For ten years, the Bandhwari Women’s Project has connected students from Florida International University (FIU) with women artisans in Bandhwari Village, India. The initiative began as a service-learning project and has grown into a student-led nonprofit that supports education, healthcare, and skills training for families in the village.
David Wernick, a teaching professor of international business at FIU, played a key role in launching the project after learning about it from the Incentive Foundation in India. He explained that the program links members of FIU’s International Business Honors Society (IBHS) with Indian artisans who create textiles and accessories sold in the United States to fund community development efforts.
“It’s been exciting to watch this program grow and see how many lives it’s touched, for both the women and children of Bandhwari Village, and more than 150 of our students,” Wernick said.
The organization is now marking its 10th anniversary amid new challenges related to international trade. According to Wernick, “The trade tensions with India have been a significant challenge. Our products, which formerly entered the U.S. duty free, are suddenly facing a steep 50% tariff. Shipping costs have risen dramatically as smaller logistics firms have exited the U.S.–India route.”
Despite these obstacles, Wernick sees an educational opportunity: “It’s a chance to see the real-world implications of trade policy for small enterprises navigating an increasingly turbulent business environment,” he said.
Brianna Page ’25, president of The Bandhwari Women’s Project, commented on recent difficulties: “The recent trade discussions between India and the United States has certainly created challenges. With our largest event of the year, the Second Annual Bandhwari Women’s Project Fashion Show coming up, it’s imperative that we bring over new products to display.”
She noted that higher tariffs and changes to import exemptions have increased costs: “Higher tariffs and the elimination of the de minimis exemption for low-value shipments have made imports ‘even more expensive than the cost of the products themselves.’”
Page added: “Nevertheless, the show must go on. While prices will rise, the quality and uniqueness of our products will overshadow the increase. Support for the Bandhwari women is needed now more than ever.”
Students involved say they gain more than just business experience from their participation. Taylor Perez, a political science major preparing for her first trip to India, shared her motivation: “Seeing firsthand what a project like this does for the people who are part of it — that’s what drew me in,” she said.
Wernick emphasized that combining business education with global empathy is central to their mission: “In the end,” he said, “this is about students learning to use the tools of business to make a difference in a complex world — and doing it with a ton of heart.”
The Second Annual Bandhwari Women’s Project Fashion Show will take place Friday, November 14 at FIU’s BBC Campus. Admission is free for FIU students; tickets are $45 online through November 1 or $60 at the door. Proceeds from ticket sales and other fundraising activities will support expansion efforts for The Bandhwari Project.
