For a decade, the Bandhwari Women’s Project has connected students at Florida International University’s College of Business with women artisans in India, evolving from a classroom idea into a student-led nonprofit that supports communities across continents.
As the organization marks its 10th anniversary, it is navigating new challenges as shifting trade dynamics reshape its operations.
David Wernick, a teaching professor of international business at FIU Business, helped launch the Bandhwari Women’s Project at FIU Business after learning about the initiative through the Incentive Foundation in India. The project links FIU International Business Honors Society students with women artisans in Bandhwari Village, who handcraft textiles and accessories sold in the U.S. to fund education, healthcare and skills training.
What began as a service-learning project has grown into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by students and alumni.
“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.
This year, the group is confronting the realities of global trade.
“The trade tensions with India have been a significant challenge,” Wernick said. “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.”
Rather than discouraging students, Wernick views the challenge as a “teaching moment.”
“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 (BBA ’25), president of The Bandhwari Women’s Project, said students remain focused on the mission.
“The recent trade discussions between India and the United States have certainly created challenges,” she said. “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.”
Higher tariffs and the loss of the de minimis exemption (which allowed goods valued under $800 to enter the U.S. without paying tariffs) have made imports “even more expensive than the cost of the products themselves,” Page said.
“Nevertheless, the show must go on,” she added. “Support for the Bandhwari women is needed now more than ever.”
For students, the experience extends beyond business. Political science major Taylor Perez, preparing for her first trip to India, said, “Seeing firsthand what a project like this does for the people who are part of it – that’s what drew me in.”
“In the end,” Wernick 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.”