Sharjah24 – Reuters: Having spent a lot of time with low-income communities working as a field reporter for ten years, 33-year-old Farah Ajlouni met many people with artistic talent but limited means to generate an income.

This inspired her to create 'Gioia', a social enterprise that manufactures culturally inspired casual footwear, that would help local communities reach international markets.

Focusing on footwear because it is easily shippable, Ajlouni initially started the project from home in 2018 and expanded to open a workshop two years later with support from the European Commission.

Aiming to preserve heritage while adapting to latest fashion trends, Gioia’s designs include traditional embroidery, calligraphy and art that are incorporated into contemporary shoes.

Gioia currently employs 12 Jordanians and an additional 13 are being trained to expand the team.

130 pairs of shoes were sold in the previous collection and 500 pieces will be offered in the upcoming one. Prices of a pair start from $60 and 90% of the products are sold internationally.