“Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world!” - Marilyn Monroe
Setting the scene:
The Soweto girls’ primary mode of travel is by foot. Slippers are cheap but not great for jumping puddles during summer rains or for offering warmth in winter. In fashionable circles, high heels solicit adoration but when a girl can’t afford to have multiple pairs hoarded in her cupboard, the chance to ‘earn’ a pair that is waterproof, warm, comfortable and fun is an exciting opportunity.
Plot:
Nuren Govender of Osprey Technologies wanted to make a generous donation to our group and was surprised when we said, no thanks! After an explanatory brainstorm, Nuren agreed to be a part of our first Trade Not Aid pilot project to teach the girls in Soweto about: trade, quality of exchange, entrepreneurial skills, budget, materials, idea generation, production and project management. What goes into making a Story Scarf?
Process:
Each girl had to produce a personalized, handmade scarf from upcycled fabric for a chosen Osprey client as a festive season gift - to barter for a pair of shoes. The girls learnt about bilateral trade and collaboration for mutual benefit. Nuren received the scarves and has gifted them to his clients. The girls have decided to wait for next winter to receive their footwear as they would like fashionable gumboots that are out of stock at the mo. Watch for the follow up story.
Lesson:
Our think-tank has been pondering the Trade Not Aid philosophy. Aid is not always the assistance it intends to be. Aid sometimes erodes accountability and leads to dependency on donors, undermining the dignity of the recipients. Handouts are not an effective way to achieve prosperity. Trade is the proven route out of poverty. Girls in Soweto learnt to use their skills to produce and exchange/barter a tradable commodity for things that they need but cannot afford.
“We all have the necessary resources available to us at all times. This project was a reminder that creativity and looking within ourselves, are just some of those resources.” - Nuren Govender, Osprey Technologies This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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