Our Origin Story
Colors Energy GIF by Carolina Nino Buro
It all began with a pair of shoes.
In 2015, I went to South Africa for the first time on a social entrepreneurship study abroad program. Flying into Cape Town, I was immediately struck by the stark contrast between the shiny, impressive, air-conditioned airport and the sun glittering on thousands of shacks that stretched on either side of the road as soon as we merged on to the highway.
We were paired up with students from TSiBA, the Tertiary School in Business Administration, a social enterprise that offers education on a sliding scale to empower more South Africans. Together we completed a two-week consulting project for local entrepreneurs in the townships.
Rhandzeka stood out because she was not only a student but also an entrepreneur herself, selling her handmade items during lunch and after class. Dazzled by the beautifully beaded shoes she made with her mother and inspired by her story of how they employ and train young women in their home region of Mpumalanga, I bought a pair for myself and all my friends back home.
Rhandzeka and Cayman, 2019
Beadwork is common in South Africa, but I have never come across any products like Rhandzeka’s shoes since, and the story and purpose behind the shoes make them even more unique. During the next two years when I lived and regularly returned to South Africa, Rhandzeka and I worked together to make a plan to share her shoes and her story with the world.
On my last trip to South Africa in 2019, I brought back 10 pairs to gauge interest. When I shared Rhandzeka’s story and my dream with Olivia, whom I have been best friends with since high school, she was immediately on board. Olivia challenged us to think bigger: how could we find even more unique products from talented and inspirational womxn around the world and share their art and their stories?
Olivia and Cayman, 2012
What started with just a pair of shoes turned into a dream to connect artists and consumers across the world, to build a community that is founded on empowerment and social impact. Global Goddess, officially founded in 2020, is a social business that sources unique products from around the world and lifts up our artists and gives back to our communities.