On Thursday, June 28th, Mercado Global joined fashion industry leaders to discuss the impact the industry can have on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The focus of the roundtable discussion was the UN Secretary-General-led initiative, "Every Woman Every Child."
Mercado Global Executive Director Ruth DeGolia highlighted how Mercado Global's programs improve the well-being of women and children in Guatemala: "We work in communities with low levels of literacy, high levels of chronic childhood malnutrition, and a widespread lack of access to basic healthcare. We use a non-profit funding model to enter these communities and teach these women a trade, help them launch sustainable businesses of their own, and connect them to the U.S. market."
Hosted by Fashion 4 Development (F4D), the discussion's other panelists included Cesare Maria Ragaglini, U.N. Ambassador to Italy; Robert Orr, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Strategic Planning; Evie Evangelou, co-founder and Global Chair of F4D; and Franca Sozzani, Vogue Italia Editor-in-Chief.
Mercado Global joined dignitaries and leaders to discuss the power of the fashion industry to create sustainable change in the developing world. In the words of DeGolia, "Imagine the progress we could make towards the Millennium Development Goals if all of the major U.S. retailers were sourcing products that helped women and children as a core part of their business strategy."
Mercado Global's international recognition and recent press would not be possible without your support. We hope you will join us in being a part of the global movement to reach women and children through the power of the fashion industry.