Well, we all agree that Fatoumata Ba is a young African champion from whom we can all draw inspiration. Unfavorable cultures and systems should not be our stumbling blocks from reaching our destiny or achieving our dreams. Instead, they should be our mind openers and catalysts pushing us to think outside the box. She has swiftly beaten all odds and helped others to succeed while at it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sadly, only 27% of Africa\u2019s entrepreneurs are women. Fatoumata appreciates the women who are at it for survival. She believes that by economically empowering women and girls, she will be establishing a better and sustainable future for all.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: How Fatoumata Ba Built The Largest E-commerce Platform In Africa","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-how-fatoumata-ba-built-the-largest-e-commerce-platform-in-africa","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:22","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=310337","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":401816,"post_author":"10061","post_date":"2021-06-28 16:13:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-28 23:13:00","post_content":"\n\nThe world of fashion is absolutely benefiting from up-and-coming fashion designers in Africa. 33-year-old fashion designer, Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana, shares the success stories of what made Thabo Makhetha<\/a> a global brand with African Vibes. We enjoyed talking to her and we believe you will too. Hopefully, this story will serve as an inspiration to aspiring designers to aim for the global stage. Obviously, there is no height you cannot reach as long as you set your mind towards it.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301892\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1367\"] Photo credit: Natali Field<\/em>[\/caption]\n Well, we all agree that Fatoumata Ba is a young African champion from whom we can all draw inspiration. Unfavorable cultures and systems should not be our stumbling blocks from reaching our destiny or achieving our dreams. Instead, they should be our mind openers and catalysts pushing us to think outside the box. She has swiftly beaten all odds and helped others to succeed while at it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sadly, only 27% of Africa\u2019s entrepreneurs are women. Fatoumata appreciates the women who are at it for survival. She believes that by economically empowering women and girls, she will be establishing a better and sustainable future for all.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: How Fatoumata Ba Built The Largest E-commerce Platform In Africa","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-how-fatoumata-ba-built-the-largest-e-commerce-platform-in-africa","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:22","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=310337","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":401816,"post_author":"10061","post_date":"2021-06-28 16:13:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-28 23:13:00","post_content":"\n\nThe world of fashion is absolutely benefiting from up-and-coming fashion designers in Africa. 33-year-old fashion designer, Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana, shares the success stories of what made Thabo Makhetha<\/a> a global brand with African Vibes. We enjoyed talking to her and we believe you will too. Hopefully, this story will serve as an inspiration to aspiring designers to aim for the global stage. Obviously, there is no height you cannot reach as long as you set your mind towards it.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301892\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1367\"] Photo credit: Natali Field<\/em>[\/caption]\nWho is Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana?<\/h2>\nI\u2019m a fashion designer, wife, and mother of two boys. I was born in Lesotho, but my family left when I was three years old and I've lived across South Africa; Johannesburg, Mafikeng, KwaZulu-Natal, Port Elizabeth, and now, Cape Town. South Africa is one of the most diverse countries in the world and being exposed to the different communities gave me an appreciation for culture and heritage.\n
How did you get into fashion, and what are your motivations and training?<\/h2>\nHonestly, it's just something I've always wanted to do. My Grandmother was a seamstress and so some of that came from her. When I was a kid, I would make clothes for my dolls and when whilst I was still in school, my mom bought me my first sewing machine. In high school, I\u2019d sketch and sew dresses for the dances I went to. So even before I went to study fashion, I was already designing.\n\nMy biggest motivation is that this is my passion and purpose. If I wasn\u2019t creating, I don't know what else I'd be doing. I've always grown up knowing that I've got a talent and it's got to do with my hands. I also paint and create artworks in my spare time so one can say it comes naturally.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301903\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2048\"] Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
So, tell us more about your brand and when it was launched<\/h2>\nThe brand was launched in 2009, I had ambitions of interning in Europe, but the Global Financial Crisis was unfolding so there were no opportunities. I started off fulfilling individual clients' orders, basically dressmaking. It was great when clients came in, I could design something custom for them\u2014which was always my preference.\n\nMy most iconic design would have to be the \"Starburst Coat\"<\/a> it was voted the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa, by then Elle-editor, Ellie Gamabade. The \u201cRose Coat\u201d that won best dressed at Durban July is another. My best selling item is the long cape, which Kefilwe Mabote<\/a> wore and it just went viral. She looked brilliant in it, and it's one of my favorite pieces to make.\n\n\n
What has been your biggest breakthrough so far? Have you participated in any runway events?<\/h2>\nMy runway debut was at Vancouver Fashion Week 2014, which was phenomenal considering I hadn\u2019t yet shown in South Africa. Since then I\u2019ve showcased on several occasions at South Africa Fashion Weeks, Cape Town Fashion Week and I\u2019ve also showcased internationally in the UK, Italy, USA, and at the African Union in Addis Ababa.\n\nMy breakthrough has to be my Basotho blanket range for which my brand is mostly known and once again credit to events such as Design Indaba and people like Jackie Burger. I think having an influential fashion icon put their money down, invest in a brand, and use their influence to sell the brand makes the most impact.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301908\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1195\"] Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
What are the biggest challenges you've encountered so far and how did you overcome them?<\/h2>\nHonestly, up to date, I think my biggest challenge, not just with COVID-19 and being a Mother, was that I had quite hectic medical issues last year. I think my biggest lesson from that was, people called me a workaholic. I am just learning that you also need to rest because it can take its toll. It did, and everything came to a standstill. So, we're still recovering from that, working backward from that. It's also given me time to actually look at the business as a whole and reanalyze what it is that we are doing and if we're doing it the best way we actually can.\n
What do you think about the African Fashion industry?<\/h2>\nThe African fashion industry, well, it depends which area and which region you're in. I think it's kind of unfair to try and box an entire continent's fashion industry into one subtitle. When I look, we are making strides. Our fashion designers are often only recognized when they move overseas, which I don't think is entirely correct. Big ups to people like Maxhosa Laduma<\/a> doing his thing, in his brand, and he is still based in South Africa.\n\n\n\nIt would be wonderful to also see bigger names in films of Africans that still reside in Africa. Because I think it plays a lot and says a lot when you can achieve big things from your home country and export those creations that you make versus having to go outside of your home country and prove yourself there. Unfortunately, the country that takes the credit is typically the country that you live in.\n\nOtherwise, the fashion industry as a whole is so creative. There are so many things that are still out there. It still has a lot of growth that needs to happen. And not just the fashion that you see, but also at the beginning in terms of the manufacturing, the processing of raw materials. For example, if you look at Lesotho, the wool comes from there, but it's not processed there. They don't even sell their own blankets. So, there's a lot of things like that when you look at the chain that needs to still get developed and evolve. But I think, you know, people are hearing our voice, which is great.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301909\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2048\"] Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
Any expansion plans and where do you see your brand in five years?<\/h2>\nI think I'm re-evaluating the brand. I do believe that we won't just be about clothing in the future. There will be more aspects to the brand than that. And more than anything, it's the storytelling. Not just about the clothes, or about my home country, Lesotho, but also teaching people about self-expression. Teaching people about taking pride in their identity, especially as an African. And the challenges we obviously come across. You know you look at the USA and what's going on. You look at our own country's history and some areas where we still live today, what's going on. So I think for me, I want to be more about the community and the mentality, than just beautiful clothing and beautiful creations.\n\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/jWloCg71XKM\n
Advice for up-and-coming fashion designers?<\/h2>\nNumber one, don't limit yourself to one thing. You are a creative, you can recreate and keep creating. Do not get trapped in the whole thing of, \"Oh, that was my idea and so-and-so took it.\" I've been down that road and there are no benefits trying to fight half of those battles. You have to keep one step ahead of the others all the time. Measure yourself against yourself, measure your success against what you did previously, and have fun, enjoy it, and balance.\n\n\n\nBalance the work, balance the play and, balance the fun. If you have family, balance the family. You can't just channel everything into one thing because you have to keep finding ways to fill yourself up again. And typically, you find that outside of the fashion, outside of the creativity, with family, with friends, with time off. So, that's my advice to up-and-coming fashion designers and entrepreneurs already doing their thing.\n\nFor further information, please see Thabo Makheta-Kwinana's Brand's Website: Thabo Makhetha<\/a><\/strong><\/em>","post_title":"Interview With Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana SA Multi-Award Winning Fashion Designer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"thabo-makhetha-kwinana-sa-multi-award-winning-fashion-designer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 16:16:22","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 16:16:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=301886","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":245995,"post_author":"2777","post_date":"2020-07-01 07:01:28","post_date_gmt":"2020-07-01 07:01:28","post_content":"\n\n\n\nJustice delayed is justice denied is debatable. Hence, there is a group of people that believe vengeance is best served chilled. It took 25 years to track the Rwanda genocide sponsor, Felicien Kabuga. Like many activists, we are asking, why did it take so long? The 84-year old was wheeled into a Paris court under heavy police protection. His capture was made possible by Internet clues left by his children. Speaking to the BBC<\/a>, the chief prosecutor for the UN\u2019s International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) said,\n\n\"We knew already a year ago that he was very likely to be in the UK, France or in Belgium and we concluded only two months ago that he was in France. The French authorities located the apartment in which he was hiding, which led to the operation.\"<\/em>\n
How the Rwanda genocide sponsor was able to evade justice<\/h2>\nTwenty-eight aliases and powerful friends helped the Rwanda genocide sponsor to evade justice. According to reports, Mr. Kabuga has at least 5 children. Two of his daughters were married to the sons of the former Rwandan president, Juv\u00e9nal Habyarimana. It was the death of Habyarimana that sparked the genocide. Consequently, Mr. Kabuga was charged with seven counts of genocide<\/a> in 1997.\n\nFollowing his role as the Rwanda genocide sponsor, the United States placed a $5 million bounty on information that may lead to his arrest. In the years after the genocide, it was believed that Mr. Kabuga had lived in many East African countries including Kenya. However, there was no proof to back this claim.\n
Success at last<\/h2>\nIn 2007, Mr. Felicien Kabuga was in Germany for surgery. This was his last known location. Consequently, extensive analysis of financial records and telephone pointed to Paris. Obviously, it almost impossible for him to pull this off without accomplices. Therefore, the Human Rights Watch is calling for an investigation on his successful relocation to France.\n
Other Rwanda genocide sponsors<\/h2>\nThe arrest of Mr. Felicien Kabuga can help to shed more light on the identity and role of other Rwanda genocide sponsors and suspects. French-Rwanda relation was strained following the genocide. However, that has improved in recent years. In 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed an expert commission to examine the role of France in the killings. The Report is due in 2021. Also, France commemorated the Rwanda genocide for the first time in April 2020.\n
Slow Government Restitution Process<\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_220516\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"800\"] France promises to return 26 Benin artworks<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSince the official process of returning stolen artifacts is taking an endless amount of time, a group of Paris Left Bank gallery owners are taking a different approach. The group which calls itself the Petit Musee de la Recade buys these African artworks and returns them to Benin. Recently, they returned over two dozen pieces including 17 scepters from the ancient Kingdom of Dahomey. To date, this is one of their biggest troves.\n\nApart from buying and returning art pieces, the group has also raised funds to build a small museum outside Cotonou to keep these African artworks. However, the Paris gallery owner, Robert Vallois makes it clear that the gesture is a private initiative rather than part of the government\u2019s restitution of ill-gotten art.\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Who is Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana?<\/h2>\nI\u2019m a fashion designer, wife, and mother of two boys. I was born in Lesotho, but my family left when I was three years old and I've lived across South Africa; Johannesburg, Mafikeng, KwaZulu-Natal, Port Elizabeth, and now, Cape Town. South Africa is one of the most diverse countries in the world and being exposed to the different communities gave me an appreciation for culture and heritage.\n
How did you get into fashion, and what are your motivations and training?<\/h2>\nHonestly, it's just something I've always wanted to do. My Grandmother was a seamstress and so some of that came from her. When I was a kid, I would make clothes for my dolls and when whilst I was still in school, my mom bought me my first sewing machine. In high school, I\u2019d sketch and sew dresses for the dances I went to. So even before I went to study fashion, I was already designing.\n\nMy biggest motivation is that this is my passion and purpose. If I wasn\u2019t creating, I don't know what else I'd be doing. I've always grown up knowing that I've got a talent and it's got to do with my hands. I also paint and create artworks in my spare time so one can say it comes naturally.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301903\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2048\"] Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
So, tell us more about your brand and when it was launched<\/h2>\nThe brand was launched in 2009, I had ambitions of interning in Europe, but the Global Financial Crisis was unfolding so there were no opportunities. I started off fulfilling individual clients' orders, basically dressmaking. It was great when clients came in, I could design something custom for them\u2014which was always my preference.\n\nMy most iconic design would have to be the \"Starburst Coat\"<\/a> it was voted the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa, by then Elle-editor, Ellie Gamabade. The \u201cRose Coat\u201d that won best dressed at Durban July is another. My best selling item is the long cape, which Kefilwe Mabote<\/a> wore and it just went viral. She looked brilliant in it, and it's one of my favorite pieces to make.\n\n\n
What has been your biggest breakthrough so far? Have you participated in any runway events?<\/h2>\nMy runway debut was at Vancouver Fashion Week 2014, which was phenomenal considering I hadn\u2019t yet shown in South Africa. Since then I\u2019ve showcased on several occasions at South Africa Fashion Weeks, Cape Town Fashion Week and I\u2019ve also showcased internationally in the UK, Italy, USA, and at the African Union in Addis Ababa.\n\nMy breakthrough has to be my Basotho blanket range for which my brand is mostly known and once again credit to events such as Design Indaba and people like Jackie Burger. I think having an influential fashion icon put their money down, invest in a brand, and use their influence to sell the brand makes the most impact.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301908\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1195\"] Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
What are the biggest challenges you've encountered so far and how did you overcome them?<\/h2>\nHonestly, up to date, I think my biggest challenge, not just with COVID-19 and being a Mother, was that I had quite hectic medical issues last year. I think my biggest lesson from that was, people called me a workaholic. I am just learning that you also need to rest because it can take its toll. It did, and everything came to a standstill. So, we're still recovering from that, working backward from that. It's also given me time to actually look at the business as a whole and reanalyze what it is that we are doing and if we're doing it the best way we actually can.\n
What do you think about the African Fashion industry?<\/h2>\nThe African fashion industry, well, it depends which area and which region you're in. I think it's kind of unfair to try and box an entire continent's fashion industry into one subtitle. When I look, we are making strides. Our fashion designers are often only recognized when they move overseas, which I don't think is entirely correct. Big ups to people like Maxhosa Laduma<\/a> doing his thing, in his brand, and he is still based in South Africa.\n\n\n\nIt would be wonderful to also see bigger names in films of Africans that still reside in Africa. Because I think it plays a lot and says a lot when you can achieve big things from your home country and export those creations that you make versus having to go outside of your home country and prove yourself there. Unfortunately, the country that takes the credit is typically the country that you live in.\n\nOtherwise, the fashion industry as a whole is so creative. There are so many things that are still out there. It still has a lot of growth that needs to happen. And not just the fashion that you see, but also at the beginning in terms of the manufacturing, the processing of raw materials. For example, if you look at Lesotho, the wool comes from there, but it's not processed there. They don't even sell their own blankets. So, there's a lot of things like that when you look at the chain that needs to still get developed and evolve. But I think, you know, people are hearing our voice, which is great.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301909\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2048\"] Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
Any expansion plans and where do you see your brand in five years?<\/h2>\nI think I'm re-evaluating the brand. I do believe that we won't just be about clothing in the future. There will be more aspects to the brand than that. And more than anything, it's the storytelling. Not just about the clothes, or about my home country, Lesotho, but also teaching people about self-expression. Teaching people about taking pride in their identity, especially as an African. And the challenges we obviously come across. You know you look at the USA and what's going on. You look at our own country's history and some areas where we still live today, what's going on. So I think for me, I want to be more about the community and the mentality, than just beautiful clothing and beautiful creations.\n\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/jWloCg71XKM\n
Advice for up-and-coming fashion designers?<\/h2>\nNumber one, don't limit yourself to one thing. You are a creative, you can recreate and keep creating. Do not get trapped in the whole thing of, \"Oh, that was my idea and so-and-so took it.\" I've been down that road and there are no benefits trying to fight half of those battles. You have to keep one step ahead of the others all the time. Measure yourself against yourself, measure your success against what you did previously, and have fun, enjoy it, and balance.\n\n\n\nBalance the work, balance the play and, balance the fun. If you have family, balance the family. You can't just channel everything into one thing because you have to keep finding ways to fill yourself up again. And typically, you find that outside of the fashion, outside of the creativity, with family, with friends, with time off. So, that's my advice to up-and-coming fashion designers and entrepreneurs already doing their thing.\n\nFor further information, please see Thabo Makheta-Kwinana's Brand's Website: Thabo Makhetha<\/a><\/strong><\/em>","post_title":"Interview With Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana SA Multi-Award Winning Fashion Designer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"thabo-makhetha-kwinana-sa-multi-award-winning-fashion-designer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 16:16:22","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 16:16:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=301886","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":245995,"post_author":"2777","post_date":"2020-07-01 07:01:28","post_date_gmt":"2020-07-01 07:01:28","post_content":"\n\n\n\nJustice delayed is justice denied is debatable. Hence, there is a group of people that believe vengeance is best served chilled. It took 25 years to track the Rwanda genocide sponsor, Felicien Kabuga. Like many activists, we are asking, why did it take so long? The 84-year old was wheeled into a Paris court under heavy police protection. His capture was made possible by Internet clues left by his children. Speaking to the BBC<\/a>, the chief prosecutor for the UN\u2019s International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) said,\n\n\"We knew already a year ago that he was very likely to be in the UK, France or in Belgium and we concluded only two months ago that he was in France. The French authorities located the apartment in which he was hiding, which led to the operation.\"<\/em>\n
How the Rwanda genocide sponsor was able to evade justice<\/h2>\nTwenty-eight aliases and powerful friends helped the Rwanda genocide sponsor to evade justice. According to reports, Mr. Kabuga has at least 5 children. Two of his daughters were married to the sons of the former Rwandan president, Juv\u00e9nal Habyarimana. It was the death of Habyarimana that sparked the genocide. Consequently, Mr. Kabuga was charged with seven counts of genocide<\/a> in 1997.\n\nFollowing his role as the Rwanda genocide sponsor, the United States placed a $5 million bounty on information that may lead to his arrest. In the years after the genocide, it was believed that Mr. Kabuga had lived in many East African countries including Kenya. However, there was no proof to back this claim.\n
Success at last<\/h2>\nIn 2007, Mr. Felicien Kabuga was in Germany for surgery. This was his last known location. Consequently, extensive analysis of financial records and telephone pointed to Paris. Obviously, it almost impossible for him to pull this off without accomplices. Therefore, the Human Rights Watch is calling for an investigation on his successful relocation to France.\n
Other Rwanda genocide sponsors<\/h2>\nThe arrest of Mr. Felicien Kabuga can help to shed more light on the identity and role of other Rwanda genocide sponsors and suspects. French-Rwanda relation was strained following the genocide. However, that has improved in recent years. In 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed an expert commission to examine the role of France in the killings. The Report is due in 2021. Also, France commemorated the Rwanda genocide for the first time in April 2020.\n
Slow Government Restitution Process<\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_220516\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"800\"] France promises to return 26 Benin artworks<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSince the official process of returning stolen artifacts is taking an endless amount of time, a group of Paris Left Bank gallery owners are taking a different approach. The group which calls itself the Petit Musee de la Recade buys these African artworks and returns them to Benin. Recently, they returned over two dozen pieces including 17 scepters from the ancient Kingdom of Dahomey. To date, this is one of their biggest troves.\n\nApart from buying and returning art pieces, the group has also raised funds to build a small museum outside Cotonou to keep these African artworks. However, the Paris gallery owner, Robert Vallois makes it clear that the gesture is a private initiative rather than part of the government\u2019s restitution of ill-gotten art.\n