P R E S S PA C K E T
CONTENTS
Introduction
Founder’s Story
As Seen On
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4
5
Story Features
Product Features
Trade Annoucements
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17
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- I.INTRODUCTION 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 seven years, the Akola Project 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 to 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.
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D E S I G N I N G H E R S T O RY Akola jewelry is designed to empower women in disadvantaged communities throughout the globe. Akola - “she works” in Bantu - is a full impact brand that trains and employs women in poverty so they can meet the basic needs of their children. At Akola, design can define a life. For every necklace that is purchased, Akola designs a new story for a woman and a family.
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 your purchase to support employment, training, holistic programs, and the construction of training centers and water wells in impoverished communities around the world.
M A D E BY 5 0 0 W O M E N I N P O V E R T Y UGANDA / DALLAS The Akola woman lives in extreme poverty and has survived the HIV-AIDS epidemic and 20-year-war in Uganda. In Dallas, she was a victim of sex trafficking, formally incarcerated and marginalized. To date, Akola has empowered over 500 women who have transformed the lives of 4,000 children.
L U X U RY W I T H A N I M PA C T C r e a t i n g a S o c i a l I m p a c t Th r o u g h o u t t h e E n t i r e S u p p l y C h a i n
R AW M AT E R I A L S
A S S E M B LY
Akola materials do no harm and
DISTRIBUTION
Akola trains and employs women
Akola’s distribution center runs
at every point possible represent a
in Dallas and Uganda who make a
as a second chance job program
life changed. Akola trains women
living wage of up to $15 an hour to
for women in Dallas who have
in Uganda to hand-roll paper beads
hand-assemble all Akola jewelry.
criminal records, giving them a
and hand-carve Ankole cow horn.
chance to enter the mainstream workforce.
Brittany’s vision for Akola is to create a brand with the highest impact products in the global marketplace.
- II.FOUNDER’S STORY Brittany Merrill Underwood Brittany Merrill Underwood has made an extraordinary impact through her dedication over the past 12 years to transform the lives of impoverished women in Dallas and Uganda through the Akola Project. Brittany was named the ‘Best Person in the World” by Yahoo in 2014 and was honored by clothing manufacturer Levi as one of 50 women around the globe who have changed the political, cultural, and spiritual shape of the future. She was awarded the Emerging Leader Award from SMU in 2013, received the Young Leader Award from the Dallas Women’s Foundation in 2014, was the 2014 ‘My Michelle Moment’ recipient for Michelle Watches, received the 2015 Spanx Leg Up award, and is a finalist for the Business & Interfaith Peace Awards given by the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation. Brittany has been featured on the likes of the Katie Couric Show, CNN’s Young People who Rock, and Modern Luxury. In 2014, she was asked to join the elite mentoring class for the Laura Bush Women’s Initiative and joined the faculty of Southern Methodist University as an adjunct professor in 2015 where she teaches a new course on Social Innovation. Brittany continues to devote her life to empowering women through economic and holistic development as CEO of the Akola Project.
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- III.AS SEEN ON
Amal Clooney, September 2016
AKOLAPROJECT.ORG
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Jessica Alba, January 2016
Catherine Lowe, October 2017
Sophia Bush, June 2015
Jessica Alba, February 2016 Julianne Hough, September 2015
AS SEEN ON
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- IV.AKOLA STORY FEATURES
AKOLA FOR NEIMAN MARCUS Launching the First Full Impact Brand in the Luxury Space AUGUST 2016 Akola launched the first Full Impact Brand in the luxury space through their partnership with Neiman Marcus. Through this, they were able to employ train and empower 100+ women in Urban Poverty in Dallas to make their jewelry. The exclusive collection is available nationwide at every Neiman Marcus and online.
Made by Women in Poverty. 100% Socially Reinvested
AKOLA FOR NEIMAN MARCUS Print and Online Feature on the Partnership November 2016 D Magazine published a print and online article on the partnership and dubbed Akola has “life-changing luxury.” http://bit.ly/2ejIbru
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STORY FEATURES
First Official Annoucement of Akola’s Partnership with Neiman Marcus SEPTEMBER 2016 First media announcement of Akola being the first full impact brand in the luxury space through a Texas-based lifestyle magazine. http://bit.ly/2eppS8N
Akola’s Neiman Marcus Partnership Announced on Local News
SEPTEMBER 2016 The Dallas Morning News interviewed Akola founder, Brittany, and one of Akola Dallas’ jewelry assembler, Valerie Brown about the Neiman Marcus partnership and how it the opportunity gave 100+ women in Dallas a living wage job. http://bit.ly/2fKA4X3
AKOLAPROJECT.ORG
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Spotlight on Akola’s Nonprofit Dallas-Based Partners
SEPTEMBER 2016 Dallas Innovates, digital social platform that spotlights highly innovative people who are leading growth in the DFW community highlights the Akola for Neiman Marcus colllection by featuring Akola’s nonprofit partners.
“It gave them the opportunity to earn money to meet the basic living essentials in life.” Scott Hanson, Executive Director, Serve West Dallas
Akola for Neiman Marcus Featured on NBC DFW, Channel 5 AUGUST 2016
“We started a jewelry business as a way for women to earn income.” Brittany Merrill Underwood, Founder and CEO, Akola
NBC came to Akola’s fulfillment center in Dallas with a filming team to interview Brittany Underwood, Akola’s Fulfillment Specialist and Jewelry Producer about how Akola has given them a second chance at life through Akola’s recent launch with Neiman Marcus.
AKOLA FEATURES
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STORY FEATURES
Akola’s Story Shared on The Katie Couric Show
APRIL 11, 2014 Britanny, founder of Akola, filmed a live interview on the Katie Couric Show to share the story of Akola’s holistical approach to development in Uganda and jewelry business enterprise. During the interview, Brittany shared the vision of empowering women in Dallas, TX and to-date, Akola Dallas is established and growing within the communities of East and West Dallas.
Brittany Underwood Acknowledged As CNN’s Young People Who Rock An international acknowledgement during the early beginnings of Akola Uganda.
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Brittany Underwood Acknowledged As Yahoo! Best Person in the World NOVEMBER 2014 Yahoo! ing
News
team
to
came award
to
Dallas
and
with
interview
a
film-
Brittany
Underwood, acknowledging her efforts and the growth of Akola Uganda/Dallas. The short documentary is viewable online.
Brittany Merrill Underwood: 5 American Entrepreneurs Doing Good Business APRIL 2014 “Emerging business with compassion and heart to create jobs and provide communities across the globe a chance to earn a living wage.� Fox Business
AKOLA FEATURES
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LEG UP WINNER
“The impact of Akola is so far-fetching. It’s more than employing women, it’s empowering them to overcome the odds and transform their lives and their communities. Many of these women invest their earnings into staring a business, and the effects are endless.” Sara Blakely www.spanx.com/leg-up-winners
AKOLAPROJECT.ORG
“More than employing women, Akola Project is empowering them to be the change in their communities.� Sara Blakely
STORY FEATURES
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AKOLAPROJECT.ORG
SOPHIA BUSH
JUNE 2015 “Upon arriving Akola Project we were greeted by women singing, dancing and chanting “Welcome! Welcome!!” They pulled us from the car, offering hugs, and invited us to dance. And dance we did. We spent the afternoon learning to make their jewelry, and hearing their stories of becoming “big boss ladies” thanks to now having careers. They expressed such gratitude that we would travel halfway across the worl, and spend days just to see their work. But it’s us who are the grateful ones. To have this experience and witness such greatness firsthand.” Sophia Bush
STORY FEATURES
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- V.AKOLA PRODUCT FEATURES
Akola for Neiman Marcus Holiday 2016 Collection
NOVEMBER 2016 Southern lifestyle magazine, Garden & Gun, covers Akola’s Neiman Marcus Holiday line inspired by Akola founder’s southern upbringing and her love for pearls.
Akola for Neiman Marcus Fantasy Gift For Holiday Book
NOVEMBER 2016 Morning show feature of Akola’s bracelet, made by women in Uganda, for Neiman Marcus’ Fantasy Book.
http://on.today.com/2fajhv1
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PRODUCT FEATURES
10 Gifts That Give Back For Holiday 2016 NOVEMBER 2016 Akola’s Paper Bracelet set was featured, along with The Body Shop and The Honest Company, on Elle Magazine’s online gift guide as one of ten gifts that give back.
http://bit.ly/2ffgHH9
Akola for Neiman Marcus Fantasy Bracelet
OCTOBER 2016 Forbes recognized Akola’s bracelet donation for Neiman Marcus’ Fantasy Book as one of this year’s top gifts http://bit.ly/2ez8L4o
AKOLAPROJECT.ORG
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+
International Women’s Day Gift Guide March 2016 Akola Project was featured alongside twelve other philantropic brands empowering women and girls around the world
Zodian Necklace Featured in People Style Watch
MARCH 2015 People Style Watch featured Akola’s Zodian necklace as a Shop & Do Good product. 100% of proceeds from this necklace (& all Akola products) are reinvested in the social mission to empower marginalized women to become agents of transformation in their families and communities.
PRODUCT FEATURES 20
- VI.TRADE ANNOUCEMENTS
THE OCTOBER BOOK Launching the First Full Impact Brand in the Luxury Space
OCTOBER 2016 Akola launched the first Full Impact Brand in the luxury space through their partnership with Neiman Marcus. Through this, they were able to employ train and empower 100+ women in Urban Poverty in Dallas to make their jewelry. The exclusive collection is available nationwide at every Neiman Marcus and online. http://bit.ly/2fOFWhx
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WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY Launching the First Full Impact Brand in the Luxury Space
SEPTEMBER 2016 First official trade annoucement of Akola’s partnership with Neiman Marcus.
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UGANDA / DALLAS
www.AKOLAPROJECT.org @akolaproject #akola