Coconut oil with a conscience...
Our love for coconuts has turned into a range of organic, fair trade products (oil, flour, soaps, lotions and more), sustainable from the coconut tree to the jar. Our oil is handcrafted by those who are too often forgotten or denied opportunities in the Dominican Republic - single mothers.
When we started hiring for SoloCoco, it became painfully clear that many of the applicants had the same story. They were single mothers with little or no education, very young, with multiple children, and no recourse for social progress or work. This is when we decided to use our business to have a positive impact in their lives - growing their skills in the workplace, and using some of our profits to fund social development programmes for their benefit.
Funding would allow us...
To take SoloCoco to many more markets and increase the number of families helped. With a simple purchase, consumers can make a significant positive impact in the lives of our craftswomen and on the environment. Our soap line plants one palm tree for every box sold - but most importantly, our business operates in a truly sustainable way. We use our own coconut shells to produce 90% of the energy needed for our factories. We also cultivate organic farming practices.
With some extra funding, we could scale up our production by installing our technology in rural farm areas, which would hugely benefit the young people who would otherwise have to abandon the countryside for the cities.
My father and JFK are my heroes.
My father had the opportunity to go bankrupt and remain very wealthy, or honor his commitments and be poor. He chose to honor his commitments and start over. I have never seen anyone with this sense of honor again. Otherwise it would be JFK, an advocate for peace in a time where war was big business and fear mongering increased profits. It takes courage and leadership to bring the world back from the brink. I think looking back at JFK and his talks of freedom, challenge and progress would do the world some good right now.
