From factory floor to film: showcasing Oporajita in practice

Charlotte Brunnström (right), Programme Director at H&M Foundation in a Q&A with Helen Barker from BBC StoryWorks.

This is a blog post by Charlotte Brunnström,
Programme Director at the H&M Foundation.

I had the privilege of helping to initiate and build Oporajita (‘Undefeated’ in Bengali) four years ago. Today, I lead this programme which demonstrates how just decarbonisation can strengthen both livelihoods and long‑term competitiveness.

During the spring we’ve teamed up with by Global Fashion Agenda and BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions to show an everyday portrait of social inclusion and industrial upgrading moving together. Fashion Redressed II, explores how change is taking shape across the value chain, and the people driving that change.  We’re invited into the daily lives of garment workers Akhi Akter and Rushia Khatun in two of Dhaka’s RMG factories, as they navigate family and work while engaging with the Oporajita initiative.

Partnering with BBC StoryWorks and Global Fashion Agenda felt like a natural fit from the beginning. This film offer a snapshot of an industry in transition, highlighting both the complexity of the challenges and the practical pathways being explored to address them. Through human-centred storytelling, these solutions are brought to life in a tangible way.

On my way to London, I found myself reflecting on the journey that had brought us here. Years of dedicated work by everyone involved in Oporajita were about to reach a much wider audience. Since 2022, the unwavering commitment of our partners would now be showcased on the big screen at BBC StoryWorks’ own cinema.

The audience brought together a diverse group of people connected to the textile and fashion industry, as well as the broader Fashion Redressed initiative. Sitting there, watching the film, I felt a deep sense of humility, pride and joy.

Helen Barker, the BBC StoryWorks producer who had been with us throughout the entire journey, from the earliest conversations to the final cut, was there alongside her colleagues. Their combination of warmth, curiosity and professionalism made the creative process both rigorous and deeply collaborative. Their commitment throughout was exceptional.

The screening was followed by a short Q&A about the film. In that moment, I was reminded of what had characterised our collaboration from the beginning: a shared understanding of, and deep respect for, the women working in Bangladesh’s garment industry, and for the organisations that demonstrate extraordinary resilience, creativity, ambition and leadership every single day.