Grounds for Restoration – Redemptive Entrepreneurship

A mission-based business sponsored by my home church is called Grounds for Restoration, which is a branch of Made for Freedom. The goal of this business is to prevent women from turning to trafficking and instead offer a living wage and restored dignity. When I first heard about this through my church, I was very impressed with how a business could be sustainable while also benefiting all of its employees. I was in high school when I was introduced to the idea of redemptive entrepreneurship, so I was not able to do much with the information. But now, having learned about different aspects of businesses of all sizes, I feel like it is realistic for me to not only be a part of a redemptive business, but possibly improve it too.

The business’s model aims to train employees and give them a livable wage in order to not only get women out of trafficking, but to prevent them from being put in a vulnerable situation in the first place. This organization also makes sure to only source from processing plants that follows fair trade practices and does not exploit their own employees. Doing so naturally increases costs for the organization as a whole, but the goal of this business is not to top the fortune 500, but to give others dignity in life. Being able to deal with these high costs while not charging ridiculously high prices and thriving all around the world is a great motivation for others looking to begin a business with a similar mission.

Personally, I find it so moving that a business can be solely focused on a socially beneficial cause and do so well. They do not hire women who can do the job they need done, they train women for jobs they create. The employees don’t fill in where they are needed, but rather jobs fill in where women are hired.