About Us

Mogul India captured my imagination as a child & years later I was proud to sit cross legged on a dusty floor in Rajasthan, surrounded by elegant, dignified women, chatting with them about what they needed to support their education & economic independence.

I came to India the year before, looking for community groups as fair trade partners. When I met Tamanna Bhati, founder of Hamara Saahas, she had more than 30 students, just 5 borrowed sewing machines and a long waiting list of prospective students…

I promised to help and at home a request for donations of unwanted sewing machines, began an unforeseen adventure. ‘A Tale of two Continents’

For 3 months generous donors delivered machines and several of us drove around East Anglia collecting. We had over 80 – enough to supply a 2nd school!

Logistics prevented their journey to Mumbai, so ‘Tools with a Mission’ shipped the Machines to rural Africa and I took the money we raised for transport, to Rajasthan to ask the ladies what would help most?

It wasn’t lots of local treadle machines as I expected. They were happy with a few and to continue to share, if they could use the money for rent on a larger property where more could learn and sell their work.

We had raised enough money to secure the future of a young NGO for a year. So ‘Stand’ was able to offer choices to women on two continents!

We are proud to continue to partner ‘Hamara Saahas’, supporting empowerment for marginalised women and their children. You will soon see their work here.

These are our first steps. We have ideas, dreams and aspirations enough to secure many futures…

We are building Partnerships around the world and hope you will join ‘The Adventure’

“We are all Dreamers creating the next world” Yoko Ono

So keep in touch as the story unfolds in Thailand, Chile and Cambodia next. Just tell us how you would like to help! …