Explore how a shift in our worldviews could open new paths to a brighter future and be a key enabler in creating a more inclusive society – and textile industry. How can we expand our horizons and catalyse a positive future?

Welcome to Open Perspectives by H&M Foundation!

For registration and more information, please visit the digital LinkedIn event here.

“Having worked with sustainability for a long time, I’ve followed the amazing journey of the H&M Foundation over the years. I’ve been really impressed with their bold ambitions and innovative approach to tackle the challenges in the textile industry, so I always knew that I wanted to be part of that journey someday.

Looking at the challenges within the textile industry today, it is clear that radical transformation is needed, and here I believe that philanthropy can play a very unique role by finding, funding and facilitating innovations and initiatives in ways that other actors may not be able to. With that in mind, I very much look forward to being part of the H&M Foundations continued journey to contribute to a more inclusive and planet positive textile industry.”

Where do you want to take H&M Foundation going forward?

“To begin with, I look forward to building on the fantastic work H&M Foundation has already done over the years – from identifying and scaling innovations, finding new ways to address systems change to drive social inclusion, and using our unique role as a non-profit to catalyse change.

Going forward, I see that we will focus even more on creating holistic impact where we combine both the people and the planet perspectives to address the industry’s most urgent challenges. Our current program Saamuhika Shakti in India is a great example of this and I look forward to continue to build on its successes and learnings. I also hope to explore new and even more innovative ways in how we can use our role as a funder to rapidly scale innovations and solutions. Here I see a great potential in partnering up with other actors that can complement our role and together create synergies to maximize impact.”

What will you and the foundation focus on this year?

“The H&M Foundation has always had high ambitions and this year is no different with many exciting things in our pipeline. For example, we are hosting our 7th Global Change Award, the industry’s largest early-stage innovation challenge. After the pandemic we are much looking forward to a big event where we can celebrate this year’s winners and give them the best possible start of their continued journey to take their ideas to scale.

We will also start evaluating our collective impact programs in Bangladesh and India to see what progress that has been made so far, and how we together with our local partners will build on that to develop the programs further. Although I know that systems change takes time, I am positive that both our programs have already managed to move the needle and contributed to better lives for many people.

An important pillar of our work is to use our platform to share learnings and insights that can create hope and inspire action in the industry. This year we will therefore host a series of events with different experts and other stakeholders to share knowledge, ideas and solutions that can contribute to an inclusive and planet positive textile industry.

So all in all, another very exciting year for the H&M Foundation and I look forward to continuously share updates of our work going forward.”

Nazma is part of a cohort of female garment workers in Bangladesh who have been participating in upskilling workshops as part of a our initiative to back female garment workers in Bangladesh. The increasing use of automation and digital technology means millions of workers — including women like Nazma — risk losing their jobs in the near future. This is especially true in Bangladesh, where the ready-made garment (RMG) sector is one of the largest contributors to the country’s GDP, and where four out of five of the industry’s unskilled workers are women.

As a result, the H&M Foundation has worked to provide “soft-skill training,” such as problem-solving, organization, and e-communication. But also so called “hard-skill training” in digital technology so female employees can be promoted to managerial roles or multi-machine operators.

For Shoma, another employee at AKH, the training she received as part of this initiative has alleviated anxiety over losing her job.

“From now onward, the methods taught to us that we will have no worries when it comes to working. We can work on what we have learned. There will be no fear in the mind.”

Shoma

As the first woman in her family to be employed outside the home, Shoma says working at the garment factory has given her a sense of independence, dignity, and voice — in addition to helping her provide financial support for her household.

The digital gender divide is one of many ways that girls and women are held back from achieving their full potential and fully participating in society. According to the UN’s International Labour Organization, the rate of participation in the global labor force is only 49% for women compared with 75% for men. Bridging the gender gap in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is a crucial way for girls and women to expand their employment opportunities. Only 35% of STEM students in higher education globally are women, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Gender bias prevents many girls from entering these fields. In fact, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) found that 70% of people surveyed across 34 countries associate STEM fields with men.

In Bangladesh, where much of the female labor force is employed by textile and garment factories, we are working to empower the next generation of female garment workers through education in technology and communication. For both Nazma and Shoma, access to education and technology has given them a better understanding of their value, their potential — and their rights as women and employees.

This story originally appeared on equaleverywhere.org. H&M Foundation is a proud supporter of #EqualEverywhere.

In the poorest district in the capital city of Bucharest the adults, mostly uneducated Roma, work only occasionally. Many of the homes are not connected to gas and water. This is where Alexandru lives. He lives in one room with his parents and three younger brothers. His father, who works as a handyman/day labourer, provides the family’s income.

Learning how to learn

Alexandu is one of the 1,175 children enrolled in summer kindergarten and after school programmes, run by Save the Children and supported by H&M Foundation. Here, he has received educational support that includes basic hygiene, social skills and language development. Practical skills like how to wash hands, routines around mealtimes, play and interaction with peers have also been developed. This support has ensured better school participation for Alexandru and has led to better results both educationally and socially. It has helped him integrating faster, developing social abilities and learning how to learn.

110 teachers and other academic specialists are part of the project. They have received special training on how to support and work together with vulnerable children to prepare them to enrol and stay in school. The roles of the the teachers is very important for the future of these children. One teacher describes participating in the course organized by Save the Children like a rediscovery. By being part of the project, a better understanding of vulnerable groups has been achieved and all teachers have learned new communication techniques to support children at risk of school dropout.  

Involving the family

Alexandru has entered first class but is still supported with additional school preparation, school supplies and participates in free-time activities. The project also supports parents through social counselling and the families with material support such as clothing, footwear, medicine and personal hygiene items. Medical records provided by Alexandru’s mother indicate that he needs more nutritional meals and he is provided a daily meal in school.

Today Alexandru is doing very well in school. When he grows up he’d like to become a policeman. And when he has a salary, he will use his money to support the poor children he says. “I took the first prize in the preparatory class, I had a crown and I told the children that, if you go to school you will be smart.”

Growing up during the 30-year civil war in Sri Lanka, Arudselvi had a tough childhood. She explains: “I grew up in very poor conditions, it was my parents and us four girls. When my father found labour work, we would eat enough food for that day only.” Sadly, the pressure of having so many mouths to feed took its toll and her father took his own life. As if this wasn’t enough to cope with for 17-year-old Arudselvi, tragedy struck again when she stepped on a landmine and lost her leg.

“Before, I used to worry when my husband did not find work, but thanks to my income, I can now pay the tuition for my children and prepare healthy meals for them.”

Arudselvi

On leaving hospital, life finally took an upwards turn when her friend Jaicilin came to ask for her hand in marriage. The couple decided to flee war-torn Sri Lanka and ended up in a refugee camp in India, where they would remain for almost eight years. The monthly rations they received weren’t enough to live on though, so the couple decided to find work outside the refugee camp. It was then that Arudselvi joined a sewing course.

When they returned to Sri Lanka with their daughter Janani, who was born in the camp, Arudselvi was donated a sewing machine to kickstart her own business. As sales started growing, she knew she needed to work faster. Pumping a manual sewing machine pedal with a prosthetic leg was taking its toll and it was then that Chrysalis, CARE’s affiliate, bought her a new electric machine. She also received vital business training where she learnt about profit and loss and that she could take advances on large orders. She adds: “Before, I used to worry when my husband did not find work, but thanks to my income, I can now pay the tuition for my children and prepare healthy meals for them.”

“Before, people saw me as the poor woman who lost her leg. Now they see me as a businesswoman with a tailoring shop.”

Arudselvi

When Arudselvi is asked about her husband, her face lights up and she says: “He is a gift from God”. Jaicilin is not your typical Sri Lankan husband who would expect his wife to do all the housework, cooking and childcare. He is the one who gets the children ready for school and makes the breakfast and lunch every day, so that Arudselvi can dedicate herself to her work. When Arudselvi says that he is becoming a role model in their community, their eight-year-old son Anojan pipes up: “My Dad makes the best dhal curry!” Jaicilin has also participated in gender sensitisation training for men that CARE and Chrysalis provides, with the aim of involving them in the entrepreneurship of the women.

In 2019 Arudselvi officially registered her enterprise with the local authority and secured planning permission for her much desired shop, which she was able to build with her own savings and an H&M Foundation grant via Chrysalis. Not long after having major surgery on her damaged leg, she opened the doors to her new premises. Business is now booming, and her income has more than doubled. She employs two local women and her ambition is to employ more, particularly war widows. She adds: “Women should be viewed not as slaves or incapable, but as leaders.”

“Have self-confidence and never give up. Women can be agents of change.”

Arudselvi

It is clear that Arudselvi, who has experienced so much turmoil in her life, is finally getting the break she needs. Through sheer determination and hard work, she is not only making life better for her family, but her impact is beginning to reach into her community too. Through her enterprise and training, her self-confidence has grown as well: “Before, people saw me as the poor woman who lost her leg. Now they see me as a businesswoman with a tailoring shop.”

As we leave, she gives some words for other women starting out: “Have self-confidence and never give up. Women can be agents of change.”

Children are welcomed at the center by 29-year-old Abdelrahman Taha. When the children have arrived Abdelrahman leads the daily morning exercise, organizes educational games as well as supervises the children. Moreover, Abdelrahman carries out administrative work such as keeping track of attendance and health records of the enrolled children. “Every two weeks, my colleague and I organize seminars to the parents covering topics such as different stages of childhood and how to communicate with children at each,” adds Abdelrahman.

“Crying children calm down when I talk to them, because they feel safe.”

Abdelrahman Taha

The ECD voluntary center in Kom Ombo is one of the very first centers to be established in Aswan. It is a pilot model funded by the H&M Foundation and designed by UNICEF in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, the Central association for KG Supervisors League and the Ministry of Social Solidarity. The centers target children aged between two and four years old and the initial target is to establish 25 centers in three governorates: Cairo, Alexandria and Aswan.

Abdelrahman’s role extends also beyond the walls of the center. Sometimes, he goes to pick up children whose parents are not able to bring them to the center because of their work demands. He also conducts home visits to parents of the enrolled children for personal consultation by listening to their concerns and providing advice.

“Crying children calm down when I talk to them, because they feel safe” says Abdelrahman who believes that the primary role of the man is to provide a sense of security to the child, thus it is important to exist as a male figure in the ECD voluntary center.

“The volunteering experience has personally taught me how to communicate and understand a child and qualified me to raise my future children.”

Abdelrahman Taha

Among the children enrolled in the center is Abdallah who recently lost his father. “We decided to enroll Abdallah to the center right after his father’s death” says Abdalla’s uncle Mohamed Soliman. “We are grateful to Abdelrahman who understood the needs of Abdallah after being deprived of his father. It is important for Abdallah’s psychological wellbeing to get engaged with other children and to see a man playing a role in the center.”

“The volunteering experience has personally taught me how to communicate and understand a child and qualified me to raise my future children” says Abdelrahman who previously studied and worked in the field of social work and human resources. Through volunteering in the center, he believes he gained practical experience focused on dealing with children in early childhood stage. “My career goal is to focus on early childhood development either in schools or NGOs” explains Abdelrahman.

“We cannot force parents to send their children to school, Manuel says. I need to change parents’ understanding first so that they are aware and want to send their children to school.”

“We cannot force parents to send their children to school. I need to change parents’ understanding first so that they are aware and want to send their children to school.”

— Manuel Dos Santos Martins

Through the project CERIA, which is supported by H&M Foundation, Manuel is learning how to run the child centre effectively and to get more young people involved as teachers and into Early Childhood Care and Development – ECCD. ECCD takes a holistic approach to the development of children; including physical, cognitive, language, social and emotional development.

Engaging fathers into ECCD

Save the Children believe that ECCD could serve as a platform for promoting awareness on gender equality: mothers who participate in integrated ECCD programs may become powerful advocates for gender equality and fathers may learn the value of men being involved in care and development of young children, and in the process, also advocates for gender equality in their families or communities.

“I am glad there has been a special meeting session involving fathers. This is important because most fathers don’t have time with their children due to their high working hours.”

— Manuel Dos Santos Martins

Manuel has become the leader and facilitator who encourages fathers to engage in ECCD and parenting, by leading fathers’ classes on a regular monthly basis.

“I am glad there has been a special meeting session involving fathers. This is important because most fathers don’t have time with their children due to their high working hours. In some way, they are not aware that if they do not spend time with their children, the results will be useless. I have experienced this. I lost two of my children.”

Moreover, having been through high school himself, Manuel also tries to gather several parents to attend literacy classes in collaboration with the education office. Together with his cousin Armindo he tries to mobilize the community to build elementary schools in two hamlets near the border in collaboration with the village government. Their aim is to provide a learning place for children after they have finished studying in the ECCD.

Girls often miss school during their periods due to lack of handwashing stations, girl friendly latrine facilities or necessary sanitary products, and they suffer from attitudes that stigmatise girls and young women having their period. Missing school for several days each month means girls have a hard time keeping up with the educational level of their male peers, often resulting in girls quitting school several years earlier than boys.

“This project is about so much more than access to clean water and pads. It has radically improved the possibilities for girls to stay in school, significantly impacting their future chances to get employed or secure an income.”

Mariann Eriksson, National Director of Plan International Sweden

The aim with Plan Internationals program is to ensure that girls can continue going to school during their periods, and that they have access to information, adequate facilities and menstrual hygiene materials. To achieve this, the ten targeted schools have been equipped with so called period labs containing educational materials, sanitary pads, dolls to demonstrate pad use, soap, posters and booklets about menstruation. The aim with the lab is to both teach boys and girls about menstruation and transform it from something shameful into a matter of pride.

One of the teachers, 25-year old Pon Samnang, has become a focal person for the work with menstrual hygiene at her school after receiving training organised by Plan International. She has a significant role in applying her knowledge and skills in order to better develop good habits and examples for the students.

“Most importantly, the girls are not absent from school because of having periods anymore.”

Pon Samnang

“Before the promotion activities, the girl students did not understand that it was important to maintain their hygiene during their period”, Pon Samnang says. “They were absent from school or came to school late. After they were taught about menstrual hygiene management, they understood a lot more. They also help raise awareness about menstrual hygiene management among their family and friends. Most importantly, they are not absent from school because of having periods anymore.”

“Our partnership with H&M Foundation has improved the lives of thousands of Cambodian girls”, says Mariann Eriksson, National Director of Plan International Sweden. This project is about so much more than access to clean water and pads. It has radically improved the possibilities for girls to stay in school, significantly impacting their future chances to get employed or secure an income. With the support from this project, the girls can create a strong foundation for themselves as well as for future generations.”

Two years of working with menstruation in the region has had significant results. Menstruation is no longer a taboo topic for the ethnic minority communities in the north eastern region of Cambodia. “Is menstruation a secret?” Pon Samnang asks the twenty primary school students in the classroom. Both girls and boys answer the question confidently, “No, it is not! It is not a problem. It is a natural thing for girls.”

On a bustling street in Iquitos lies the house of the Flores-Careajano family. The family consists of Rusbel Careajano, 52 years, Linda Flores, 37 years, and their three children Valery, Jimmie and Patrick. Rusbel works as a tuk tuk taxi-driver and Linda is a housewife. Valery, 1.5 years, is the youngest in the family. She is constantly smiling and it’s obvious that she has the family wrapped around her little finger.

In August 2017, Linda gave birth to Valery at the regional hospital in Iquitos. As soon as she was born, Valery was diagnosed with Down syndrome. Linda and Rusbel felt misguided by the nurse and paediatrician and thought that Valery would never walk, lift her head or interact with them. Having no experience or knowledge of Down syndrome, Linda at first felt ashamed of having a baby like Valery.

“I took the baby and put her on the bed and looked at her and I couldn’t help but cry and I asked why? Why me? In my ignorance, I rejected my daughter.

“Valery means everything to me. I love her very much.”

Linda Flores, Valery’s mom

Linda is very emotional when she continues: “Yes, I rejected her. And the truth is, I begged her forgiveness. She’s my happiness, she means everything to me. I love her very much”.

They have come a long way since that day at the hospital. They attend the UNICEF-supported PRITE, a center that provides services for young children with disabilities or at risk of acquiring one. The center focuses on early childhood development and the importance of parent participation. The sessions aim to maximize learning and include parents so that learning can continue at home. The center also brings families of children with disabilities together, so they can share experiences and make new friends.

“We’ve been going to the PRITE since last July. I have seen a lot of progress in my daughter. When we arrived there, she couldn’t sit up”, Linda says.

Rusbel fills in: “She has learned to sit up, she has learned to say “Papa”, she says “Papa”!

I see her progress and I feel proud and happy for her. I’m very thankful to the PRITE. And she is showing great progress. I’m happy that she can fend for herself.

“Walking, clapping, shaking hands… listening to you, calling you, kissing you, all of that Valery learned. And I’m very grateful for that.”

Rusbel Careajano, Valery’s dad

Linda says that what she and Rusbel learn at the PRITE they practise at home with Valery. They both understand that what they are learning will bring them closer to making their dreams come true. As parents they want to raise Valery so that she can take care of herself and live an independent life.

Linda concludes: “That’s what I want for Valery. That she becomes a grown woman who can take part in society, with a desire for a full life, not only as a girl with Down syndrome”

Being young and asylum-seeking, while separated from your family, puts many young refugees in a vulnerable situation. Together with The Swedish Red Cross, the H&M Foundation has helped over 6,000 young refugees to integrate into the Swedish society. The Red Cross arranges homework assistance, volleyball training and other activities like this mountain hike.

“Several of the guys have climbed much larger mountains than the mountains outside. We are here for each other.”

Urban Lindholm, Red Cross volunteer

“Several of the guys have climbed much larger mountains than the mountains outside. We are here for each other”, says Urban Lindholm, who is a Red Cross volunteer and the one who has arranged the hike.

Getting the opportunity to meet adults who listen and help, but also to spread their thoughts and do social activities together with others can in many cases be vital. And despite the insecure future, Zaher and his friends will not give up their dreams of a future in Sweden.

“We stick together here on the mountain and every day” he says. “We’re creating our future together.”