Fruit Of Life
Fighting Injustice in Asia
The Vision
Sharon’s vision for starting a business grew out of a desire to bring dignity and hope to landmine survivors in Asia. Her aim was to provide a future for those disabled by landmines through the dignity of employment. Believing this vision to be from God, Sharon started working on a plan for the project in 2002 under an Australian NGO. The project itself, called Fruit of Life, was started in October 2004.
The plan for the business was to use locally grown and dried fruits from surrounding villages to produce various types of confectionery. The products would be marketed first in Asia and later exported to the West. Sharon decided to form a team of national staff of landmine survivors and others, including factory management, production, marketing, administration and finance. Local staff would be trained in management, production, marketing, accounting and office procedures and English so that ultimately the landmine survivors could run the whole project themselves.
Because the project is aimed at disabled people, Sharon realised that it was best to register the project first as an NGO under the country’s policy of social welfare and humanity and then transform it into a full profit-making company. The story of Fruit of Life is of a project that has begun with a donor-funded NGO approach and is intentionally transitioning to become a profitable business.
Making it happen…
In 2004 Sharon started a factory with six landmine disabled people and renting premises in a major city. This wasn’t without a few challenges as she encountered red tape and officials asking for bribes. However, her stand for doing things honestly was clear and through the process she saw God’s hand at work as the factory was established.
In setting up procedures for the manufacturing, Sharon used the Australian food hygiene standards as a benchmark. The Australian Business Volunteers sent a food technologist to train the production staff to a high standard. This approach has lead to wider recognition, as the Government has acknowledged the project as a model for food manufacturing in the coutnry after a surprise inspection by officials! The government has even asked Fruit of Life to be a national representative at international trade fairs.
Today the project employs four non-disabled Asian staff: an administrator, an accountant, a driver and a housekeeper, and twenty-two landmine disabled staff. The disabled staff are trained in production methods, administration, accounting, marketing and management.
From NGO to business
In her research, Sharon found that it was much more straight-forward to begin by working as an NGO. This enabled her to make a start and also to attract charitable funding.
However, as she has established Fruit of Life Sharon has set it up so that it can eventually run as a competitive business whilst holding to its aims of providing work for landmine disabled people and having Christian values at the core. Once Fruit of Life is making a profit it must legally register as a for-profit business, which is the long-term aim.
Currently Fruit of Life is gaining it’s share of the market and some orders have now been exported with distinctive packaging in order that customers are aware of their assistance to those with landmine related disabilities. However, sales are not yet fully covering overheads and the project is yet to reach profitability. Meanwhile, the project is being subsided by donations from churches and those who are concerned with the landmine situation.
Funds have recently been used to buy 1.7 hectares of land in one of the nearby provinces for a larger purpose-built factory with facilities and housing on site. For the future, Sharon is planning for the business to be self-sustaining by 2009, which will mark the fulfilment of the vision God gave her.
Fruitful practices
Biblical moral standards and ethical practice are applied in all of the business operations. When day to day issues are encountered Sharon has the opportunity to teach her staff and live out values. She has sought to encourage a loving, caring working environment by teaching forgiveness and showing love consistently. Sharon has taken a stand since the beginning to see that no bribes are paid, even though it often results in frustrating delays and unnecessary problems. Also, she promotes accountability for every managerial position by the use of careful documentation and accounting practices. This approach in particular is intended to help the Asian staff when they come to run the factory themselves in the future.
Some of the staff approached Sharon to start a church for them and their families, as many are still rejected by national churches because of their landmine disabilities. The church meets on an evening during the week for fellowship and study together. The staff also initiated a bible study in the morning for those who want to attend. Few staff were Christian when Fruit of Life was started and since then over a dozen of the workers have made a clear commitment to the Lord and been baptised. This has brought about great transformation, as well as that of having dignity restored and receiving practical expressions of God’s love.
Final reflections
Through her years of experience working on Fruit of Life Sharon testifies of how she relies on God to lead and guide everything in the business. Her faith is challenged everyday, but she is trying to be obedient to God and asking for His providence in every area of the project. The business itself is growing in strength and impact and in many ways is bringing transformation to lives.
