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Emily Duffy and the Duffily Bag

 

What’s a Duffily bag? It’s not the latest fashion accessory, but rather a lightweight sleeping bag for the homeless.  Designed by student Emily Duffy of Limerick, the name is a combination of her first and last names.

Originally called the ‘Homeless Wrap’, 15 year old Emily came up with the idea for the Young Scientist competition in 2015. She credits the sense of community she was raised with, of empathy for others, as her inspiration in trying to help people.

The bag is made of metallic bubble wrap, which traps air bubbles to increase warmth. It’s  fire and rain resistant, and made by the very people it helps. The Mendicity Institution approached Emily following the Young Scientist competition with the idea of having some of the people they help actually make the bags.

The Mendicity Institution is the oldest working charity in Dublin, established in 1818.  In addition to serving meals to the homeless, it offers employment opportunities, including making the Duffily bag.

The Mendicity Institution employs eight homeless men to make Duffily bags, paying them €10 an hour. The men gain not only income, but a chance to get back into working life and a sense of pride and responsibility for their efforts, helping them move forward in life.

The bags are dispensed to homeless charities in Dublin.  Emily herself has even gone to refugee camps in Calais and Dunkirk to distribute bags there.

Emily credits much of her success to good time management. Her day starts at 7am, and from then until 10pm, everything is timed down to the minute. Making sure her time is used wisely helps her get the most out of her day, she says.

Now nineteen and looking forward to the future, Emily wants to continue helping people throughout her life. She’s planning to study psychology in order to help homeless people with their emotional needs, beyond the physical needs addressed by the Duffily bag.  

Her advice for young people wanting to start a business while still in school?  First, don’t let your age be a barrier, and second, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

 

 

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The Duffily Bag | Reflection

Junior Cycle Business Studies Specifications

  • Strand two:  Enterprise
    • Element:  Managing my resources
      • 2.1 Identify different types of financial, cultural and social enterprise and appreciate the role each plays in society
      • 2.2 Describe the skills and characteristics of being enterprising and appreciate the role of an entrepreneur in an organisation, in society and to the economy
  • Strand three:  Our Economy
    • Element:  Managing my resources
      • 3.1 Explain how scarcity of economic resources results in individuals having to make choices; predict possible consequences of these choices
      • 3.2 Explain how individuals, organisations (for profit and not-for-profit) and the government work together to distribute economic resources used to produce goods and services

Curriculum Elements of the 8 Key Skills of the Junior Cycle

  • MANAGING MYSELF
    • Knowing myself
    • Making considered decisions
    • Setting and achieving personal goals
  • MANAGING INFORMATION & THINKING
    • Gathering, recording, organising and evaluating information and data
    • Thinking creatively and critically
    • Reflecting on and evaluating my learning
    • Using digital technology to access, manage and share content
  • BEING NUMERATE
    • Estimating, predicting and calculating
    • Developing a positive disposition towards investigating, reasoning and problem-solving
    • Seeing patterns, trends and relationships
  • BEING CREATIVE
    • Imagining
    • Exploring options and alternatives
    • Implementing ideas and taking action
    • Learning creatively
    • Stimulating creativity using digital technology