A DUO who started out as landlady and lodger have launched a business selling sustainable clothing with “meaning and message”.

Candra Johnson, 24, moved into the home of Saskia Daggett, 42, when a Bournemouth University student last year.

Candra was taking in a lodger because she was unable to work during the Covid crisis.

The pair went on to found Global Tribe Clothing, which works with designers from around the world.   

Their designs highlight activists and communities which they say are working to make the world fairer and better. 

The Global Tribe will support the Mizizi Project – a charity Saskia set up which brings together global “game changers” to tackle inequality and injustice.

She has a background in international development and spent her career in the charity sector, moving back to the UK in 2016 after living for nearly 10 years in Uganda.

Candra studied sound and music production at university and worked as a chef locally before moving into Saskia’s Bournemouth home.

Saskia said: “Covid brought us together. We had to take in lodgers because I couldn’t find work, so it’s a really happy coincidence.”

Candra said: “We got on right away and we share the same life values. We were talking about the Mizizi Charity and how to set up a business to help it and I said I’d love to do it.”

Saskia had already been to an event hosted by Outset. Based in Bournemouth and part of the European-funded Dorset Growth Partnership, the service provides Dorset start-up businesses with free one-to-one mentoring, workshops and events.

Saskia said: “Their support really helped to broaden our horizons for the business. The best part is that they break everything down and so you know what the next step to take is. You get that big picture strategic support and have a plan of how to approach it and what to do next.

“Having that support for free was amazing. We didn’t have the money for that level of quality expertise. Outset helped to break things down and create work plans to go through systematically.”

Candra said one-to-one mentoring with Yvonne Lee and Sarah Veakins had helped them grow new confidence and skills.

Outset is supported by the national service YTKO, which has helped 22,500 businesses since 2006. An independent impact assessment commissioned last year said the support had enabled the creation of 6,574 businesses, more than 10,500 sustainable jobs and an estimated £2.61billion in sales income.