Melissa Sevy, CEO of Ethik Collective and former student with the BYU Ballard Center for Social Impact, underwent a transformative journey leveraging her education and experiences to effect positive change in the world.
Melissa’s interest in social impact began in 2009 when she took the Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship course through the Ballard Center while earning a master’s in public health at BYU. While at the Ballard Center, Melissa learned about the importance of markets in helping disadvantaged populations. That understanding resonated with her on a study abroad trip to Uganda, where she discovered that many people lacked access to basic resources because they had no income. Applying what she learned at the Ballard Center about social venture startups, Melissa later founded Ethik Collective to help.
Ethik Collective is a social enterprise that supports and connects thousands of talented handcraft artisans to an international market. At the heart of Ethik Collective’s mission is a dedication to providing fair-paying job opportunities that uphold the dignity and worth of each artisan. The business prioritizes ethical practices and equitable compensation, ensuring artisans are recognized for their skills and rewarded fairly for their labor.
Monica, a jewelry maker from Uganda, is an example of how lives change through Ethik Collective's efforts. Before Monica worked as a jeweler, she cleaned laundry and sold locally brewed drinks. She worked long hours but still struggled to provide for her children’s education and health care. Since working with Ethik Collective, Monica says her situation has improved.
I am now able to pay house rent and meet the necessities for my children like medicating, feeding, and clothing them.
Ethik Collective has employed 3,550 artisans like Monica, each with an inspiring story. The company has also supported 15,495 dependents and provided over a million fair-pay work hours.
Melissa’s journey from BYU student to CEO of Ethik Collective is a testament to the transformative power of a social impact education through the Ballard Center. Her journey is just one example of how the Ballard Center cultivates a community of changemakers driven by a shared commitment to creating a more just and equitable world.