Triumph over Tragedy
Posted: 16 Jun 2014, 08:50
What fantastic young men!!
you want to know what motivates the founders of sandal-making firm Gandys Flip Flops, try standing in their shoes.
Brothers Rob and Paul Forkan are only 26 and 24 respectively, but they've already seen more tragedies and triumphs than most people manage in a lifetime.
Nearly a decade after losing their parents in the Asian tsunami of 2004 and almost getting killed themselves, the pair are preparing to open a children's home in India, saying they want to help their fellow orphans.
In the meantime, their London-based brand of ethically sourced footwear, established in 2011, has begun to make tracks, with 150,000 pairs manufactured so far.
UK stores already selling their sandals include Selfridges, Liberty and Accessorize, as well as stockists in Germany and a number of other European markets.
"We give 10% of our profits back to charity and we've got our own foundation on the side as well, " says Paul. "We're all about making profit, but a profit with a purpose."
MORE:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27638426