Pam Lowe

Pam Lowe worked at Nisa from 2018 to August 2023 as Nisa's production manager. Nisa is an ethical manufacturer of underwear, swimwear, and activewear that was founded by Elisha Watson in 2017 to create employment opportunities for women from refugee and migrant backgrounds.

At the end of 2022, the business was put up for sale, and while the team was certain someone would want to own the business a buyer had still not been secured in June 2023. It was at this point Watson decided to close the business so she could spend more time with her family.

It was at this point the Nisa community rallied around and shopped up large!

Due to the success of the close-down sale, Elisha was able to offer the sale of the business to Pam. Friends and favors were called, and with the help of a few experts, a sale and purchase agreement was gotten across the line in time for Elisha to get to an engagement she had overseas.

Pam had called in some help from former Nisa employees Li Ling Ho and Hannah McHalick, and current production staff Queen Sudagar and Yuri Mahecha. She then launched a PledgeMe campaign that ended up being a runaway success - funding in under 24 hours, and doubling the goal by the end.

The success of this allowed the team of five to re-open the business, and start working again.

Pam has taken over the reins as CEO, and has spent the last year learning how to keep a business going in very trying times.

Nisa has also celebrated launching its first underwire bra, a very successful swimwear campaign, its first Zero-Waste Activewear pieces, brought in some great new colours and styles, donated hundreds of pairs of briefs to Foster Hope and Wellington City MissionsSocial Supermarket, and most importantly - provided meaningful employment for it's staff.

It's not an easy time to revive a business, but when you see firsthand the impact it can make on the lives of the staff who work there, it's too important to give up.


Check out Nisa