Global Girlfriends: How One Mom Made It Her Business to Help Women in Poverty Worldwide

From its humble birth in 2003 in Edgar's basement, Global Girlfriend has helped poor women develop and sell fashionable, ecologically sound products, thereby feeding their families, educating their children, and contributing to their communities. At the time, former social worker Edgar states in her captivating account, she knew little about the fair-trade movement, but harbored a desire to reach women subjected to hunger, gender discrimination, and abuse in nations reeling from war and natural disasters. As she chronicles visits to cities and villages east and west, Edgar profiles crafters and entrepreneurs with whom she has partnered. Serving as designer, marketer, wholesaler, retailer, and cheerleader, Edgar stresses her role as bridge to American women eager to shop on behalf of their "sisters." While quick to reveal failures (e.g., bugs emerging from seed jewelry), Edgar delights in symmetries: low-caste Indian women recycling trash bags into chic items; a series of Friday phone calls from Organic Style and O magazines and Whole Foods. Now part of GreaterGood Network and posting annual sales of more than $1 million, Edgar makes clear that her company is a model for-profit social business that grew by making people the bottom line. (Apr.)