AKOLA
(n): she works Akola was named by the local women in their native language of Lusoga.
WHO WE ARE
Akola is a unique non-profit jewelry brand that empowers women in poverty in Dallas and Uganda to redesign their stories. Akola trains and provides employment opportunities for women in poverty so they can meet the basic needs of their children and communities.
1 0 0 % S O C I A L LY R E I N V E S T E D As a non-profit, Akola reinvests 100% of our revenues in our social mission to help women become agents of transformation in their families and communities.
F O U N D I N G S T O RY The Akola journey began with a 10 minute meeting that changed the life of Akola’s founder. In 2004, Brittany Underwood was moved to compassion as a sophomore in college after meeting a Ugandan woman named Sarah who cared for 24 street children in her home. Compassion escalated to action as Brittany founded a non-profit to construct an orphanage home to house children who slept on Sarah’s floor. In 2006, upon graduating college, Brittany moved to Uganda to begin the construction of the orphanage and the drilling of over 20 water wells throughout the country. As the team traveled to different villages, they were amazed by women who cared for 10+ children in their homes. Like Sarah, they had a hope and vision for their families; they simply did not have the income or confidence to embrace their calling. After completing the orphanage, Brittany discovered that by training and employing women and guaranteeing them a monthly income the organization could care for thousands of children. In 2007, Brittany launched a new sustainable model to uplift women and children. The women named it “Akola”, which means “to work” in their local dialect. After 5 years in the field, she worked with the best development practitioners in the country to develop a sustainable impact model for women. The work paid off. Over the last thirteen years, Akola has blossomed into a thriving social-business that empowers women across the globe. The hope of Akola is to encourage new thinking about international development and to inspire the next generation of social innovators to deliver the highest level of impact in disadvantaged communities. Akola jewelry has retailed in over 450 high-end boutiques throughout the United States and has equipped over 400 women in Uganda to transform the lives of over 4,000 children in their communities. In 2014, Akola expanded to Dallas to offer ‘unemployable’ women a pathway to financial stability. Akola has joined a citywide effort through partnerships with 9 non-profits to employ women who cannot get a job because of their history.
OUR MISSION Akola empowers women to become agents of transformation in their families and communities through economic development.
O U R VA L U E S R E S T O R AT I O N O F H U M A N D I G N I T Y We r e s t o r e d i g n i t y a n d h o p e t o wo m e n o p p r e s s e d by cultural and socioeconomic inequalities.
C O L L A B O R AT I V E PA R T N E R S H I P S We g ive o u r t i m e , s k i l l s a n d r e s o u rc e s t owa r d u p l i f t i n g and encouraging one another in the spirit of love, equality and collaboration.
T R A N S F O R M AT I O N A L R E L AT I O N S H I P S We s e e k t o b u i l d m e a n i n g f u l , c r o s s - c u l t u ra l relationships so we may each realize our potential as agents of transformation.
HIGH-QUALITY PRODUCTS We o f f e r t h e m a r k e t p l a c e p r o d u c t s h a n d c ra f t e d by women who receive fair wages for their craftsmanship. 100% of Akola revenue is reinvested in our mission to help women transform their families and communities.
O U R S TA K E H O L D E R S OUR WOMEN We d o e ve r y t h i n g t o c r e a t e a s m u ch i m p a c t a n d b r i n g opportunity to the women we work with.
CUSTOMERS We t r e a t o u r c u s t o m e r s w i t h g ra t i t u d e a n d h u m i l i t y because we are so thankful that they decided to join our mission of empowerment.
DONORS Without our donors, we cannot create educational programs, such as health and wellness and financial l i t e r a c y, t h a t h e l p o u r w o m e n t h r i v e .
COMMUNITY We p a r t n e r w i t h n o n p r o f i t s i n D a l l a s t o i n f u s e i m p a c t a n d change through our women. In Uganda, we empower our women to go out in the community and be leaders.
FULL IMPACT BRAND Creating a social impact throughout the entire supply chain and beyond.
F U L L I M PA C T B R A N D R AW M AT E R I A L S Akola materials represent a life changed. Akola trains women in Uganda to hand-roll paper beads and hand-carve Ankole cow horn.
A S S E M B LY Akola trains and employs women in Dallas and Uganda who make a living wage of up to $15 a n h o u r t o h a n d - a s s e m b l e a l l A k o l a j e w e l r y.
DISTRIBUTION A k o l a ’s d i s t r i b u t i o n c e n t e r r u n s a s a s e c o n d - c h a n c e job program for women in Dallas who have criminal records, giving them a chance to enter the mainstream workforce.
UGANDA: WHERE IT BEGAN Th e A k o l a j o u r n e y b e g a n 1 3 ye a r s a g o w i t h a U g a n d a n w o m a n who sacrificed everything she had to care for 24 street c h i l d r e n w h o s l e p t o n h e r f l o o r. To d a y A k o l a g i v e s e d u c a t i o n , training and a living wage work opportunity to over 400 women throughout 7 villages in Uganda.
DALLAS: OUR SISTER CITY Since 2014, Akola Dallas partners with local nonprofits who r e f e r w o m e n f o r A k o l a ’s v o c a t i o n a l t r a i n i n g a n d l i v i n g w a g e wo r k p r o g ra m . We o f f e r wo r k t h r o u g h o u r p r o d u c t i o n a n d t h r o u g h o u r d i s t r i b u t i o n c e n t e r, w h i c h s e r v e s a s a second-chance job program. In 2016, we offered work to 98 new women!
WHERE TO FIND US
B L E N D E D R E TA I L E- C O M M E R C E
R E TA I L S T O R E
WHOLESALE
L U X U RY R E TA I L A KO L A X N E I M A N M A RC U S
“It is virtually unheard of for a new brand to launch nationally through Neiman Marcus. In its very first season, Akola has become one o f t h e To p 1 0 j e w e l r y brands at Neiman Marcus, and we expect them to be in t h e To p 5 i n 2 0 1 7 .� J O H N K O RY L , P R E S I D E N T, N E I M A N M A R C U S
D E S I G N E R J E W E L RY
CUSP
C O L L A B O R AT I O N S SOPHIA BUSH
CONSCIOUS CO.
In July 2015, actress Sophia Bush and social brand, Conscious Co. traveled to Uganda to visit our project and design custom necklaces. T h i s p a r t n e r s h i p i n c r e a s e d A k o l a ’s b r a n d a w a r e n e s s a n d w o m e n ’s e m p o w e r m e n t a d v o c a c y.
SPREADING HOPE #ONEHOPEONEDALLAS In response to the tragedy that struck Dallas in July 2016, Akola placed jars around D a l l a s a s k i n g p e o p l e t o w r i t e t h e i r s i n g l e h o p e f o r t h e c o m m u n i t y t o i n s p i r e u n i t y.
“A f t e r t h e t r a g i c e v e n t s in downtown Dallas in e a r l y J u l y, a N o r t h Te x a s group stepped up to see how they could give h o p e b a c k t o t h e c i t y.” C B S D F W, August 2016
COMPLETED PROJECTS Mission-Centered Retail
D E E P E L LU M 2 , 0 0 0 S Q . F O O TA G E | O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4 - O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6
SNIDER PLAZA 1 , 3 74 S Q . F O O TA G E | C U R R E N T S PA C E
R E TA I L T R E N D : E X P E R I E N C E Costumers want an interactive experience in a brick and mortar setting. But, unlike Akola, other brands do not have an authentic story or experience. Akola knows all 500 of our women and we want to connect our customers to them through our store events, intentional customer service and our upcoming Impact Tr a c k e r t h r o u g h o u r w e b s i t e a n d a p p o n i n - s t o r e i Pa d s . Th i s t r a k c e r w i l l e d u c a t e a c u s t o m e r o n t h e d i r e c t impact of a purchase on the lives of the women w h o m a k e t h e j e w e l r y. Akola also wants to create a place of empowerment, relationship-building and community by opening our space to our like-minded customers by hosting shopping events, jewelry-making workshops with our women and seminars about the Akola empowerment mission.
U P C O M I N G PA R T N E R S H I P S
C O L L A B O R AT I O N S GUY BEDARIDA
Home Shopping Network
Akola is partnering with Guy Bedarida to create an in-case line for Neiman Marcus.
I n O c t o b e r 2 0 1 7 , A k o l a f o u n d e r, B r i t t a n y, w i l l p r e s e n t A k o l a ’s e x c l u s i v e l i n e f o r H S N .
IN THE NEWS
Full Page Magazine Spread on Neiman Marcus collaboration with designer, Guy Bedarida
Online Product Feature During Mother’s Day
June 2017
May 2017
“‘A storied retailer partners with a brand that won’t ever make a dollar.”
“Jewelry label, Akola is a ‘100% full impact brand.”
In April 2017, Akola competed in a pitch competition hosted by United Way Dallas and won the grand prize of $75,000.
Founder Featured As 1 of the World’s Top 10 CEOs
April 2017
March 2017
“What she’s accomplished is amazing … so for me, it was easy, she’s already shown she can do it. She’s shown she can get results. More capital just means more good things.”
“Underwood is a clear example of a servant leader practicing conscious capitalism to transform the lives of women and families.”
- Todd Wagner
AS SEEN ON
Amal Clooney, August 2016
Jessica Alba, February 2016
Sophia Bush, June 2015
Julianne Hough, September 2015
T H A N K YO U !