Schulich Alumna Launches New Venture for Face Masks
Last month, Paruksheen Dhunjisha (MBA ’20) and her partner Michael Carrier, launched their e-commerce site, GiveAMask.ca, after being concerned about the economic instability in vulnerable populations and their potential lack of access to masks.
They partnered with the Daily Bread Food Bank, Feed the Need in Durham, and other Ontario-based groups to make matching donations for every purchase made.
“We are also always looking for more charitable partners because our goal is to get as many people wearing masks as possible,” said Paruksheen.
With the help of a manufacturing company and individuals who sew, they are able to produce their own designs to meet the growing demand. Paruksheen revealed that their company is very particular about the fabrics they sourced because they want to provide adequate comfort and protection.
“There are so many things I learned during my time at Schulich that I am able to apply now that I would not have had exposure to outside of the MBA,” shared Paruksheen, who believes that her degree has helped her lay the groundwork for her new venture. “More so, I came to Canada for my MBA, but Schulich helped make Canada my home, and so I feel like I want to give back to the community.”
For the next steps, they are planning to innovate their product by offering more styles and features, while ensuring that their reusable masks continue to be high-quality, locally-made and effective.