Seed of Hope for Vision Africa Give a Child a Future

I am seriously considering Seed of Hope - the vocational training arm of Vision Africa Give a Child a Future - as the charity I will support through Akabi.

The girls on this programme have had no hope of any higher education establishment and often only saw a bleak, poverty-stricken future. They come from a deprived past often struggling each day just to survive.

photo from seed of hope website - vision africa


Quote from the website

We rescue girls from a variety of different circumstances, some from child-labour, some from child-marriage, some are simply orphans who have experienced horrific tragedies and have no-one to provide for them...We ... provide them with two years of training in Life-skills, Vocational Skills (Dressmaking and crafts) and Business skills.  Throughout this period of training we provide them with everything they require to learn, including qualified teachers and counsellors...Following the two years of training, we facilitate the girls as they establish their own small business, allowing them to live independently.

http://www.seedofhope.info/concept.html

SO right now its between Mend - Invisible Children and Seed of Hope - Vision Africa. I feel once I get out to East Africa later in the year I will hopefully get to meet with these organisations and get things set up officially with them. To start with I will support with percentage of sales from the business going to the charities.

Getting there!

Afro Modern at the Tate

Unfortunately for some of us Londoners its at the Tate Liverpool but it looks very very interesting. ( i know i know liverpool is not out of this world but realistically .... i wont be able to nip over after work as i could in London)

Well its on Tate Liverpool 29 January  –  25 April 2010

 

Here is more info on the exhibition

Afro Modern: Journeys through the Black Atlantic explores the impact of different black cultures from around the Atlantic on art from the early twentieth-century to today. The exhibition takes its inspiration from Paul Gilroy's influential book The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness 1993...
Gilroy used the term 'The Black Atlantic' to describe the transmission of black cultures around the Atlantic, and the instances of cultural hybridity, that occurred as a result of transatlantic slavery and its legacy. ...offering a network connecting Africa, North and South America, the Caribbean and Europe.

Part of the exhibition includes showing movies....one of my favourites The Harder They Come...classic Jimmy Cliff movie from 1970's and a movie called Looking for Langston which I havent seen but I loved me a bit of the Harlem Renaissance artists and poets and think that that one could be interesting.

Check the website for more details.
http://www.tate.org.uk/liverpool/exhibitions/afromodernism/default.shtm

invisible children

I was told about this organisation and the work they do a while back and whilst coming out of the UCL gym tuesday night I embarked upon the team who were promoting the organisation Invisible children and showing the video at the university. As a designer creative I am interested in their Mend section as it deals with producing product.


This is what they say

"MEND is designed to seam a personal connection between products and their makers, while repairing the lives of women in distressed regions of the world...not charity. MEND is a...subdivision of Invisible Children, ... constructed with the belief that what’s on the outside and what’s on the inside should both matter ...Each piece carries the name of the seamstress who made it. Each individual name unlocks online profiles of each seamstress employed in our program.
The women employed in our program are formerly abducted child soldiers, often used in captivity as sex slaves. Those lucky enough to escape, often with children of their own, are ostracized due to their affiliation with the rebels...lack education, and are taught sewing as a part of their brief rehabilitation. With demand for seamstresses already sparse due to the war, many are left without the means to support themselves and their children. MEND is a socially and environmentally responsible company...in hopes of stimulating growth, local employment, and economic stability. Similar to its parent company- Invisible Children, MEND is beginning with northern Uganda, with the possibility of heedful worldwide expansion."
http://www.invisiblechildren.com/mend/about
Such a worthwhile cause that truly touches my heart....using fashion as a means to help young Africans who fall prey to such horrible consequences. This is an organisation I would love to be involved with in some way or form and I will look them up whilst in Uganda hopefully this September

Rankin Exhibition - From Congo With Love

Until 11th April outside National Theatre
Looks interesting!

Coming from a fashion point of view this picture is extreme.....those machines are SOOOO heavy
but i want one so badly....eBay seem to have quiet a few or good ol' spitalfields market. I will buy one...but just not yet :)

Anyway gonna check out the exhibition..should be a good one

Asos doing Africa...its coming!

There was an article in yesterdays Evening Standard and also on Look magazines website.

Photo looks great and I think Soko are doing for them.

Look say this...

Asos Africa - a clothing and accessories collection that has been designed, sourced and produced by community groups in Africa.   The collection, which is sold exclusively at online fashion store Asos, includes contemporary jumpsuits, playsuits, blazers and cropped trousers that have all been re-worked using traditional African techniques. Plus, the collection is as ethical as it is stylish – all workers are given training and fair pay.     All that and tribal prints are one of this season’s hottest trends, so get shopping – as if you needed any excuse! - HE

http://www.look.co.uk/fashion/asos-launches-asos-africa 

Centre for Sustainable Fashion - im in!

Today I attended a meeting with the Centre for Sustainable Fashion (CSF) part of the London College of Fashion to see if i could join their year long programme to kick start Akabi in the next phase of the business.

 

http://www.sustainable-fashion.com

The CSF, which is part funded by the European Union and works with Newham College of Further Education offers guidance and inspiration through a series of small group workshops and one-to-one advice and provides support and runs a programme for small to medium sized business as a first step towards embedding our philosophy in the fashion industry of the future. 

The programme explores how innovation in fabric development, production management, new technologies, communications, and most importantly design, can create exciting market opportunities and help a business grow in a dynamic and sustainable manner
http://www.sustainable-fashion.com/?page_id=177


I wanted to focus the programme on Akabi and showed them my photos of the photoshoot to which they were very impressed but put my details down for my bridal business as it is a Limited company and this is a Sole Trader business. But a friend advised me that once on it it doesnt matter and I can make Akabi the focus and get advice on both if required...so i will.

The two workshops commence once in March and once in April so that will be good to get me moving.

Chris Ofili

Tate Britain is presenting notable artist and 1998 Turner Prize winner, Chris Ofili exhibition until the 16th of May 2010.  Known for using media such as elephant dung (i know i know how random!), this very interesting artist presents over 45 pieces - paintings, pencil drawings and watercolours dating from around the mid 1990s until today inspired from various things.

 

Afrodizzia (2nd Version) 1996

 One to visit!