Strength & Stem

Beautiful floral products to brighten homes and brighten the lives of women affected by modern slavery.

Fight slavery through flowers with Strength & Stem. They support female survivors of human trafficking through a life-changing floristry training programme.

The three-month long programme gives participants a grounding in floristry as well as work experience, mentorship, industry knowledge and extra skills like financial literacy. Getting the hang of flower arranging and all things floristry with Strength & Stem is also a chance to be creative and find community with people who’ve shared similar experiences.

This holistic training and support helps survivors on their journey to independence and work. With Strength & Stem, they can grow their sense of personal wellbeing and become better prepared to move into meaningful employment.

The programme is funded through sales of Strength & Stem’s beautiful blooms, with bunches of fresh or dried flowers to choose from.

Already a symbol of love, gratitude and beauty, Strength & Stem flowers also represent life, creativity and hope thanks to their brilliant backstory. Have them brighten up your home or surprise a loved one who’ll appreciate their loveliness and impact.

Meet The Founder

Jess Visser learnt about the heartbreaking reality of human trafficking while volunteering with a global charity in South Africa. It was an eye-opening experience, highlighting how the most vulnerable in our society – most often women and girls – are targeted and exploited.

Jess was motivated to support and create life-changing opportunities for trafficking survivors. She knew about the importance of employability and skills training from her career as a headhunter in the charity and social enterprise sectors. So, she set to work creating an enterprise that could help women heal but also move towards sustainable employment.

A love for flowers, sparked by getting married on a flower farm, drew her to floristry. It’s an art that could be a therapeutic tool as well as a stepping stone to economic empowerment. After a floristry course, crowdfunding campaign and months of preparation, Jess launched Strength & Stem’s first floristry workshops for survivors of trafficking in 2019.

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