Social Enterprises: Retail

Aarong is one of the most unique heritage brands for retail clothing, linen, shoes, accessories and home decor products in Bangladesh. Set up in 1978 as a fair trade organisation by BRAC, Aarong plays a crucial role in promoting local crafts.

"Aarong," which means a village fair in Bengali, currently supports over 65,000 Bangladeshi artisans, 85% of whom are women. Through a network of 13 production centres and 647 sub-centres,  Aarong has developed into a platform for underprivileged artisans in more than 2,000 villages, allowing them to utilise their indigenous skills to earn a living.

Aarong works in collaboration with the Ayesha Abed Foundation, which provides the artisans with centres where they can create crafts and products to be sold at Aarong stores. Additionally, thousands of independent artisans and their families earn their livelihood through the support of Aarong.

Aarong's mission is to help sustain rural craftsmanship, and find a wider market for these products at home and abroad. Aarong specialties include Nakshi Kantha (a traditional form of embroidery rooted at the core of Bangladeshi village women) and Jamdani sarees. Other products include pottery, candles, leather, hand woven cloth, silk products, jewellery, crafts made from brass, jute and wood, as well as a wide variety of trendy, indigenous products.

Website: www.brac-aarong.com

  back to Social Enterprises