Carcel: Empowering women

Empowering women

Thailand has the highest female prison population rate in the world, and there is a striking link between poverty and crime. Unfortunately, the numbers in both categories are rising dramatically.

IVL Foundation is sponsoring Carcel, the only international company in the world that is ethically and transparently producing high-quality garments in prison, and which is working in collaboration with the Department of Justice in Chiang Mai on the Kamlangjai Project (initiated by Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha). The objective of project to create a positive impact for marginalized women by reinventing employment for female prisoners, giving them practical, valuable and self-supporting vocational skills that allows them to financially support themselves and their families while saving for a life after their release and to gain relevant skills in the local job market.

The Department of Justice selected a group of women to join a vocational training program to learn nine sewing techniques, techniques in pattern-making, sewing and embroidery. They create twill dresses, heavy denim-looking jackets, hand embroidered bucket bags, and checkered blazers. All pieces are made from 100% silk and labeled with the names of the women who made them. They receive a fair wage which is benchmarked by International Labor Organization (ILO) guidelines, and they work approximately 30 hours per week in addition to other activities within the facility.

The foundation aims to have a positive impact on marginalized women by reinventing employment for female prisoners, giving them practical, valuable and self-supporting vocational skills that allows them to be financially independent while saving for a life after their release while gaining relevant skills to join the local job market.

To learn more about the Carcel project, visit: https://carcel.co/pages/chiang-mai-thailand