As the holidays get closer, I have become addicted to browsing online shopping sites. A few clicks of a button, and I become an instant member of exclusive shopping fraternities and sororities. I am told I will be notified of the hottest outerwear, the next sale on boots, and a chance to redeem all my cash for rewards and then some. It’s truly exciting to be a part of all this while just sitting on your couch with a cup of Tetley chai!
One day, a beautiful bag caught my eye on Facebook. I clicked over to see that it was part of a designer line called La Mezquita by the company Popinjay. Delving further into the site, I soon came to realize that this company was the masterwork of social entrepreneur Saba Gul. In 2011, Gul began a non-profit organization to help girls in rural areas of Pakistan attain an education along with utilizing their embroidery and craft skills. Saba’s story is here:medium.com.
Popinjay offers a quality product that pays forward exponentially. I am really excited about these items, and the cause that they support. I can’t wait to purchase something from this site. The only problem is deciding which beautiful handbag to purchase!
I have not been paid or asked to write about Popinjay. I just think the handbags are gorgeous, and the cause even more so.
Saba Gul and her colleagues are an example of the next generation of consumerism- altruistic consumerism- the type of consumerism that builds society, rather than destroys. People like Gul are using their skills and creativity to change the world in magnificent ways. In the case of Pakistan, there are barriers to the success of women in certain rural areas. We see some that come out of it,like Malala Yousufzai. Then there are a million others that may not have had Malala’s circumstances, but they are just as deserving of opportunities to learn and succeed.
You can be glamorous and give at Popinjay
