Inspired by Olive & Annie ~ Ethical fashion supporting vulnerable women and youth
Jacqueline created Olive & Annie for the people closest to her heart – her daughter, and fellow survivors of sexual violence. An ethical fashion brand that is truly conscious of its impact every step of the way, Olive & Annie provide employment for artisans; produce sustainable high-quality products; and support ZLT Hope Homes with each item sold.
ZLT Hope Homes provide education, safe shelter, a nutritious diet, and love and support to orphaned, abused and abandoned children and youth in Nairobi, Kenya. Jacqueline works with another single mother, Jerusha, who leads the home in Kenya. Their shared passion for supporting women and children affected by physical and sexual violence has kept ZLT Hope Homes in motion since 2013. Their home in Kenya has up to 35 children and youth in their guardianship at a time, ranging in ages from just one year old to twenty years old. ZLT Hope Homes continue to support their children throughout their post-secondary education and well after they’ve left the care of the home.
I first came across Olive & Annie on Instagram five years ago when I started Lost Little One. We were both featured on an ethical fashion page, and I was instantly in awe of the label and what they stood for. I reached out to Jacqueline to collaborate with her so I could support Olive & Annie and their amazing work, designing a few pieces with them and becoming their first Australian wholesaler.
I couldn’t be more excited to share another Olive & Annie collection with the Lost Little One community. The collection features jewellery made from recycled brass, and gold plated by hand in Canada and Kenya. Jacqueline is an incredible woman with a touching story of strength, and I’m honoured to be able to continue to share her beautiful work and story with you. I asked Jacqueline some questions to learn more about Olive & Annie, and their gifts of hope.
Olive & Annie began with humble beginnings in late 2016. When Olive & Annie launched we had three goals: providing ethical employment to artisans, being able to support ZLT Hope Homes and share the mission of the organisation, and being able to create quality products with sustainable origins that I would want to purchase for my own daughter. Olive & Annie serves as an income generation branch of ZLT Hope Homes. Our signature products were our leather baby booties followed by our recycled brass jewellery. Every piece is thoughtfully designed, following sustainable production processes and highlighting the social justice issues close to our hearts at ZLT Hope Homes.
Yes! Olive & Annie proudly supports ZLT Hope Homes by donating 100% of profits from every sale. Every purchase directly supports one of three areas; the ZLT Safe House, Community Wellness Program, and Economic Empowerment Program.
I serve as the Founder and International Director of ZLT Hope Homes. As the International Director, I wear many hats and every day is a new adventure. I am primarily responsible for fundraising, overseeing income generation initiatives, overall administrative and operations coordination, and donor relations. I wholeheartedly believe we have a remarkable team at ZLT Hope Homes, and I am fortunate to work alongside many inspiring women each and every day. While our work can be challenging due to the trauma experienced by those we support, I feel truly blessed to be able to serve in my role at ZLT Hope Homes and Olive & Annie.
Olive & Annie products incorporate simplistic design while highlighting social justice issues that directly connect to the women, children, and youth we support through our programming at ZLT Hope Homes.
The collection available through Lost Little One incorporates pieces from our brand new gold-plated collection. All of the necklaces are recycled brass, with the gold plating done in-house in Northern Ontario (by me!) and our lead artisan Sammy in Ngong Hills, Kenya. The chokers are exclusively recycled brass, and the rings are recycled brass with gold plating done here in Canada.
My personal favourites in the new collection are the Bititi Necklace and Maji Ring. Both pieces were inspired by the strength and resilience of the women. The Maji Ring in particular is very special to me, as it captures the journey to healing for survivors of sexual violence. It is a product I personally wear every day, and it reminds me to keep my faith and never give up.
There are three things that drive my work; my daughter, the children and youth I have the privilege to call family at ZLT Safe House, and my faith. As a survivor of sexual violence, I have had the privilege to meet and form relationships with many truly remarkable individuals in our work. Their strength and resilience continue to inspire me in my own healing journey as a survivor and drive my motivation to continue our work at ZLT Hope Homes and Olive & Annie.
