice

About International Justice Mission
International Justice Mission is a global organization that protects the poor from violence throughout the developing world. IJM partners with local authorities to rescue victims of violence, bring criminals to justice, restore survivors, and strengthen justice systems. The largest non-profit organization of its kind, IJM combats slavery, sex trafficking, property grabbing, police abuse of power, and sexual violence, working in 18 communities throughout South and Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America. www.ijm.org.

About Noonday Collection
Noonday Collection uses fashion and design to create economic opportunity for the vulnerable by harnessing the influence of social selling entrepreneurs across the US known as Ambassadors. Ambassadors create a marketplace for Noonday's artisans by hosting in-home Trunk Shows where they style and share the powerful stories behind the handmade pieces. Over 500 Ambassadors across the nation have now launched their own Noonday businesses, enabling them to earn an income while empowering the vulnerable to rise out of poverty. For more information on Noonday Collection, please visit www.noondaycollection.com

Media Contacts:
Nicole Schuman/Noonday Collection
Mobile: (512) 514-4653/[email protected]

Mindy Mizell/International Justice Mission (IJM)
Mobile: (202) 355-3690/[email protected]

SOURCE International Justice Mission