US based lawyer turned jewellery designer Rosena Sammi partnered with Ruchira Gupta‘s NGO Apne Aap for her jewellery collection ‘Who’s Sari Now‘. Rosena Sammi’s jewellery finds patronage from celebrities like Rihanna, Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan and Miley Cyrus. ‘Who’s Sari Now’ features handmade jewellery and bags made out of upcycled saris that have been damaged in production. The jewellery comes in beautiful pouches, also handmade. The collection is now being sold in American boutiques, but can also be bought online through Rosena Sammi’s website.
What makes the colourful jewellery special is the people who make them. Ruchira Gupta came across sex workers when she was working on her Emmy-winning documentary ‘The Selling of Innocents’. After shooting, Ruchira decided to do more and the sex workers featured in her documentary were one of the first victims her organisation rescued and rehabilitated. The idea is to break the cycle of slavery, as most of these workers are sold into prostitution when they are children. Empowering these women and charting out a different and brighter future for them and their children is what ‘Who’s Sari Now’ collaboration with Apne Aap is all about.
The women of Apne Aap have been trained with various skill sets after being rescued. They get 25% of the profits from the collection.
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