For Black Girls Fashion Trade is a non-profit organisation that trades fashion for education by collecting lightly worn clothing donated by the public, upcycling them with up-and-coming designers, and reselling them for a profit which is then invested in an education fund used to assist the black girl child from a disadvantaged background with education necessities like school fees, school books, school uniform, school shoes, sanitary products, mentorship, and career and life guidance.
The organisation is founded and managed by Nasiphi Fazi (marketing and communications director), Hlumisa Mbanga (digital marketing director) and Kuhle Dumeduze (financial director) who saw a need to give back to the black girl child and, in particular, support them with educational necessities.
The event was attended by close friends and family, as well as business partners and sponsors. It gave the founders the opportunity to delve into what the organisation is all about, what it stands for, who it will benefit, how it will make money and, most importantly, how the public can get involved.
The event was made possible by a variety of sponsors; Shoprite Checkers Group (food sponsor), GSB MTN Solution Space (venue sponsor), Cape Town College of Fashion Design (fashion sponsor), uFalme (manequin sponsor) Black Ribbon Cakes (cake sponsor), and Black Creatives Forum (design sponsor).
For Black Girls Fashion Trade is currently running a donation drive for the rest of 2016 and appealing to the public to donate during this giving season. The public can arrange a donation by visiting www.forblackgirlsfashiontrade.com or emailing moc.noihsafslrigkcalbrof@ofni.
Trading of clothing on the website will begin early in 2017 where consumers will be able to purchase the upcycled clothing and take part in changing the lives of thousands of black girls in South Africa.
