Flora Stationery is a non-profit social business which sells stationery that supports scholarships to empower women to flourish. Their stationery products feature original artwork from students in Kosovo and offer a unique product that also helps make a difference. From every purchase, 25% of all proceeds from products go to the scholarship fund while 100% of donations go directly to the mission of Flora Stationery. The scholarship fund supports and pays an entire semester of college tuition at the University of Prishtina for young women.
Flora Stationery was started by Ashley VanBuskirk and Victoria VanBuskirk (GCC graduate) after Ashley took a study abroad trip to Kosovo. While in Kosovo she met an inspiring woman who, because of means out of her control, could not afford a college education. After talking with this young woman Ashley was determined to create a sustainable solution to funding access to higher education in developing countries. Flora Stationery uses education as an opportunity for young woman living in an area where 30% of the population live in poverty and 10% in extreme poverty living on less than one dollar per day. Their main goal can be found in their mission statement which states “Flora Stationery does not rescue women from poverty. Rather, we empower them with an education while enabling the consumer to be a part of this inspiring process of funding futures.”
If you are going to buy a journal why not buy one that can help change a young woman’s life? This organization took a product that is something that many people buy and differentiated themselves by adding a social enterprise to it. This story shows that God can use one interaction to change your life and use you and your talents to change others’ lives.
For more information and to purchase Flora Stationery visit http://www.florastationery.com/.
Awesome idea! Using something as simple as a stationary to provide college educations to woman in need. A good friend of mine has been to Kosovo multiple times and always talks about the poverty and oppression there. It’s good to see people using their innovation skills to help those in need. Thanks for sharing!