Sandollars wins again

WHEN it comes to uniqueness, Sandollars is no stranger.

Formed in 1995 with a strong desire to pro duce gifts of Fiji that were environmentally sustainable, helped communities in need, and were commercially viable, the company has exceeded even the founders’ expectations.

Mother-and-daughter team, Gaetane and Andree Austin, have not only managed to get their products off the ground but have, in the process, received international recognition for them.

In mid-1998, Sandollars beat top interna tional cosmetics companies to win awards for their packaging and innovative concept and superior design.

In November they did it again, winning the celebrated Fiji Trade and Investment Board’s Unique Exporter of the Year award.

For the Austins, any commercial activity must meet the Sandollars strict criteria for environmental and animal protection. But while this company makes a profit, it also helps others achieve some measure of economic independence, improving their quality of life.

“We seek to work with groups who normal ly have limited opportunities, limited resources and limited outlets. By targeting disadvantaged groups, we hope to improve their opportuni ties,” according to a Sandollars statement.

Currently, the company has successfully involved four different groups of people in the manufacture of items for the business. Villages are making masi, handmade paper, magimagi, vau, voi voi and coconut oil. Sandollars also picks up items from women working from their own homes assembling the company’s prod

ucts, as well as homeless youth at Father Barr’s Chevalier Hostel and the Rehabilitation Council.

Sandollars uses its knowledge, creativity and purchasing power to benefit communities

they work with through Frangipani

Programme.

The frangipani programme is a special pur

chasing programme providing long-term sus

tainable trading relationships with communi ties in need.

It explores a trade-based approach to sup

porting sustainable development by sourcing

ingredients and accessories directly from

socially and economically marginalised pro

ducer communities. Sandollars also only works with those suppliers that maintain the same ecological commitment they do.

Success for Sandollars frangipani pro gramme can be measured by the increase in the volume of raw materials and accessories purchased, as well as the community benefits which have resulted.

Sandollars actively encourages the utilisa tion of natural resources and sustainable development. Currently the company uses large quantities of magimagi, voi voi, vau and masi. Anything left over from making those, such as outer bark and masi scraps, leaves, barks, and grasses, are used by the hand-made

paper project.

Because of the positive results that

Sandollars has had presenting Fiji products

competitively on the international market, the

company has promoted Fiji as a source of goods that are excellent in quality, innovative in concept and superior in design. All this, with a consciousness towards sustainable develop ment and communities in need.

That is unique. ■