Victoria, MN -- (SBWire) -- 12/19/2013 --Adam Iversen, a recent engineering graduate from the University of Minnesota, has just launched a campaign on the Indiegogo website. Adam hopes to raise enough money to fund Pragati, an innovative fair trade project that he has developed.

As Adam explained in an article that accompanies his fundraising campaign, last summer he received a grant to work on a development project in India. Almost immediately upon arriving, Adam began to learn about the very real needs facing the artisans in Orissa. Along the way, Adam met Pradeep, a Rural Development MBA student who attends a university in Orissa. The two began to discuss the artisans’ situation, and ways that they might be able to help.

After spending months meeting with local artists, government organizations and NGOs, Adam said he and Pradeep discovered a way to truly make a difference for the people of Orissa. Called Pragati, it is a market linkage fair trade enterprise that uses an online platform, direct sales parties and events—as well as carefully established retail relationships—to connect the rural artisans of Orissa with the United States market.

“Our team in India has established close relationships with each artisan group we work with, and works directly with groups throughout the design, production, and aggregation process, increasing artisan understanding of the market for their products,” Adam wrote.

“This ensures that product design stays relevant, and also improves price transparency of goods, providing an alternative to often exploitative traders and middlemen.”

To help make sure that the artisans are creating products that will sell well in the U.S. market, Adam said the Pragati project also focuses on product development. For example, they are working with palm leaf artisans, teaching them to make things like business cards, wedding invitations and tags for the various products. They are also advising the artisans to add extra uses to their work, such as transforming wall art into keychain holders and the like.

Although there is a demand for the products and a lot of enthusiasm and momentum surrounding Pragati, Adam said he has launched the fundraiser at Indiegogo to get the capital he needs to let the supply chain continue to bring the beautiful and unique goods to the United States.

Anybody who would like to learn more about the Pragati innovative fair trade project is welcome to visit Adam’s fundraising page on Indiegogo; there, they can read Adam’s full story and how their donations will help bring the project to fruition.

About Pragati
Pragati is a free trade project that was developed by Adam Iversen. The project, which is currently part of a fundraising project on the Indiegogo website, focuses on connecting rural artisans from Orissa, India with retailers and others in the United States who want to purchase their goods. In addition, Pragati is placing a strong emphasis on product development, in order to help the artisans utilize their techniques and skills in the best way possible, and to be highly attractive to the various market niches in the U.S. For more information, please visit http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pragati-innovative-fair-trade