Monique Maissan is an EO Shanghai member, CEO of Vision Textiles and founder of Waste2Weave. 

“Be the change you wish to see in the world,” is the quote attributed to Mahatma Gandhi. During a trip to that great Indian leader’s homeland, EO Shanghai member Monique Maissan experienced a kairos moment, realizing her true purpose: To empower women in India’s handloom industry with a living wage for textiles produced from recycled plastic yarns. Her entrepreneurial journey, like so many others’, is a winding road that continues to unfold.

We asked Monique about a recent milestone on her journey: How establishing a revolving fund for micro-entrepreneurs to buy supplies and equipment became the gateway for generating this elegant solution.