Mask + Income will initially provide income to 1,000 women in vulnerable regions of the country by producing and donating 1.5 million masks. With support from a Network of Social Investors, the initiative may be expanded.
To contribute to coronavirus prevention and offer income-generating opportunities for women during the pandemic, Fundação Vale and Rede Asta created the Máscara + Renda initiative. To date, 1,000 seamstresses and artisans from all regions of the country have been selected to produce protective masks and will receive up to R$1,400 per month. Within three months, 1.5 million masks will be produced and donated to social organizations suggested by the seamstresses themselves. These organizations will distribute the items to those most in need, encouraging mask use and spreading the culture of prevention in their communities.
The initiative received an initial investment of R$ 5.5 million from the Vale Foundation and Wheaton Precious Metals, but the initiative may be expanded with the addition of new partners. The goal, through collaboration with other companies and the creation of a Social Investor Network, is to reach R$ 11 million, producing 3 million masks, and benefiting 2,000 women.
Today, Máscara + Renda also partners with Microsoft Brazil and has Petrobras, Komatsu, and Della Volpe as co-partners. The initiative also has the support of mobilizing partners: Vale, Coletivo Covid Radar, the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS), the Firjan Social Responsibility Council, the France-Brazil Chamber of Commerce, and Women in Mining Brazil.
Income and autonomy for women, prevention and care in the community
According to UN Women, in this pandemic context, women are more exposed to the risks of infection and other factors, such as domestic violence and dismissal, with a consequent increase in poverty. In Brazil, women are responsible for the income of 45% of households, and contributing to female protagonism and financial autonomy is one of the initiative's objectives.
"The Asta Network was created to enable women artisans and seamstresses to make a living from their businesses, doing what they love. Máscara + Renda brought a real income opportunity at a time when most women lost theirs. A huge opportunity on a scale to generate a double impact: income for women and
protection for those who need it most,” explains Alice Freitas, from Rede Asta.
"For everyone, masks are prevention. For women, they're also a source of income, autonomy, and freedom. Mask + Income is aligned with the Vale Foundation's entrepreneurship programs, which create sustainable work alternatives and productive inclusion for income generation, with special attention to women-led businesses," says Pâmella De-Cnop, manager of the Vale Foundation.
For more information about the initiative, visit www.mascaramaisrenda.com.br
