House of Indi - Female Entrepreneur of the Year

Company: House of Indi
Company Description: Since starting with 1 sewing machine about 10 years ago alone by the MD, the business has grown slowly and steadily over years to currently have 20 full-time staff, another 25 subcontracting staff, with the combined support of over 1000 people depending solely on the income generated by this organization. We strive to offer equal pay, women in management along ethical and sustainable clothing.
Nomination Category: Individual Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Female Entrepreneur of the Year – Consumer Products –10 or Less Employees

Nomination Title: Indi Yapa Abeywardena

This submission follows on the recent achievement of House of Indi winning Gold and Silver at the Stevie International Business Awards. Indi Yapa Abeywardena is applicant today forFemale Entrepreneur of Year - Consumer Products 10 or Less Employees is the brand child and founder of House of Indi and all its success.

Indi and her staff are greatful for such an honor during these pandemic times, which has boosted the morale of the Indi, her staff and community she works for and provides for.

Having lost her mom for a car accident at a tender age of 10, she was thrown in to looking after her two brothers from a young age whcih instilled her the values of human care, to date she has an emotional connection and gratidue to heremployees and their family care.This business and service is her way of staying in touch with her mother spiritually and helping thousands of other women to make a difference for their family, livelihood, and empowerment.

Since starting with 1 sewing machine about 10 years ago alone by indi, the business has grown slowly and steady over years to currently having 10fulltime staff, she hasindirectlysourced the service of over 50 small business from rural, village base, with a combine support of over 1000 people depending solely on the income generated by this organisation.

Shestrives to offer equal pay, 80% women in management along with ethical and sustainable clothing to the world. Indi has put in place several systems and procedurcres, traning that has enabaled these sub contracted business earn above wage meaning fair trade.

She has single handely funded from her own saving to establish the business.

1. 2019 Indishe movedher factory to a new locationto create a classroom style, accomodate more,to better train its staff, with classroom facilities to learn sewing and pattern maker skills.
2. In 2020, with the first pandemic lockdown, Indiinititated the program of "loan sewing machines" to women in need to start their own home business at home, previously we have got them to come and work at our factories but with us loaning sewing machines to home, this has given them work hour flexibility, stay at home safe environment while still providing for their familyincome.
3. Indi as the founder and Managing Director won SME Small businessGold for Outstanding Women Entrepreneur of the Year from Women in Management for her work towards helping her staff with full salary during the lockdown time, finding a solution to work from home, distributing food hampers for people of need without looking at any benefits, not just to her staff but the general public too.
4. Implementing Circular Fashion Chart to make sure our process of staff is handled ethically, our manufacturingis sustainable, reuse, recycle and upcycle.
5.Indi behind closed doors, designed and manufactured safety masks and PPE outfit klitsfor the front-line health workers. This is where sustainability came into play, finding raw materials within the country, Indiwas able to provide business that has lost international orders word orders, because shestarted manufacturing items that would normally be imported from China in Sri Lanka.

1. Indi's eastbalished training schoolenabled herto trainwomen with on job training. School leavers, unskilled girls, teen pregnant moms, widows, etc.
2. For Indito give a chance to some of these women, who are the sole breadwinner of the family is an unbelievable feeling that can be expressed. its Significant in their eyes and smile of these women, who see hope of a second chance to build a career, earn an income. the "Loan a Sewing Machine" was a huge success that we hope we can expand because there is so many more whose in need of one. Its unique because we are the only organization in Sri Lanka to do it.
3. Winning 2 awards after surviving 2020 / now 2021 lockdown as Indi submits this application, gave meand our staff a morale boost, a sense of accomplishment to fight 2021, beyond and beat Covid19. It also made paths and network connections to help people in need, we were able to secure funds from investors to buy sewing machines.
4. Indi was able teach her staff a valuable lesson from thePandemic, life is short, we need to be kind to Mother Nature and our People. The fact we could move away from fast fashion and care for the manufacturing process through Circular Fashion Wheel. We were able to secure more manufacturing orders from buyers who wanted to help us not only for our sustainable goals but to the ethical side we are invested in

Reference any attachments of supporting materials

Below are some links to online media about Indi in the last few years.

https://houseofindi.com/indi/world-of-hoi/(some of hersocial work) refere to main attachement for full detail
https://www.ft.lk/business/House-of-Indi-and-Founder-Indeevari-Yapa-Abeywardana-win-prestigious-awards/34-713471 (Indi Recent Award details online)
https://theentrepreneur.lk/en_US/a-true-passion-for-fashion-indi-yapa-abeywardena/(Magazine Write up of Indi as an Entrepreneur
https://ceylontoday.lk/news/wh-unveils-a-designer-hub-for-shoppers-and-sellers-alike (WH Sri Lanka an online platform and concept store develooped by Indi to heklp emergering brands in Sri Lanka to connect with internationa buyers
https://studentsunionucl.org/whats-on/clubs-societies/interview-with-indi-yapa-abeywardena (University College of London Keynote anout Women Entreprenuership in Asia)

The mainsubmitted attached (PDF) consists of the below

Women at Traning Image submission at the Garment Factory (On the Job Training) Images
Women at work at Home during lockdown (Loan a Sewing Machine Project) Images
Staff Celebration of Awards Images
Distributing Food Hampers during Lockdown for Staff and General Public images
Certificates handover for Service Excellence during Covid19
Free Masks to Front Line Staff During Lock Down Project