FASHION FORWARD
International
Women's Day
This year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) on 8th March has the theme "Accelerate Action," emphasising the urgency of advancing gender equality.
To celebrate and support the initiative, our talented designer, Ellie, has created an exclusive print featured on a limited-edition linen jersey t-shirt. The design captures a spirit of love, unity and being stronger together. All proceeds from its sale will go to PAWA, a UK-registered charity, supporting grassroots projects in Asia that empower teenage girls through education.
Recognising that schooling is vital in breaking the cycle of poverty and achieving gender equality, PAWA focuses on the secondary stage, where financial and cultural pressures often force girls to drop out. By investing in their education and providing grants for essentials such as uniforms, books, teacher training, and safe boarding, girls are empowered to complete their education, helping to create a more just and prosperous society.
PAWA carefully vets and monitors charitable projects proposed by its global network, ensuring they meet strict guidelines. The proceeds from the sale of Wrap London’s International Women’s Day t‐shirt will support two projects in India led by Karuna Trust.
Founded over 40 years ago, Karuna Trust has been supporting South Asia’s poorest communities and helping people escape poverty and access their rights. In West Bengal, where gender discrimination is widespread, only 30% of girls complete primary school, and just 1.8% qualify for secondary exams. With early marriage and human trafficking posing serious risks, this London-based charity works to empower and protect vulnerable girls, ensuring they have the opportunity for education and a brighter future.
PAWA, in partnership with Karuna Trust, supports the Nishtha programme in South Parganas, West Bengal. Since 2014, this initiative has empowered hundreds of Dalit adolescent girls through education, reducing child marriage and improving awareness of reproductive health and rights, and in 2025, it will support 800 girls in the project. It engages the whole community, including men and local stakeholders, fostering long-term change.
In 2023, in collaboration with Karuna Trust, PAWA launched the Nirman project in Pune, Maharashtra, targeting vulnerable girls from Nomadic and Denotified Tribes. These communities face extreme marginalisation, economic hardship, and social discrimination. Child marriage is frequent, and there are low literacy rates. The programme ensures education continuity and prevents early marriage, upgrading five village schools into resource centres for life skills and education. In 2025, PAWA aims to support 147 girls through this initiative.
Wrap London is proud to support these holistic intervention projects which are tackling systemic barriers to education and gender equality in marginalised communities.
