The Inspiring Journey Of Sifucha Football Club In this age of instant rewards and gratification, it is often too easy for youngsters to give up on their footballing dreams at the first sign of trouble that a different case at the club, It’s something that should inspire a lot of young players that are out there that don’t have the attributes of those who have been playing at the highest level since they were 18.
The Idea
Behind SIFA was a small group of boys who we came across by the roadside earl 2018 playing with a ball they had skillfully crafted by wrapping pieces of nylon papers into rags and fastening the rags into a round shape using pieces of manila strings on our walk around our village, Sifucha.
Hello Twitter, The idea behind @SifuchaFC was a small group of boys who we came across by the road side playing with a ball they had skillfully crafted by wrapping pieces of nylon papers into rags and fastening the rags into a round shape using pieces of manila strings 1/1 pic.twitter.com/syq0NouceJ
The game was so fun that we became spectators without knowing it. We were amazed by the moves and dribbles by most of the junior players despite them being barefooted and with neither a trainer nor a playground. This was however shortly before the government imposed a ban on the use of nylon papers in the country. The ban meant that the boys wouldn’t be able to make a new ball since the other was already torn and the materials that would make a new one were now illegal.
A few days later we had a case of some of the boys plucking young pumpkins and just kicking them around. The entire village was mad at these crop ‘destroyers’.
When I talked to the boy he admitted it and said it was because they did not have a ball to play with. The boy asked me if I could get them a cheap plastic ball to play with since it was fun.
A Project
I did not give the kid a response but when he kept nagging and almost going on his knees I was moved but there was nothing I could do as such because, for one, the plastic ball was not as ‘cheap’ as it sounded and two, it was fragile enough to burst after a few kicks and they would be at my back again for new balls. When the kid was not going away I promised him to think about it.
But amazingly the next day he was at my doorstep together with his mates inquiring of my thoughts. They also wanted me to be their coach if I bought them the ball.
The determination of these kids really amazed me and I thought if we had such a portion of kids approach me for the ball then there must be some more that were afraid to speak up or just had no channels to communicate. I contacted my sons and we organized for the ball.
On that day it was fun again. But as I had known before, our fragile plastic ball was disappointing.
Once again we needed a new ball, though it could be played for the next about two games. Each day more kids kept coming and in no time we had a team of about 100 players of both genders which we divided into four teams under 10, under 14, under 16, and under 18. The field became smaller and more dangerous since it was by the roadside being used by motorists, so we needed a new and bigger playground.
Due to the increasing number of youngsters one ball would not be enough, more balls would be of help, Once again I was onto my sons for these,
So we needed a new and bigger playground. Due to the increasing number of the youngsters one ball would not be enough, more balls would be of help. Once again I was onto my sons for these. That was when the SIFA project was born. @SifuchaFC 1/10 pic.twitter.com/EUMOZWqyl7
That was when the SIFA project was born, We took into account the boots, training kits, academy management and trainers, referees, balls, and a playground. Together with friends, we approached the Busibi primary and secondary schools management for playgrounds which they accepted but only if students were out of school.
This budget cannot be afforded by my family and that is why we are on the run looking for sponsors and donors like you.
Any donations towards the achievement of any of the above would be highly appreciated from financial to material support. Any support that is geared to growing these young talents is highly welcome.
The Impact
When the SIFA idea was being crafted we thought it would only be of help to the six boys that we’re championing for the balls, little did we know that it would be a big project with a greater impact than we impacted.
The Impact When the SIFA idea was being crafted we thought it would only be of help to the six boys that were championing for the balls, little did we know that it would be a big project with a greater impact than we impacted. @SifuchaFC 1/13 pic.twitter.com/EXNmfG0fzS
The SIFA project is now nurturing the talents of about 100 footballers though we intend a bigger goal and diversify the sports to beyond football the kids are happy with the move and the society and the leadership is in support since the society allow the kids to the ground and the leadership occasionally organize for tournaments which we’ve been winning anyway. We also realized that we had individuals who are trained coaches and referees but were at home and had no platform to practice their skills.
The SIFA project is now nurturing talents of about 100 footballers though we intend a bigger goal and diversify the sports to go beyond football the kids are happy with the move, the society and the leadership are in support since the community allow the kids to the ground 1/14 pic.twitter.com/VHrM9UZIsD
At least they now have the ground to practice their profession. Since coaches are enrolled in the training of the juniors and referees authorize the games. Most importantly we have helped recognize great leadership skills from some of the local individuals who help us in the management of the academy. The juniors can also organize themselves and have training among themselves with minimal or no supervision, a move we are encouraging.
Our main aim is to create a safe space that provides the youths with valuable tools to make a difference in their own lives. “Giving children and young people a sporting chance”
Any support that is geared toward growing these young talents is highly welcome. M-Pesa Paybill: 891300 Account Number: 34303
Metro Detroit is home to a growing community of Africans from countries all across the continent. Though not as visible as Polish culture in Hamtramck or Arab influences in Dearborn, African cultures abound in metro Detroit, making it easy to sample the richness of the continent right here at home.
Seydi Sarr, a Senegal native and executive director of the African Bureau of Immigration & Social Affairs (ABISA) in Detroit, says the city attracts a steady flow of African immigrants from larger metropolitan areas such as New York and Washington, D.C., who come here to settle down, raise families, and establish businesses. As of 2000, there were nearly 17,000 African-born people in Michigan. By 2016 that number had risen nearly 63 percent to a little over 27,000, according to the U.S. Census.
More than half of the state’s African-born population at that time lived in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn area. They represent a diverse mixture of people who hail from Senegal, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Togo, Cameroon, the Ivory Coast, and elsewhere, says Zaini Itito, a Togo native who serves as shelter and client services manager at the nonprofit Freedom House Detroit, a temporary home for asylum seekers.
“It’s definitely diverse because you have Senegalese, you have Gambian, you have the Ivory Coast, you have Benin, you have Togo, you have Mali, you have Nigeria, you have Uganda … you have Burundi in here. It’s very, very diverse,” Sarr says of African influences in the region.
There are plenty of ways to experience the diversity of African culture right here in metro Detroit if you know where to look.
Don’t Miss
A great place to start is with a trip to Dabls Mbad African Bead Museum. Museum owner, curator, and visual storyteller Olayami Dabls began collecting African beads in the ’80s. He opened his museum in 2002 on an entire city block in Detroit with the goal of connecting the local community to African history and material culture, free from the constructs of European museums. The walls of the bead gallery and shop are covered from ceiling to floor in hand-carved bone, glass, brass, and ceramic beads from all around the continent. The campus also includes 18 outdoor mosaic and mural installations, including the “N’kisi House” and the “African Language Wall,” which features 25 of the continent’s languages painted in multiple colors.
The African World Festival is a highly anticipated annual event in Detroit. During a three-day weekend each August, the festival brings live music and dance performances, art, clothing, more than 200 authentic African and Caribbean food vendors, and more to crowds that surpass 125,000 in non-pandemic years. The event has been held at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History for the past decade, but it’s scheduled to return to its original home base, Hart Plaza, from Aug. 22 to 24 this year.
At the Detroit Institute of Arts, local historian Jamon Jordan guides guests through the museum’s ancient Egyptian and African exhibits as part of the Royal African Tour. ABISA’s Sarr, meanwhile, teaches West African dance classes at the N’Namdi Center for Contemporary Art’s Movement Center.
Several shops with authentic African apparel and accessories line the Livernois Avenue of Fashion in Detroit. Love Travels. Imports. offers handcrafted artisan goods created by makers in South Africa, Guatemala, Peru, and Haiti, including apparel, accessories, textiles, and body products. The shop is a culmination of owner Yvette Jenkins’ travels to those places. Nearby Akoma is an art gallery, shop, and co-op space for local women artists and makers, featuring African textiles including indigo-dyed cotton and hand-dyed mud cloth from Mali. Other notable shops on the avenue include African Fabrics & Fashion and Prisca’s African Fashion for Less.
Sarr recommends a visit to Detroit’s Djenne Beads and Art, owned by Mali native Mahamadou Sumareh, for African beads, perfumes, shea butter, and clothing. Also worth a visit is Sun’s Crystal and Bead Supply, which stocks a selection of brass, carnelian, coconut heishi beads, and more. Zarkpa’s, owned by Liberia native Tracy Garley, offers vibrant tops, dashikis, skirts, dresses, masks, and headwraps handmade with fabrics from Ghana, Nigeria, and Liberia.
At African Fashions by Classic Expressions in Oak Park, Nigeria native and designer Yemisi Bamisaye designs ready-to-wear garments and custom pieces with fabrics from Nigeria, Angola, Ghana, and Cote d’Ivoire. Stereos International Boutique in Detroit is internationally known for its geles, a traditional Nigerian head wrap.
For more products with African roots, check out Diop, a “diaspora-inspired streetwear” brand founded by first-generation American Mapate Diop. The brand’s vibrant apparel and accessories are made of Ankara fabric, a material that Diop’s mother brought home after visiting her native Nigeria that inspired Diop to start his business. And Chinyone Akunne’s beauty brand Ilera Apothecary features collections of plant-based, ethically sourced cleansers, moisturizers, and body butter influenced by Akunne’s Nigerian roots.
Detroit’s west side is also home to many grocers Darou Salam African Market, African Village Market, Family African Market, and United African Market among them that sell African foods, herbs, organic products, oils, butter, cosmetics, and similar products.
Tastes
Authentic African fare is plentiful in metro Detroit. At Maty’s African Cuisine, chef Amady Guere whips up Senegalese dishes such as chicken yassa; deep-fried fataya pastries; and maafe, a West African stew. Located in Detroit’s Old Redford neighborhood, the restaurant is the first of its kind in the city. KG’s African American Grill in Garden City also serves traditional Senegalese fare, including various takes on the national dish, thiéboudienne, along with burgers, chicken sandwiches, and other American classics.
Afro-Caribbean eatery YumVillage, founded by chef Godwin Ihentuge, specializes in Hot Bowls filled with flavorful proteins, rice, and veggies including mango curry chicken, guava Tahini chicken, lemon pepper jerk chicken, jollof, coconut or turmeric rice, and spicy plantains. Not far from YumVillage in Detroit’s New Center neighborhood is Baobab Fare, a highly anticipated East African restaurant founded by the husband-wife duo and Burundi natives Nadia Nijimbere and Hamissi Mamba. This, the area’s newest African dining spot, opened in mid-February.
Kola Restaurant & Ultra Lounge in Farmington Hills offers Afro-Caribbean eats paired with live Afrobeat, reggae, and jazz music performances as well as comedy and dance shows. The Blue Nile in Ferndale and Ann Arbor and Taste of Ethiopia in Southfield offer Ethiopian meat and vegetarian dishes. Other spots to check out include Detroit’s Kalahari African Cuisine and the Fork in Nigeria food truck, which offers flavorful dishes rooted in chef-owner Prej Iroebgu’s native Nigeria.
Did You Know?
Afrobeat is a genre that combines elements of West African music such as Nigerian fuji music, traditional Yoruba music, and Ghanaian highlife with American jazz and funk. The Odu Afrobeat Orchestra, a Detroit-based, 15-piece ensemble, is one notable example of local Afrobeat talent.
A legendary Afrobeat performance was recorded live at the Fox Theatre in 1986. The late Fela Kuti a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and activist regarded as the pioneer of Afrobeat performed there less than a year after he was released from his 20-month imprisonment in Nigeria. The four-song set lasted nearly two and a half hours and was released as the album Live in D.
Content courtesy of Hour Detriot & Nairobi fashion hub
Luxury labels in the West use the best of Africa’s leather. Now, African companies and designers want to build their own brands.
Winston Leather, a Nigerian leather brand, celebrated the biggest sales in its 30 years in business last June. The boost was thanks to a tweet in March from fashion historian Shelby Christie highlighting how its tannery, based in Kano, Nigeria, supplies leather to luxury fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren.
The tweet resurfaced in June and prompted a flood of orders as the fashion industry sought new sourcing opportunities that supported Black businesses. And the single tweet put right some misconceptions about the quality of African leather goods.
“It was like a stamp of approval,” says Winston Udeagha of Winston Leather, which is a subsidiary of Udeagha’s wonderfully titled parent company, God’s Little Tannery. “What people don’t know is that much of the leather used around the world actually originates in Africa,” he notes.
“For them, if luxury fashion houses were using our leather in their finished goods then they could buy purses and shoes from us and trust our quality.” Udeagha has been in the leather manufacturing business for decades, but his company only decided to produce its own brand leather accessories in 2018 when he realized the potential of a growing market of fashion consumers within and outside Africa who were keen to buy African.
For a long time, African leather has remained unappreciated by the consumer despite a shift in consumer consciousness and pressure for greater transparency in every aspect of the fashion business. EU laws stipulate that the country of origin of finished goods is the country where the final production process occurs.
This has enabled luxury fashion houses that source raw leather from Africa, and even begin the production process there, to tag their products as, for example, Made in Italy. This practice has helped European manufacturers to avoid using a Made in Africa tag, a process that has kept Made in Africa leather goods under the radar and struggling to build an image for quality and excellence, in Africa itself as much as abroad.
Underfunded but determined, African designers are leaning on Africa’s vast resources and capacity for sustainable fashion to change the perception of African leather and promote it to a broader market. While leather is losing ground with many sustainability-focused designers around the world, African-based production offers a more palatable solution.
Problems like animal cruelty, wastewater and use of harsh chemicals in the tanning process are alleviated by under farming, reduced consumption practices that encourage reuse, and fairer livestock farming with provision of meat as primary focus, and then by abattoirs that help reduce shipping emissions.
Initiatives like the Green Tanning Initiative and metal-free leather in Ethiopia and other East African countries are also working to educate tanners on less toxic methods of tanning and dyeing leather and push for more environmentally friendly policies in Africa’s leather production.
Sending African leather abroad
The best quality African leather has tended to go to export markets. In response, some of the most interesting African leather goods companies have learned to adapt and use local material resources to the full.
“We focused on what we could do better,” says Nardos Tamirat, co-founder of Ethiopia-based Tibeb Leather Works. “We knew we were in a different market and our value proposition was different. For us, that is our leather and traditional Ethiopian designs.”
The company uses leather that would otherwise be discarded as flawed by many premium houses to create leather purses and other accessories. By keeping the leather as natural as possible with its flawed skin, Tamirat believes Tibeb stays true to its Ethiopian origins.
Tamirat’s strategy is shared by Mark Stephenson, managing director of Sandstorm Kenya. “African leather designers and manufacturers don’t have the resources to efficiently mass produce like, say, China can. The technology isn’t there yet in Africa. And so for Sandstorm, the question is how can we use technology to create more jobs for artisans and tanners and optimize value within Africa using slow fashion,” he says.
Basic infrastructure, such as the best machinery for drying, is lacking in parts of Africa. Much of the leather produced in Africa is exported out of the continent to be finished and then imported back as finished goods. The cumulative effect of this is to leave the industry in a state of underdevelopment.
Frustrations abound. “When I started my business, I researched about African leather because I wanted my shoes to celebrate African artisanship as much as possible,” says Nigerian designer, Tina A, founder of Kkerelé.
“I found that the leather sold in Mushin market, where most accessory designers in Lagos are based, is imported from Europe. This didn’t make sense to me considering the tanneries we have in Africa and our cattle farming.”
A problem for African designers is that tanneries tailor their business policies to fit the demands of their largest buyers, which are often Western businesses. This leads to high minimum order quantities, shutting out African designers with their much smaller orders.
Tamirat explains that in its first few years of business, Tibeb relied on scraps from the tanneries because the company couldn’t afford to buy in bulk in the way that Ethiopian tanners preferred.
Promoting African Leather
African designers have the potential to play a central role in developing a new image of quality for Made in Africa. Tibeb Leather Works is partnering with businesses in Ethiopia to create educational materials that help young designers understand Ethiopia’s design history and lean into designing using materials sourced in Africa and sourced sustainably.
Designers like Nigeria’s Femi Olayebi of Femi Handbags are also creating initiatives, such as Lagos Leather Fair, to connect tanners to designers and buying groups where small designers can band together and buy in bulk from tanneries with high minimum order quantities.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Winston Leather has already responded to the needs of smaller designers by evolving a business model enabling designers to buy as little as 10 square feet of leather hide rather than the minimum quantity of 20,000 square feet previously required.
The potential is there, but plenty of work remains to be done. “To grow Africa’s leather industry, tanners and manufacturers cannot focus solely on getting Western designers and luxury houses to use their leather,” says Stephenson of Sandstorm Kenya, who has sat on Kenya’s Leather Development Council. “They must also make themselves accessible to African designers and brands who can tell and celebrate an authentic story of African artisanship from cattle, sheep and goat origins to the finished leather goods.”
For the first time, during NYFW, MADE IN AFRICA 2020, will present premiere runway presentations from two, contemporary African designers, at Pier 59 Studios on September 5th – @ 6PM 2019. Each grouping spotlights the African connection between clothing, culture, tradition, aesthetics, et al, as a means of both beautification and body adornment.
Described as the “embodiment of creativity and expression with deeper cultural & spiritual meaning; designs reflect the artisanal artistry gleaned from deep African ancestral spiritual roots.”
“Truly great artistry is not achieved through knowledge or mastery alone, but, by divine inspiration from those who have come before. Their spirit lives through the hands, lives and souls of our modern African ateliers”, Creative Director, Paul Leisegang
For Laduma Ngxokolo, founder/designer, MAXHOSA AFRICA, the SiziiKumnkani NeeKumnkanikazi (“We Are Kings and Queens”) grouping, portrays the regal majesty of Africans and Africa; ‘The Cradle of Mankind’. “My collection showcases the cultural roots and traditions of Africa. My desire is to have my work restore dignity to the continent, so that each garment may reflect a modern, current aesthetic, yet, with an ancient philosophy behind my brand, set in our rich African heritage with its observance of ceremony.”
Jan Malan and Greg Meyer – Photo credit – Johan Venter
“Basking in the Osun River”, Eliana Murargy’s muse experiences a re-birth in the sweet waters of West Africa, channelling her protective deity, paying homage to the Aje, honoring the woman who yields cosmic powers and her force of creation and sustainer of life. Celebrating the timeless signature of the studio, in tandem with the gentle nature of female embodiment, healing, empowerment, the delicate, day to evening collection balances fine tailoring and refined fit via flowing shapes, detailed silhouettes; soft shadings of rosé, beige, wide array of blues, vivid sparkles, delicate silks, touches of silvery textures; pink accents in tandem with stark white and black.
Leisegang notes: “MADE IN AFRICA is an invitation to sense and experience the culturally appropriate, magical experience of African fashion; the spirit, craft, history and ceremony of these pieces, which have been passed along through the generations. We want everyone to experience how each designer blends modern African fashion and new technologies with ancient cultural tradition across the collections shown on the runway.
For Producer, Jan Malan, “the glorious, complex, wonderful body is exceptionally adaptable, inherently portable, and simultaneously personal and public. We are using the body as the mobile vehicle; unique canvas, on which to project forms that pass between cultures and communities.
Content courtesy of Bonnie Bien // L A P R E S S E PR – New York // +212 567-8900, (Africa) Leon Haasbroek // LJHPR – Johannesburg // +27 711 934181 & Nairobi fashion hub
Africa has come of age where we appreciate our own beauty products, In the world of beauty and wellness, there is a huge interest right now in products and services that celebrate the essence of Africa’s unique natural resources and ingredients, whilst at the same time harnessing traditional skills and up-to-the-minute knowledge of leading women innovators in the industry. These game-changers are changing the face of the beauty and wellness industry in Africa, and creating fabulous new, proudly African products and brands in the process that the world wants to buy and use. Some of the names and brands are well-known – others are new to the scene – but all of them are capturing the imaginations of consumers across the continent, and indeed the world below are some of 30 Women Entrepreneurs Changing the Face of the Beauty and Wellness Industry in Africa.
Suzie Wokabi – Founder of Suzie Beauty Ltd – Kenya
Charlyn Kentaro – The Good Hair Collective – Uganda
Upendo Shuma – Founder Lavie Makeup Studio – Tanzania
Linda Gieskes Mwamba – Suki Suki Naturals – South Africa
Tara Fela-Durotoye – Founder of House of Tara – Nigeria
Terryanne Chebet – Founder of Keyara Organics – Kenya
Shereen Makhanye – Founder of Nubian Nature (Pty) Ltd – South Africa
Tamarind Nott – Founder of Mbiri Natural Skincare – Namibia
Getty Choenyana – Founder of Oamobu Naturals – South Africa
Korkor Kugblenu – Founder of The Body Butter Company – Ghana
Kerryne Krause Neufeldt – Founder of Eye Slices – South Africa
Leila Janah – Founder and CEO of LXMI –Uganda
Thokozile Mangwiro – Founder of Nyla Naturals – South Africa
Yolanda Methvin – Founder of LithaFlora – South Africa
Christine Buchanan and Louiza Rademan – Founders of Oh Lief – South Africa
Eunice Cofie – Founder of Nuekie – United States
Jesslynn Schlam – Founder of Lulu & Marula – South Africa
Zeze Oriaikhi Sao – Founder of Malee Natural Science – South Africa
Tanya du Bois – Founder of Naturals Beauty – South Africa
Zikhona Tefu – Founder of O’live – South Africa
Sarah Taylor – Bee Balmy – South Africa
Bukky George – HealthPlus Limited and CasaBella International – Nigeria
Florence Adepoju – MDMFlow – Nigeria/Britain
Leslie Okoye – Cookie Skin – Nigeria
Ego Iwegbu-Daley – Miss Salon London – South Africa
Ngozi Opara – Heat Free Hair – Nigeria
Rahama Wright – Shea Yeleen – Ghana/US
Joycee Awojoodu – Oriki Group – Nigeria
Banke Meshida-Lawal – BM Pro – Nigeria
Leonette Galliano – Wema Bodycare – South Africa
Content Courtesy Of Lionesses Of Africa
Suzie Wokabi
Kenyan entrepreneur, Suzie Wokabi, launched her trailblazing cosmetics brand, Suzie Beauty Ltd. creating a world-class product range that understands the needs of today’s African women who want bespoke make-up products that work perfectly on African women’s skin-tones and produce a stunningly beautiful look. SuzieBeauty is Kenya’s first make-up brand and creates and sells products, offers make-up artistry services, as well as training for professional make-up artists. The hallmark of SuzieBeauty products is that they are affordable, great quality, and tailor-made for the unique needs of women living in the African climate. Suzie developed this product line with the African woman in mind. It works perfectly on their skin tones, textures and the colours are amazing!
2. Charlyn Kentaro
Founder of The Good Hair Collective, the beauty brand for Afro textured hair producing organic handmade hair & skin care products, Charlyn Kentaro originally started out as a lawyer before going into the world of beauty. She did her Master of Laws, lectured for a bit, then got bitten by the entrepreneurial bug. She was working/studying in Cape Town when she decided to “go natural”, as in she cut her relaxed hair off and embraced her natural curls. When she started to look for products to help manage her hair, she came up short. Everything was packed full of harmful chemicals (liquid paraffin, strong sulphates and the like) and/or imported and really pricey. She mixed her own shea butter with other natural oils on one of her holidays and fell in love! Her family and friends liked what she was making, so she started to do lots of research, trained on it, formed a company and the rest is history!
3. Upendo Shuma
Shuma spent her days off learning how to do make up, while working as cabin crew at Fastjet airline. Once she was confident enough, she would make up her friends and family for a fee. The small business grew through word of mouth. She got more clients and even celebrities advertised her work through Instagram.In 2013, she resigned and founded Lavie Makeup Studio. “I opened a small makeup studio with just one room, employed one person and trained her,” she says.After a year, they moved to a bigger place and she employed three more people. A year and a half later, they moved to an even bigger place and added another three people. Lavie Makeup Studio has 40 to 60 brides per month during peak season and 20 to 30 brides when business is slow. “We also do regular makeovers and fixing lashes. We also do celebrity makeup, we have worked with a lot of celebrities inside and from outside Tanzania.”Shuma has also developed her first line of products. She says they have sold 3,000 pieces since inception in 2015.
4. Linda Gieskes Mwamba
Linda Gieskes Mwamba is the founder of Suki Suki Naturals, an Indie, Natural, and African Hair Care Brand. Linda is passionate about the healing and restorative powers of natural and essential oils, and prides herself on combining thebest ingredients that mother nature has to offer in order to achieve optimum hair growth and health, whilst celebrating Africa’s unique heritage and plant life. All the products are 100% natural and completely free of artificial ingredients such as mineral oil, preservatives, parabens, artificial fragrances, sulphates and animal ingredients. Suki Suki’s philosophy is to teach women how to take better care of their hair and providing them with the right tools and information to do so whilst using natural ingredients to make better and healthier products. Suki Suki Naturals was the first natural African hair care brand to be invited to exhibit at the prestigious Sanlam Contemporary Handmade Fair heldin Johannesburg in 2015.
5. Tara Fela-Durotoye
More than ten years ago, House of Tara founder Tara Fela-Durotoye, sparked a revolution that reverberated across Nigeria, creating a powerful corporate brand, a range of interesting makeup and skincare lines aimed at women of colour, and setting up Nigeria’s first make-up school. Tara Fela-Durotoye is a Nigerian makeup artist and lawyer. A pioneer in the bridal makeup profession in Nigeria, she launched the first bridal directory in 1999, followed by the establishment of an international standard makeup studio, and the launch of the first makeup school in Nigeria. Over the past 16 years, Tara has been dedicated to realising her vision of building a globally respected beauty company of African origin. She is the founder and current CEO of House of Tara International; the creator of the Tara Orekelewa Beauty range, Inspired Perfume and the H.I.P Beauty range; and a highly respected mentor for make-up artists and small business owners. She is a genuine powerhouse and gamechanger in the cosmetics industry in Nigeria and an inspiration for the rest of Africa.
6. Terryanne Chebet
Keyara Organics is a natural skincare company with a soul and a real passion for African ingredients. Founder and serial entrepreneur, Terryanne Chebet, has a vision to grow the company to be among the world’s leading Natural Skincare brands, understanding that everyone needs a natural skincare routine. Keyara Organics is a Natural Skincare line, inspired by Africa and it’s wealth of natural oils and scents of the continent. Terryanne started the company after looking for natural skincare brands for her daughter, which were rare to find and not consistent on the shelves. She then saw a gap for a market that is keen on achieving beautiful skin the natural way and believes that women love the brand because it is passionate about skincare. The Keyara team is the first one to test and critique all the products before they go to market, and only when they know they have it right do they sell. They personally take the time to ensure that all the products are natural and safe. Keyare is a brand that is passionate about Africa, and growing a product that will change how the world looks at Africa, beautifully
7. Shereen Makhanye
Nubian Nature (Pty) Ltd is the entrepreneurial creation of founder Shereen Makhanye, whose journey to find products that are not harmful to use on African hair led her to harness the power of the continent’s natural ingredients to find a solution. Her company and its products harness Africa’s organic and exotic indigenous crops to create an exciting hair-care brand. They provide the showcase for her genuine passion for Africa, science, hair and all things natural and it’s been her life dream to share the experience and richness of Africa with Africans and the rest of world.
8. Tamarind Nott
Tammy Nott is a passionate Namibian entrepreneur who is harnessing the raw natural plant ingredients of her country to create a business and a strong community support system. Mbiri Natural Skincare is a 100% natural skincare brand that focuses on using Namibian plant ingredients including Namibian Myrrh, Marula oil and Kalahari Melon Seed oil. The core of the brand lies with Namibian Myrrh which is endemic to Namibia and is harvested by the Himba people in the northern desert regions of Namibia. The brand is approved by The Vegan Society, is endorsed by Beauty Without Cruelty and is an accredited partner of Phytotrade Africa, which is a fair-trade initiative.
9. Getty Choenyana
Founder of Oamobu Naturals, Getty Choenyana, is a South African mechanical engineer turned skin and haircare entrepreneur. Her company designs, formulates and produces high quality natural skin and hair care products using unrefined shea body and hair butters that are whipped with carrier and essential oils. To supplement the use of shea butter based products, the company also offers African black soap, with all the imported ingredients being sourced from Fairtrade certified producers. Oamobu was born from a collective frustration of not being able to easily find all-natural high quality reputable ingredients and products that are non-chemically enhanced. The company name “Oa mobu”. “Oa mobu” is a Sepedi phrase which translates to “Of the soil”. As a company, “Oamobu” perfectly encapsulates the brand’s identity and inspiration.
10.Korkor Kugblenu
Ghanaian entrepreneur Korkor Kugblenu created her business venture, The Body Butter Company, to produce natural beauty solutions for sub-Saharan African women. Seeing a gap in the market for products that celebrate naturally beautiful African women’s skin and hair, the company manufactures and retails indigenous 100% natural beauty solutions. Korkor came to the realization going back to sporting her natural hair 10 years ago, that African women have a deep-seated dislike for what is uniquely theirs, instead straightening out beautiful kinks and bleaching their luscious dark skin. She wanted to change that, believing that women deserve the right to be proud of their natural features, and recognising that the way to do that is to use age-old beauty secrets from the continent to preserve the beauty of their naturalness. As a brand and company ethos, The Body Butter Company is furthering this cause by going to secondary schools in Ghana to talk about natural beauty, self love and good grooming. Every jar or bottle contains confidence and self-love, the livelihood of local raw materials producers, and unadulterated ingredients that give unadulterated benefits to the skin and hair.
11. Kerryne Krause
Many of us with busy entrepreneurial lives, heavy travel schedules, and lots of late nights will probably have experienced the effects of tired puffy eyes, with increasingly dark circles and redness, exacerbated by staring at computer screens and smartphones all day long. However, one innovative South African entrepreneur, Kerryne Krause Neufeldt, thinks she has found the solution – eyeSlices ! Kerryne is a natural born entrepreneur and marketer, and she saw a gap in the market and believed that she had the ability to fill it. Her company and brand, eyeSlices is a multi-award winning product range and a global first in Cryo-Gel technology. The company’s cooling and soothing eye gels target puffiness, dark circles, tiredness, redness and wrinkles, and are re-usable up to ten times! Made with natural and organic extracts from the Swiss Alps, they are guaranteed to leave you feeling relaxed, restored and revived within minutes! This lifestyle range is ideal for people that travel long distances, party hard, work late nights, experience seasonal allergies, or simply want a quick relief from lifestyle induced eye symptoms. The Company produces 3 ranges of products for distribution through Beauty Salons & Spas; Cosmetic Stores & Pharmacies; and currently exports from South Africa to over 20 countries
12. Leila Janah
Leila Janah, the founder and CEO of LXMI, brought us along to see how the ingredients are harvested—and the amazing things the business is doing for the local Ugandan women. Leila Janah is the Founder and CEO of Samasource and LXMI, two companies that share a common social mission to end global poverty by giving work to people in need. She is also the author of Give Work: Reversing Poverty One Job at a Time and co-author of America’s Moment: Creating Opportunity in the Connected Age, a book by Rework America
13. Thokozile Mangwiro
Thokoizile Mangwiro is the founder of NYLA, a luxury brand that offers 100% natural, deeply moisturizing skin oils and products. Nyla is handcrafted from Johannesburg, South Africa, with a star indigenous ingredient, The Marula oil. Thokozile believes that Marula oil is the secret to timeless Hair & Skin Nourishment. Deemed the miracle oil of Africa, it is obtained from the core of the Marula fruit; and is indigenous to Southern Africa. The Tsonga women of South Africa and Mozambique have used this oil as a moisturizer and a massage oil on babies for years. This oil has protected the African skin and hair against harsh and dry, hot and humid weather conditions for ages. Thokozile’s company, Nyla Naturals, has created the Marula Evolution Collection by showcasing pure Marula oil and fused it with various natural botanical and organic ingredients to create the most luxurious products to nourish your skin and hair. Thokozile has also newly launched an exciting new brand – NILOTIQA is a natural hair care product line that is specially formulated for dry, damaged natural afro hair with a tendency to be brittle and prone to breakage. The product line consists of a deep replenishing co-washing conditioner, deep moisturizing butter, detangling cream and nourishing scalp and hair oil. All the natural products are formulated with high-quality nourishing ingredients such as shea butter, coconut oil, castor oil and avocado oil that leave the hair feeling softer, deeply moisturized and much more manageable. All the products keep away from artificial sourcing of ingredients and do not contain petroleum, lanolin, parabens, phthalates, or artificial colors
14. Yolanda Methvin
Entrepreneur Yolanda Methvin is demonstrating through her LithaFlora African Botanicals company that it is possible to capture the essence of her unique environment in the Cape Floral Kingdom as the source of her environmentally friendly and luxurious wellness products. LithaFlora African Botanicals is a health and wellness, lifestyle brand with a heart, and that heart beats in tune with the indigenous biodiversity of the Cape Floral Kingdom and the Southern Cape. The company creates and produces accessible but luxurious consumable lifestyle products; a “five senses” exploration in indigenous African Botanical health and wellness, which includes Herbal Health Teas, Cold Processed Cleansing bars, and Solar salt pans Bath Salts, derived from the Kalahari Desert, and infused with African essential oils. The products manufactured, marketed and sold are locally sourced, produced, packaged and distributed, winning new fans around the world.
15. Christine Buchanan and Louiza Rademan
Two entrepreneurial sisters from South Africa with a love of all things natural and organic are capturing the imagination of customers looking for an alternative to the mass produced, chemically formulated skin and body care products on the market. The Oh Lief Natural Products company is developing 100% natural and organic products that are truly world class. The ethos behind the product range is to produce organic natural products, not specifically only using South African or African base products and essential oils, etc. The company brings a product to market that is an organic alternative, with every single ingredient used being certified organic or certified natural. In December last year, the company also launched its natural sun screen, which excitingly is the only natural sun screen available in South Africa which is truly organic and endorsed by the Cancer Association of South Africa.
16. Eunice Cofie
In the highly specialist and competitive world of the health and beauty industry, there is one woman who is successfully combining traditional African medicine with modern science to create world-class products for people of colour. Nuekie is an innovative health and beauty company for people of colour, developing products that are scientifically designed to meet the needs of ethnic populations. Its founder, Eunice Cofie, is a woman entrepreneur harnessing her passion for science to make a difference to people’s lives and, at the same, building a new global health and beauty powerhouse. She realized that the health and beauty industry lacked effective treatment products that took into account the unique needs of ethnic people. This was just the impetus she needed to develop her company, Nuekie, Inc., which is on a mission to provide quality dermatological products for ethnic people (i.e. African/African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Middle Eastern, Native American, Pacific Islander)
17. Jesslynn Schlam
Frustrated by not being able to find skincare products that ticked all the boxes in terms of health, wellbeing, sustainability and eco-friendly production with a minimal impact on the environment, South African entrepreneur, Jesslynn Schlamm, was inspired to create her own from her small kitchen. Today, her Lulu & Marula skincare range is testimony to that original passion and dedication. She is aiming her products at all those customers who have a fresh approach to skincare and lifestyle and are looking for something a little different. She finds that a lot of people are attracted to her brand initially though the packaging and the product ethos, and the use of local Marula oil throughout the whole range of skincare products. On a personal level, Jesslynn loves it because it is a very universal oil, it is good for all skin types and it is very high in vitamin E and contains a natural preservative, which ultimately all means that the company’s products are 100% natural.
18. Zeze Oriaikhi Sao
The story of entrepreneur Zeze Oriaikhi Sao, is one woman’s journey to create a unique, luxury, natural beauty and skincare brand that has a uniquely African story and essence. Malee Natural Science was inspired by her relocation back to Africa after having lived in the UK for about twelve years at the time. She had just moved to South Africa at what was the beginning of a recession in 2009, and no-one was really hiring at the time, and sheneeded something to do. She had always had a passion for lotions and potions, combined with a love of fragrances, and felt like there was nothing in the African space that had a soul, that told a story, and that got people connecting with the continent in an interesting way through such products. So she thought there was a good opportunity to put the two things she loved together into a natural, premium skin, bath and bodycare business, and so Malee Natural Science was born.
19.Tanya du Bois
South African entrepreneur, Tanya du Bois’ inspiring story is of a women entrepreneur dedicated to creating natural and organic skincare products for those with highly sensitive skin. Her company Naturals Beauty produces a range of natural skin and body care products for women, teens, babies, kids and men! Her inspiration for the business came from her son’s Autism diagnosis back in 2008 when she became acutely aware of ingredients only after having a child that was so sensitive to toxins. She was alarmed at all the ‘nasties’ that go into commercial body products. Not having a chemistry background, she could only take the range so far, so was delighted in 2009 when she met her wonderful Contract Manufacturer – Louise Botes. Louise came to Naturals Beauty with 12 years’ experience in natural and organic ranges. Her knowledge of botanical extracts and natural preservative systems and organic ingredients has helped to make the company’sproducts highly sophisticated. They work as a team researching, developing and producing new and existing products, with a little lab based in the beautiful Riebeek Valley, and with all the brand labelling and admin done in Cape Town, South Africa.
20. Zikhona Tefu
This Cape Town handmade soap maker harnesses the unique natural qualities of indigenous herbs and plants from the world famous Cape Floral Kingdom to produce world-class skincare products. Talented handmade soap crafter and entrepreneur, Zikhona Tefu, owner of O’live Handmade Soaps, was born into a family of highly creative women in Mdantsane near East London, South Africa, all of whom possessed a unique can-do spirit. Today, this businesswoman, wife and mother of three beautiful children, now lives in Cape Town, and reflects on her upbringing and the creative spirit and natural sense of curiosity which led her to questioning the ingredients in the skincare products she and her family where using. She remembers buying a bar of natural handmade soap at a local health store and reading the ingredients on the back of the packaging. She noticed it was only made with natural oils. When she compared this with the traditional store bought soaps she had been using, she couldn’t believe the difference. The store bought soap was full of added chemicals and fillers. She began to wonder if the handmade, all-natural soaps could be made by herself. Harnessing the power of the plant kingdom, every single bar of O’live handmade soap is today made in small batches, using a secret blend of wild-harvested fynbos herbs, locally grown olive oil, and pure essential oils. This is what makes each individual bar of soap skin-loving, moisturizing and conditioning. Each of the ingredients plays a vital role in ensuring that one of these soap bars not only offers hydration and cell regenerating properties, but also helps with eczema, sensitive skin and other skin conditions
21. Sarah Taylor
A journalist-turned-natural skincare product entrepreneur works with nature to create a range of soothing and healing skin balms, bringing relief for allergy sufferers, under the brand name Bee Balmy. Sarah Taylor lives near the southern tip of Africa in Hermanus and her entrepreneurial journey started as a result of both her own and her husband’s families being prone to allergies. Cortisone and antihistamines were a mainstay of their well-being for decades. About a year ago, Sarah woke up to what the family were using on their skin – mostly mineral oil/petroleum-based, hydrocarbonproducts containing preservatives, such as parabens. While the jury is still out on whether exposure to such synthetic compounds is linked to cancer or endocrine-system disruption, Sarah decided she didn’t want to take the risk and wanted to know what she was putting on her own skin, and that of her children. She started looking into natural, non-toxic alternatives that she could make at home. A friend gave her a basic ‘baby balm’ recipe, which she had made and sold under her Earth Nurse label, and which was based on olive and grape seed oils and beeswax. It was at that point that Sarah’s own personal journey into making natural skincare products began. Since those early days, Sarah has since adapted the balm formula through numerous trials, and now adds sweet almond and jojoba oils to the olive, grape seed and apricot kernel oils, beeswax, and extracted oils of lavender and calendula. The plant- and animal-based ingredients used in her balms,have special properties for the skin and have been used by healers and herbalists for centuries: The cold-pressed olive oil used in Sarah’s wonderful balms is sourced locally from Rio Largo, an award-winning olive farm on the Breede River, Western Cape, owned by another Lioness of Africa, Brenda Wilkinson. The grape seed oil comes from Seed Oils SA in Somerset West. The beeswax used comes from local suppliers in the Overberg, while the lavender and calendula flowers and other oils are bought from certified and reputable South African suppliers. Sarah makes a range of balms and her products have been guided by what she personally likes and needs in a balm, as well as what her customers request
Content Courtesy Of Lionesses Of Africa
22. Bukky George
Bukky George has been described as the ‘queen of retail pharmacy’ in Nigeria based on the steady success of her pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies. This leading pharmacist and CEO of HealthPlus Limited and CasaBella International, has created a one-stop store for grooming and beauty solutions for men and women in Nigeria. Her company HealthPlus is also the fastest growing pharmacy chain in West Africa and already has 31 branches across Nigeria with more branches to already in the pipeline. It has become the Pharmacy of Choice through its provision of high quality healthcare products such as medicines, nutritional supplements, natural remedies, home medical equipment, mobility aids and pharmacy services, by certified and well-informed healthcare professionals, in a friendly and hygienic environment. The company’s uniqueness is underscored by offering an integrative approach for total wellness through the use of both medicines and natural remedies. Bukky is also the first recipient of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Board of Fellows’ Award for Excellence in Community Pharmacy.
23. Florence Adepoju
Frustration at the lack of lipsticks for darker skin tones, is what led Florence Adepoju, a 24 year old British born Nigerian, to begin production of her own line of lipsticks from her parents’ garden shed in Rainham, Essex, London. She spent four years earning an applied chemistry degree in cosmetics and then set out to make lipsticks in colours she’d always dreamt of for skin tones similar to her own. After being disappointed in shade after shade that could not work well with her skin tone without some sort of mixing or blending, Ms Adepoju launched MDMFlow, handmade, rose-scented lipsticks in shades like juicy orange, emerald green and brilliant blue, all sold in gold-colored aluminum bullet casings.Today, with Lena Dunham and other celebrities as fans, her hip-hop lipstick brand, MDMFlow, boasts a variety of colours, and is stocked at Topshop and the French beauty brand, Colette. Florence says that MDMflow is an accumulation of all her obsessions – the colours black and gold, hip hop, beauty, fashion and science. As a self diagnosed beauty junkie she couldn’t find a beauty brand out there that represented her lifestyle and ideals. MDMflow is a post 90s brand influenced by the glamour associated with mid 90s–00s hip hop culture. All MDMflow lipsticks are handmade using the latest colour technology. Now a Scientist with a BSc (Hons) in Cosmetic Science from the London College of Fashion, shedecided upon graduating July 2013 to live out all her dreams and create the cosmetics brand she has always wanted.
24. Leslie Okoye
When it comes to skin care, Leslie Okoye knows best. She is the founder of a leading skin care company, Cookie Skin, which specializes in helping women of different skin colors get flawless skin. Leslie is on a mission to redefine the meaning of good skin among African women with her skin care brand. She believes that no matter your origin or complexion you can and should have CookieSkin. To make this possible her company has introduced a more holistic method of skincare for women of color to age gracefully. CookieSkin® has created the Dermal Repair line to address the many skin care issues the individual Asian, Bi-Racial, African, African-American, Latina and multi-cultural woman faces in today’s ever stressful and busy world. Its aim is to bring highly active skin care formulations to women of color in need of visible results that reveal irresistible flawless skin; always fresh, radiant and youthful – CookieSkin!
25. Ego Iwegbu-Daley
Ego Iwegbu-Daley is the founder of Miss Salon London (South Africa). A serial entrepreneur, Ego is taking the established concept of the nail and beauty experience to a whole new level in the country. Her Miss Salon London concept has created a unique environment (more of a girls club) where music, movies, friends, conversation, a glass of wine, and of course incredibly beautiful nails and essential grooming, all combine in the ultimate pampering experience. Ego is a real mover and shaker in the world of nails and beauty, and her brand is one to watch in Africa.
26. Ngozi Opara
Ngozi Opara is the owner of NZO Hair Studio in Washington D.C and the Founder of Heat Free Hair 100% virgin hair extensions designed to perfectly blend with a woman’s natural hair texture or curl pattern. She is revolutionizing the beauty industry with her products. Financial analyst Ngozi Opara ventured into the hair business in 2012 to cater to this “growing market”. Her company manufactures high-quality wefted hair extensions, closures, wigs, and clip-in extensions. These hair extensions are created to blend effortlessly with the different curl patterns and textures of a woman’s natural hair. A decade ago straight hair was a hit and most women of African descent would buy Brazilian weaves. But today there is a movement for natural hair. Although it is still a small market, demand is growing for the natural look. Heat Free Hair was the first company to specialise in creating kinky, curly and coiled textured hair for the different types of natural hair. All manufacturing takes place at the company’s factory in Qingdao, China, then ships to the US for packaging, after which products are shipped to customers across the globe. Leading markets in Africa are South Africa and Nigeria, where customers are career women who can afford to spend $300 on their hair and have a local stylist to help them fit the hair. Ngozi also runs the Heat Free Hair Movement, which expands beyond the company’s product range and focuses on the education of the natural hair community through seminars, instructional videos and events for women who wear natural hair.
27. Rahama Wright
Many people don’t think about where shea butter comes from when they glide their favorite shea product onto their skin or hair, but Rahama Wright thinks about it every day. As founder of Shea Yeleen International, the socially conscious leader has made a business out of her passion for helping female shea butter producers. Growing up in upstate New York, Wright’s Ghanaian heritage influenced her interest in African-related issues. After working and volunteering in West Africa and drawing on her mother’s stories as an immigrant in the United States, Wright committed herself to making the invisible women behind shea butter production visible to the world. With patience and relentless diligence, she has grown her company—which initially started as a non-profit—with Shea Yeleen soaps, lip balms, and body butters now available in over 40 Whole Food stores in the United States
28. Joycee Awojoodu
Joycee Awojoodu is the founder of a luxury botanically based product line and spa in Lagos, Oriki Group. Oriki is a luxury skincare brand that fuses natural ingredients & scientific research to create extraordinary personal care products. The company creates effective and luxurious beauty and grooming products utilizing raw materials and all natural resources discovered around the world. Botanically based, Oriki use potent plants, organic ingredients and 100% natural essential oils. Oriki is for the sophisticated, health-conscious woman and man who want to look effortlessly sharp with intent and purpose. Oriki is a lifestyle, an attitude, and a way of life. The Oriki philosophy is borne from the notion that natural skin, hair & body products work better simply because they are made with superior ingredients; nature knows best. As a beauty & grooming designer, Oriki’s carefully deliberated array of products, meticulous attention to the scientifically-proven power of nature and the right mix of botanical extracts, vitamins, minerals, peptides and proteins embodies a new form of sophisticated expression in beauty, grooming and lifestyle. Joycee is passionate about creating an African indigenous luxury brand that touches the lives of the women and men who gather the nuts, plants and herbs to produce the raw materials. Her commitment to sourcing the best quality and finest selection of products complements the elegant stance, powerful femininity and bold allure of the Oriki woman and man.
29. Banke Meshida-Lawal
BM Pro – a great makeup brand in Nigeria, was founded by a highly recognized makeup artist in Nigeria, Banke Meshida-Lawal. Having been an avid lover of fine art, she took Art lessons as a child. This love had her painting her own face and experimenting with makeup as a freshman in college. Back then at the University of Lagos, she remembers accosting total strangers to ask if she could trim their eyebrows or try out eyeshadow colours on them. They always obliged and some of them became fast friends!. She became known as the go-to-person for makeovers whenever there were sorority parties or rave nights back then. As the bookings continued to increase and as she left college it was only the next step to take – her company BM Pro was born. Her first studio opened and in 2005, she decided to create her own line of cosmetics because she wasn’t quite satisfied with the international brands’ finish. BM Pro Makeup launched with 14 items. It sold out within weeks and expansion soon followed. Today, BM Pro Makeup has 65 products in the Nigerian market as well as distributors all over Nigeria, the UK, USA, Ghana and Canada. The BM Pro team comprises of passionate, driven Makeup Artists, Gele Artists, Hairstylists, Nail Technicians, SkinCare and Waxing experts, and Beauty School Tutors. The company continues to create amazing looks for The Runway (mbgn, miss nigeria, tiffany amber, house of marie, odio mimonet) Bridal (over 10,000 brides and counting) Editorial cover pages and fashion magazines (this day, WOW, genevieve, the sun, city people, vanguard, punch, MANIA ) and especially the regular woman who wants to look extremely beautiful. BM Pro has won many accolades based on Banke’s work as a makeup artist. BM Pro has recently relocated to its new ultra-modern flagship store in dolphin estate ikoyi, which houses a spa, nail room, hair salon, photography studio as well as the makeup studio.
30. Leonette Galliano
Leonette Galliano left a successful corporate career to launch her business, making luxurious handcrafted, small batch body butters, cold processed soaps, body oils and candles under the brand Wema Bodycare in South Africa. Wema Cosmetics uses only natural ingredients that provide life and something positive to the skin. The company avoids the inactive ingredients (mineral oils, silicones) and those whose toxicity is not well known in the short or long term (parabens, ethoxylates). Wema Cosmetics does not create new requirements for the skin and limits the number of products to use to keep skin beautiful and healthy. Wema Cosmetics products are formulated without ingredients derived from synthetic chemistry or petro chemistry and use active ingredients that have undergone the least possible transformations. Wema Cosmetics reminds us of the authenticity of plants and minerals that are beneficial to our skin and our mindset. The products are made using carefully selected, high quality vegetable oils and butters sourced all over Africa including indigenous ones from Baobab, Mafura, Marula or Mongogo, all known for their fantastic moisturising and anti-oxidant qualities. Whenever possible the raw ingredients are procured from organic and/or responsibly produced crops directly from producers selected for their involvement in their community that are sourced in Southern Africa and in neighbouring countries.
Content Courtesy Of Lionesses Of Africa & Nairobi Fashion Hub