Second-year MSW student Darshan Mundada received a $10,000 grant to develop a social business model to rehabilitate and reintegrate former sex workers into mainstream society on a triple bottom line approach. The women will be trained to stitch bags out of old saris (the traditional attire of Indian women), creating employment for them in the city of Sangli, India. Crafting these bags creates a safe and stable livelihood for these women. The bags also serve as a sustainable alternative to plastic bags, thus promoting the “5-R” mission: Reduce, reuse, recycle, regenerate, respect.
Grant funds were provided by Randall Kempner, director of the Aspen Network of Developing Entrepreneurs.
Mundada is also currently pursuing an independent study at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School to facilitate the development of this project, working with Dr. Carol Seagle. Also, he will seek guidance from School of Social Work professors Gary Nelson and Mat Despard.
