ESTONIAN DESIGN MEETS AFRICA
Last winter I spent 6 months in Africa (Uganda and Kenya), working on product developing of local handcraft. Triin Kordemets, another Estonian designer, has worked in Northern Ghana. Next Tuesday (May 26th) we will share our experience at the event Estonian design meets Africa.
TMW 2015 CITY STAGE PROGRAMME
Tallinn Music Week 2015 is around the corner. We are happy to be part of the City Stage programme and host four gigs in our shop.
#ETHICAL FASHION AFRICA not charity, just work
I can't believe my luck! Stumbled through the doors of Ethical Fashion Africa, today. I didn´t quite make the connection instantly. In front of the house there was a beading-workshop so I decided to enter.
And there it was! The place where Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, Mimco and Carmina Campus produce their ethically made bags. This project was initiated by Westwood together with the UN.
#KITENGE
Kitenge or chitenge, is originally a fabric made out of 100% cotton and dyed with wax-technique. Widely spread in East-Africa. Kitenge patterns are endless and the motives are often surprising and unexpected, read.. razorblades, shrimps, lips, lamps. I´ve been told the motives should hold deeper sort of messages, but I´ve failed to understand what any of the above could possibly mean. A shrimp is but a shrimp...
#KDI PRODUCTS AND SHOP-OPENING
The KDI (Kampala Disabled Initiative) Women's Group project I´ve been working with is taking one big step today. We are opening our own shop! It took a lot of work, sweat, laughter and superglue, of course, to get this up and about. But finally we are ready! Here you´ll find a few pictures of the location and a selection of the products we´ve developed together.
#ENSANSA, PALM LEAF WEAVING
At NoveBluesky, one of the materials we are using is palmleaves aka ensansa. The palm leaves are collected, dried and in most cases dyed. Out of the leaves you weave a braid, with 4-16 leaves. When the braids are sown together they can be transformed into different items like bags, hats and rugs.
It is a very common technique that most Ugandan ladies master. I´m proud to say I´m now one of them!
#NoveBluesky, KAMPALA PROJECT #1
NoveBluesky International is a non-governmental organization located 35 km from Kampala city in Mpeggwe village, Kakiri subcounty, Wakiso District. The organization unites programs that are meant to improve the quality of life for people with special needs within the community. The special needs in focus are youth with mental disability, young single mothers and children from low-income families. You can read more about NoveBluesky here.
#HELLO AFRICA!
Big news! In this moment, I´m packing my bags and heading out to Africa aka the birthplace of mankind. I´m sent there by Mondo, an independent Estonian organization, devoted to development cooperation, global education and humanitarian aid. During my 6 months in Africa I will be working on four different projects in three different locations. First three months I will stay in Kampala, Uganda, where two of the projects are located. And the following three in Nairobi and Shianda, Kenya where two more projects are waiting. My assignment is to product develop local handcraft. As far as I can tell, it seems like I´m living my dream for the next half a year!