FAQ

What is SFI?

Set Free International is an entrepreneurial business working with women artists in Haiti to create luxury décor and fashion items with both elegance and purpose.

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Why Haiti?

SFI has built a wonderful relationship with each our artists in Haiti throughout the past six years – sharing meals, stories, songs, and friendships. 

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We were fortunate to have been introduced to the women artisans of Lougou by our mutual friends, the Avignons, who have partnered with the people of Lougou to create community-led sustainable development in the area. You can learn more about the wonderful work that the Avignons are doing in Haiti through their organization’s site: www.cofhed.org.

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What are SFI artists paid?

Each of our artisans is paid in advance for their work at a wage several times higher than even fair trade standards.

.   Min wage in Haiti: $2 / day

.   Fair trade wage in Haiti: $4 / day

.   SFI thriving wage: $12-16 / day

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What are the artists’
working conditions?

Many of our artists choose to work from home and can often be found creating on front porches or under shaded trees while visiting with neighbors and friends. The artists choose their own working hours and are paid in advance for each piece they create.

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Before working with SFI many of our artists were forced to work strenuous days in a labor system called “avanjou”.   Beginning before sunrise, the women would weed others gardens for full days, without breaks for food. For a days work, they received only 50 cents. Stricken by hunger and pain from their labors, they desired to find a different occupation and took up the art of appliqué.

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How can I support SFI
& its artists?

Neither SFI nor our artists are non-profits – thus we do not request or accept donations. Instead, our artists’ hope is that those who admire their works will support them as they would any work of art, by recognizing their beauty, value, and owning them with pride.

Is SFI a non-profit?

No. SFI is not a non-profit. Instead, we are part of newly developing economic model intending to bring a compassionate conscious to the dominant business mindset. In leading by example, we demand that for-profit businesses be held responsible for respecting and upholding our workers, our communities, and our world.

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As an entrepreneurial business, our artists may also be viewed – not as charity cases or causes – but as strong and capable sister entrepreneurs.

Where do your profits go?

As a start-up company, SFI is investing in our company’s development and growth.  100% of our funds currently go toward the artisans’ wages, materials, and costs of production.

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It is our constitution however, that any profits generated will always go 100% toward expanding our work with new artisans – either in other villages and communities, or in other countries – as chosen in collaboration with the SFI artisans themselves.

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Why women?

Set Free International works specifically with women artisans for a variety of reasons:

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1.) World-wide, women have typically been either forced or obligated to uphold a greater responsibility for the surivial of those around them – including their children, families, and communities. We know the struggles of these women firsthand – and we seek therefor to uphold eachother through our efforts.

2.) Consequently, by working with women artists, there is a greater chance that monies gained by the artists will further not only themselves – but likely their families and their entire communities as well.

3.) Set Free International is owned and operated by women. Having fought many battles to survive as women in the business world – our continued passion is to create business opportunities for other women as well.

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