In 2017 the John Lewis Foundation began working with CottonConnect to deliver a programme to improve living conditions for disadvantaged Uyghur cotton farmers in China’s Xinjiang province.  The project seeks to address important issues for Uyghur farmers such as: the language barrier, poor production skills, lack of training opportunities, and absence of other employment opportunities. The project will train 200 Uyghur cotton farmers, enabling them to become REEL Cotton farmers, and adopt more sustainable growing practices.

The activities are aimed at introducing and promoting diversified, protected, and sustainable local farming business models, and income-generating plans, into these Uyghur communities to help local economic development.