The Art Faculty pop-up store, a OCBC Centre near Boat Quay, was set up by Pathlight School to sell products such as pouches and mugs made by their autistic students.
The Autism Resource Centre, which runs the school, is among charities that have become more business-savvy in reaching out to consumers with merchandise that appeal not just to their compassion but also their needs and aesthetic sense. Proceeds generally go towards covering beneficiaries’ salaries and other administration costs.
The Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (Minds) has moved from selling traditional art and craft items, to products that are more functional, after making “deliberate efforts to understand consumers’ needs“. Minds’ business did so well last year, that it is paying $1 million this year in performance bonus to over 1,000 beneficiaries who worked to produce the merchandise.
Ms Eileen Yap, founder of social enterprise Singapore Fashion Runway, said the disadvantaged have talents that can be nurtured.
Read more here.
Source: The Straits Times, 8 September 2017