Addressing sexual exploitation and abuse in the digital ecosystem.



The hype around the development of the metaverse, an immersive digital space that will take real-world experiences online and blur the line between physical and virtual, is palpable. Accounting organization KPMG predicts that by 2030, we might be spending more time in the metaverse than in the real world. In a survey conducted by Pew Research and Elon University in North Carolina, more than half of the technology experts responded that by 2040, they expect the metaverse to be a fully-immersive, well-functioning aspect of daily life for half a billion people (or more) around the world. 



But for many, the excitement around the world’s digital future is something that should be approached with caution. Women, in particular, have been known to experience gender-based violence in the form of online harassment. One study from the Economist Intelligence Unit uncovered that 85% of women have experienced or witnessed online violence, with 38% of women reporting personal experiences with online violence and 65% reporting knowing of other women who were targeted online.



If women are already su-fering a disproportionate amount of abuse online, will they be safe in the metaverse?



In 2022, the Alliance for Universal Digital Rights (AUDRi) was formed by two international gender equality and advocacy organizations, Equality Now and Women Leading in AI. For over 30 years, Equality Now has been campaigning for legal and systematic change to address violence and discrimination against women and girls around the world but what they soon came to realize is that the sexual exploitation and abuse they were working against stopping in the physical space could be manifested online.



“People are using the internet to replicate and amplify the same sort of violence; [what] we’re seeing in the physical space is being played out in the digital space. It’s growing at an alarming rate just because of the nature of the internet,” says Tsitsi Matekaire, Equality Now’s Global Lead of End Sexual Exploitation.



Born in Zimbabwe, Matekaire has worked with women’s rights organizations throughout Africa, providing legal aid services to women affected by domestic violence.



“Looking at the legal frameworks, we didn’t realize that if we focus our research so narrowly on sexual exploitation and abuse, we sort of miss the bigger picture because this is happening in the digital ecosystem.” Working with a network of women in technology, AUDRi is calling for an international standard that will address women and girl’s rights in the digital space grounded in international human rights law.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-than-a-game">More than a game</h2>



The studies around avatar gender-swapping in the online gaming space are eye-opening. To avoid toxic sexual behavior, female players choose a male avatar to avoid being harassed.



Wai Yen Tang, a researcher from the University of Amsterdam, found that in gaming culture, women are often harassed because they are perceived as an outside and intrusive minority.



“Women don’t participate to the extent that they should because they have serious concerns around safety. The result is self-censorship, where you don’t want to bring out your true identity,” says Maitekaire. “We are a diverse community but as a woman, you’re operating as a white male because that attracts less harassment. There are black women, cisgender women, trans women… all of that can get lost if people have that fear.” In addition, it’s all too easy for the abuse can easily jump from digital to physical – in April 2023, a man in California was arrested for sexually abusing a 14-year old girl he met playing a popular kids gaming app – which is exactly why organizations like AUDRi are so needed.



<div class="wp-block-media-text" style="grid-template-columns:42% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="1024" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Tsitsi-Matekaire-1024x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-60791 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Tsitsi-Matekaire-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Tsitsi-Matekaire-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Tsitsi-Matekaire-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Tsitsi-Matekaire-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Tsitsi-Matekaire-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Tsitsi-Matekaire-2048x2048.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
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“WE ARE A DIVERSE COMMUNITY BUT AS A WOMAN, YOU’RE OPERATING AS A WHITE MALE BECAUSE THAT ATTRACTS LESS HARASSMENT.”
</blockquote>
</div></div>



“We really wanted to look at that digital dimension and assess the impact it would have on human rights and human vulnerability so we are advocating for policies at a global level,” says Matekaire. “Even on a national level, we have to show governments what they need to be thinking about to ensure rights are protected within that space.” 



For Matekaire, the urgency is now because as the technology is being developed, policy frameworks need to be created to keep up. “There’s a dilemma because things are moving quickly and policies can also be future-proofed to anticipate the risks,” she adds. “We need to ensure that in the design stage we are building in those principles of equality, of safety, of human rights, for people with disabilities and those in the LGBTQ community. We have to anticipate these different aspects before or as the technology is designed.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">An economic opportunity</h2>



Be it education or healthcare, throughout the continent, there has been interest on a governmental level in how the metaverse can be best utilized. Egypt, for example, launched MetaTut at the end of 2022.



MetaTut is a virtual city created to celebrate Egyptian culture and take the country’s heritage into the digital age. It’s not only a virtual tourist destination but a place where people can meet others and even conduct business.



“African governments are looking at the metaverse as an opportunity to advance their economies but have they anticipated the risks?” asks Matekaire.



Considering the potential impact of the metaverse, AUDRi is urging governments, regulators and big tech companies to consider the rights of those who remain marginalized online. They’re calling for guidelines to be established that measure the impact on the human rights of vulnerable groups as well as best practices when it comes to design. 



“And we need governments involved because ultimately governments are the ones that are responsible for people’s rights,” she adds. “As AUDRi, what we’re really talking about is a global approach – global policies and laws that countries can derive their national laws and policies from.

Avatars

Will Women Be Safe In The Metaverse?

Since the 1980s, the term ‘just transition’ has been touted as the answer to our climate challenges. Against the industrial revolution(s) backdrop, this transition referred to the deliberate shift towards more sustainable and green practices. The ‘just transition’ is the responsible move from a high- to a low-carbon economy. 



Yet, an often forgotten aspect of this transition is the very descriptor ‘just’. The reality is that much climate change action happens in silos. A distinct gap between the Global North and the Global South seems to persist. As Irina Velicu and Stefania Barca asserted in 2019: “Since both ecological and social crises are produced via inequalities, a just transition can be a transition out of the logic of unequal relations — rather than just out of fossil fuels.” In other words, our responsibility extends beyond borders and encompasses more than just shifting to a low- carbon economy. In this regard, there are some glaring challenges.



Firstly, there are financial constraints. Here, the gap between the Global North and the Global South is painfully apparent. Much of the Global South is already explicitly confronted by the impact of climate change, and there is a clarion call for the Global North to help fund interventions. The reality is that the Global South lacks the funding and resources to take on this fight alone. According to UNCTAD, the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of just half of the developing world is projected at $5.8 trillion by 2030. Yet, only $83.3 billion was provided and mobilized by developed countries for climate initiatives in developing countries in 2020, $16.7 billion short of the annual goal. 



This has been compounded by the constrained fiscal context in much of the developing world, which the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated. Moreover, many countries in the Global South are still in the initial stages of industrialization and economic development and implementing strict environmental regulations can hinder this progress if they do not have access to critical green technologies such as solar power.



Secondly, the technological gap creates a disparity in implementing sustainable practices. The concentration of intellectual property (IP) ownership in advanced economies has led to difficulties for developing countries to access green technology innovation. This concentration hampers their progress in Global Value Chains and forces them to rely on costly methods to establish domestic capacities. Additionally, there are barriers to transferring green technology. This unwillingness to share IP might similarly hinder global efforts in climate technologies, causing divisions and tensions despite the urgent need for global cooperation. 



Countries with clear policies supporting research, innovation, and technology development tend to have more robust technological capacity, yet there is minimal alignment across developing countries. The Global North is the locus of primary innovation – armed with resources, knowledge, technology and ability. To combat this challenge, a diffusion practice is imperative to assist the Global South in mirroring these practices. Diffusion allows for the sharing of IP, so that innovative practices are easily adopted.



Thirdly, capacity disparities exist between the Global South and the Global North and within the Global South. Alongside financial and technological gaps, there are also infrastructure challenges. Countries in the Global South range from highly industrialized economies to those struggling with basic infrastructure – this is often apparent through service delivery challenges. There are also disparities in education and research capacities. Additionally, it is important to consider the severity of the challenges in the Global South and where they are realistically able to place climate change in our contextual coat hangers. Research demonstrates that the Global South is disproportionately impacted by the setback in the sustainable development goals (SDGs).



A grim reality is that this is a difficult balancing act in many of these regions. The just transition, however, does also have a ripple impact on other SDGs, particularly concerning clean energy, decent employment, economic metrics, inequality and sustainable production and consumption.



Velicu and Barca argue that we need to rethink the just transition through the lens of equality through an approach that focuses on equity rather than equality. In other words, if the Global South received equal diffusion of resources, it would not be as beneficial as if they received an equitable or proportionate resource. As Damian White concluded in 2020: “Decarbonizing, decolonizing, democratizing and de-commodifying our carbon-intensive material world is going to require… the unleashing of enormous amounts of creative labour and inventive praxis to build public institutions, a public ecology and a public culture to allow us to survive and flourish on a warming planet.” What is abundantly apparent is that without bridging these gaps and ensuring the inclusion of the Global South, the just transition will remain a dream deferre

Reports Indicate 2016 Was Hottest Year On Record

Rethinking ‘Just Transition’ In Africa

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Depression, vitamin D deficiency, social isolation and diabetes are among a dozen health issues that can increase the risk of early-onset dementia, according to a new study published Tuesday, the latest evidence on causes of the condition beyond genetics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



The&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/article-abstract/2813439" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;published in the American Medical Association’s JAMA Neurology found people who are vitamin D deficient or suffer from depression are at a higher risk for experiencing dementia symptoms before the age of 65, as are those with diabetes, heart disease, stroke, a hearing impairment or a form of low blood pressure called orthostatic hypotension.



Factors associated with a lower risk of early-onset dementia included education (having an academic or professional degree), socioeconomic status (wealthier people had a lowered risk) and alcohol use (moderate to heavy drinkers had the lowest association with dementia, while those who didn’t drink at all or with alcohol use disorder were at higher risk).



Researchers with the University of Exeter, Maastricht University and other institutions studied more than 330,000 people under the age of 65 from the United Kingdom and considered 39 risk factors across medical, demographic, lifestyle and environmental factors, among other indicators.



Early-onset dementia often&nbsp;<a href="https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/types-dementia/diagnosing-young-onset-dementia" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">presents</a>&nbsp;as a change in personality or behavior in people between 30 and 60 years old and is estimated to impact 3.9 million people around the world, the study says— about 5% of people with Alzheimer&#8217;s disease or other dementia illnesses develop symptoms before age 65,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/in-depth/alzheimers/art-20048356#:~:text=Young%2Donset%20(also%20called%20early,develop%20symptoms%20before%20age%2065." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to</a>&nbsp;the Mayo Clinic



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



40%. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(20)30367-6/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2020 report</a>&nbsp;of the Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care suggests late-onset dementia cases (in those older than 65) could be reduced by as much as 40% if certain risk factors are eliminated like smoking, high alcohol intake and depression.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-fact">SURPRISING FACT</h2>



While preventative risk factors for late-onset dementia include physical activity, healthy diet, socialization and cognitive activity, authors of the new study said it&#8217;s unclear if the same factors apply to early-onset cases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Early or young-onset dementia can be attributed to a wider range of diseases than those that impact older people, and people grappling with early-onset cases are more likely to experience a wide range of symptoms in the starting stages,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/types-dementia/young-onset-dementia#content-start" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to</a>&nbsp;the Alzheimer&#8217;s Society. Memory loss is often not an early symptom of young-onset dementia, and patients are more likely to experience problems with movement, walking, coordination or balance. Often called &#8220;working-age dementia,&#8221; the new study describes the condition as having a &#8220;particularly high&#8221; personal, societal and economic cost on younger people because of consequences to employment, social life and familial responsibilities.

Dementia bran scan research

Early-Onset Dementia Risk Tied To Alcoholism, Social Isolation And These Other Factors, Study Finds

Nobuhle Ndlovu is among the few to break the glass ceiling in the male-dominated world of private equity.



An investment banker-turned-vice president at a private equity firm in South Africa, Nobuhle Ndlovu realized early on that her calling was to help humanity.



Awarded a full scholarship to Canada, she majored in Economics and International Politics, is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, and holds an MBA from the University of Oxford. She has lived and worked in seven countries across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.



It was after a stint at Standard Chartered that Ndlovu realized her true goal. “My internship taught me that banking is the easier route to track money and hold people accountable. The NGO space has a lot of wastage; I liked the concept of making a difference but being able to quantify it.”



Ndlovu started her career with the mindset that she didn’t need to prove herself.



“I had been schooled overseas by my own right through scholarships, and worked hard to get to where I am, but coming back to a South African setting, it all goes out of the window,” says Ndlovu, who started from scratch when she moved back to South Africa.



Ndlovu recalls her earliest job in corporate finance in South Africa as one of only two women in a team of around 50. “I recall thinking, ‘wow, in South Africa, this is still a thing’; I get it in New York, but South Africa?



“But I quickly learned that if you stay humble, put your head down and work, you’ll get the props – if props are necessary,” she says.



“For me, it was about ‘how do I get to the next thing’. There’s not a lot of faces that look like me so it was trying to balance that and doing my best to include others to pay it forward,” she says.



Ndlovu didn’t know she wanted to get into private equity but as she got older, she thought about creating businesses and sustainable ecosystems.



“Even before I went into mergers and acquisitions advisory, I knew I wanted to gain the necessary hard skills to be able to go into private equity,” she says



Today, Ndlovu is a vice president at Kasada Capital Management, an independent real estate private equity platform that focuses on the hospitality sector in sub-Saharan Africa. She also made it to the Mail &amp; Guardian 200 Young South Africans cohort in 2021.



“I get to travel for work and spend a lot of time in East Africa. Hospitality is such an interesting space but it’s also about creating spaces that people want to spend their time and money in.”



You could look at it as real estate or FMCG because you’re catering to a fast-moving good, she says.



“My current fund is across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and it’s so fulfilling seeing how much you’re supporting the region.”



Some of the biggest lessons Ndlovu has learned over the years is that no market is the same.



“It’s about how you balance risk and return all the time and having the right people in place to buy and manage assets.



“We’re SSA-focused; we’re constantly trying to work out what market in SSA makes sense when, and where each asset gets anchored.”

Nobuhle Ndlovu; image supplied (1)

South African In Private Equity: ‘Put Your Head Down And Work’

Ghanaian entrepreneur Alima Bello, the founder of Bello Edu, would have been toiling away in a greasy oil seed factory had she not chosen to ignite her passion for contemporary fashion design.



Fashion and art are often synonymous. Just ask Ghanaian fashion entrepreneur Alima Bello, who in 2014 launched a contemporary womenswear brand named Bello Edu.



“We describe the clothes we are making as canvases for women,” says Bello on her body of work.



And as with every canvas, this dream too started on a blank sheet of paper.



As creative director of the brand, humble beginnings preceded international acclaim, such as showcasing her work on prestigious platforms like the Portugal Fashion Week as well as being stocked in retail outlets across Africa.



The challenges included facing an industry that makes it difficult to raise capital to fund entrepreneurial dreams.



“Fashion is such a seasonal business, and a lot of traditional finance institutions don’t understand how it works. It takes time,” says Bello, reiterating the words of most startup founders in the fashion sector.



“The way the fashion cycle works; you get a loan, you do your samples, you start taking your photographs, start doing your campaign, start getting your pieces into retailers and that takes about three months before you start seeing any income from your designs.”



Bello had to bootstrap her dream by creating capital working several odd jobs. Her career also did not take a linear path.



Growing up in her hometown in Kumasi, Bello was expected to graduate with a degree in business management from the University of Ghana and promptly join the family business.



“As a first-born child to a Yoruba man, my father expected me to finish school and join him in the family business and he designed my life that way – go to school to study business management and then finish and come back and work in an oil seed factory where we were processing soya bean oil, palm kernel oil and refining as well.”



That would have been a slippery slope, but thankfully, serendipity came calling.



Bello was privileged enough to have her father fund her travels abroad during school breaks when she would indulge in her love of fashion. But after graduation and once she started working for him, he told her she must buy her own tickets to London because he was no longer paying for them. It meant she couldn’t shop abroad and had to relegate her fashion choices to the boutiques of Kumasi.



“[But] if I found stuff I liked, they wouldn’t have the color or size I wanted,” recalls Bello. 



The only alternative was to start making her own clothes. That interest transformed into a calling and with that, Bello managed to convince her father to let her follow her dreams to pursue fashion.



“It took me two to three years to convince him that I wanted to move to Accra to start my business. But when I moved, I couldn’t find a fashion job with any established designer or brand. So, I found a job with a furniture company that had an interior design unit.”



Bello’s thinking was if she could find a job and see how brands interacted with customers, it would give her a better understanding of what customers were looking for and see how the customer-facing side of the business worked. But that did not pan out well and she found a part-time job in an ad agency doing administrative work and spent her spare time “pattern-drafting”.



Although she was garnering interest with her designs and being invited to showcase her work on some platforms like other designers, Bello decided to take some time out and focus on building her brand.



“It took some time to define who the Bello Edu target is; who am I designing for and what my brand story is. I took my time to answer these questions; trying to flesh out the ‘why I want to do this’ and ‘for whom am I doing this’.”



After some soul-searching, she finally understood.



“The Bello Edu woman is 33 to 35. She is a hard-working woman and confident of who she is. She likes to splurge every now and then but is very conscious about where her money goes. She can buy a luxury bag and a t-shirt from Zara and pants from Bello Edu. She doesn’t take herself way too seriously and she takes life as it comes.”



And with that, came the biggest turning point in Bello’s career. She rented her first brick and mortar store in 2017 and that is when it became “real”. Then came the challenges. By 2018, Bello had depleted her entire life savings trying to keep the business afloat. Although the brand was attracting some sales, the money was not enough to sustain the business.



“I would get so stressed that my jaws would lock up. I had dried up everything and I had workers depending on me. We were not making enough to [even] pay for our overheads,” says Bello.



Then 2020 came and Covid-19 hit. What should have spelled the end of her business brought unexpected respite. “When the lockdown happened, along with the Black Lives Matter movement, there was a boost in sales for black-owned businesses. We got featured on certain platforms and there were more eyes on the brand and that is what helped to boost sales and keep as alive. We didn’t have a marketing budget and everything we have done today has been based on word-of-mouth.”



Today, the brand is in a much more comfortable space and the vision has evolved, she admits. “African fashion had become so popular, and the prints were so bold and in your face. My personal taste is very minimal when it comes to the choice of colors and prints. I wanted to create a brand that would serve as a canvas,” says Bello of her minimalist designs but maximum dreams.

Alima Bello; image supplied

What It Takes To Build A Fashion Brand In Ghana

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



A drone struck a vessel reportedly linked to Israel off the coast of India on Saturday morning—an unexplained attack that comes as the Houthi militant group continues a campaign of strikes against ships hundreds of miles west in the Red Sea.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



The attack took place about 200 nautical miles off the coast of Veraval in India’s state of Gujarat—making it one of the furthest drone attacks to hit a vessel in recent weeks, after the Houthis began launching attacks from the portion of Yemen they control.



The Houthis have not taken credit, but British maritime security firm Ambrey confirmed to Forbes the attack took place in the “heightened threat area” for drone strikes.



India’s&nbsp;<a href="https://aninews.in/news/world/asia/indian-navy-coast-guard-vessels-moving-towards-merchant-ship-hit-by-suspected-drone-attack20231223165323/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ANI</a>&nbsp;news agency identified the vessel as the MV Chem Pluto, a Liberian-flagged tanker carrying crude oil from Saudi Arabia to India that Ambrey told Forbes has a link to Israel (the Houthis have targeted ships it says are connected to Israel in the past).



The unmanned aerial vehicle struck the ship’s stern, sparking a fire in the ship’s rope locker and causing structural damage, according to Ambrey.



The fire was extinguished, but the vessel also sustained some damage to the aft, and the ship began taking on water, Ambrey said—no injuries or casualties were reported among the crew of 20 people.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Merchant vessels in the Red Sea have faced dozens of attacks by ballistic missiles and drones over the past month. Yemen’s Houthi movement has claimed responsibility for the majority of the attacks, which they say are a response to Israel’s war in Gaza. The Houthis control a large portion of northern Yemen, including the capital of Sana’a, and are allied with the Iranian government and Gaza-based militant group Hamas, which attacked southern Israel in October. The attacks have primarily been targeted at vessels linked to Israel. “Merchant vessels are advised that these types of attacks are typically targeted at Israeli-affiliated shipping, but have in the past mistakenly hit previously Israel-affiliated vessels,” Ambrey said. The drone attacks have slowed trade in the region, causing shipping giants Maersk and Hapag Lloyd to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2023/12/15/maersk-pauses-shipments-through-red-sea-after-recent-houthi-attacks/?sh=24e033d6495c">halt cargo shipments</a>&nbsp;through the Red Sea and Suez Canal. BP also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/2023/12/18/oil-giant-bp-halts-shipments-in-the-red-sea-following-houthi-attacks/?sh=596022022ccb">paused all oil shipments</a>&nbsp;through the Red Sea on Monday. Swedish furniture store Ikea, dairy brand Danone, and appliance manufacturer Electrolux have all&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/britneynguyen/2023/12/21/these-companies-are-facing-product-delays-due-to-red-sea-houthi-attacks-ikea-danone-and-more/?sh=1825e6ba1063">reported shortages and delays</a>&nbsp;since the attacks began.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



On Tuesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/12/19/us-announces-multinational-naval-force-to-combat-houthi-attacks-in-red-sea/?sh=15f13d9f104e">Operation Prosperity Guardian</a>, a multinational security force aimed at protecting merchant vessels in the Red Sea. According to Austin, the Houthi attacks threaten “the free flow of commerce, endangers innocent mariners, and violates international law.” The coalition will include forces from the U.K., Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain, the Defense Department announced. Air Force Major General Pat Ryder said the coalition force will act as a “highway patrol” on the Red Sea shipping lanes, which the military estimates sees anywhere from 10-15% of all global shipping.

Israel’s Response To Hamas Attack Complicated By Hostages And Concerns Over Gaza Campaign

Drone Hits Israeli-Linked Oil Tanker Off Indian Coast, Security Firm Says

Nigerian Afrobeats artist Mohbad passed away at the age of 27 on September 12. Posthumously, he surpassed global icons on the charts and experienced a surge in streaming.



Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, passed away at the age of 27 on September 12, leaving a mark as an Afrobeats artist from Nigeria. Posthumously, Mohbad reportedly surpassed global icons such as Nicki Minaj and Eminem, securing the 46th spot among the world&#8217;s best-selling digital artists.



In the week following his demise, Mohbad&#8217;s track Peace soared to the second spot on Billboard&#8217;s Hot Trending Songs chart. Simultaneously, Blessed peaked at number four, and Light marked its entry at number 20 on the Nigerian Official Top 50 Albums chart. Notably, Times Square&#8217;s billboards in New York also paid tribute to the late Nigerian star.



Mohbad&#8217;s posthumous resurgence extended to streaming platforms – TurnTable Charts reported a 702% surge in his music streams since his passing.



Tributes from artists globally, including Meek Mill, Lil Durk, and Kodak Black, underscored Mohbad&#8217;s international influence. In Nigeria, over 50 songs were dedicated to his memory, flooding streaming platforms with heartfelt original recordings and covers. The candlelight procession held across several states, notably at Muri Okunola Park in Lagos, Nigeria&#8217;s largest city, drew notable artists like Davido, Zlatan, Chike, Skales, and Falz.



Stakeholders highlight the complexity of audience reactions to an artist&#8217;s work, especially in the wake of tragic events. Some have attributed the influx of streams to newfound awareness rather than a sudden change in appreciation, emphasizing the diverse ways people connect with music and artists.



Music critic Abiola Fasanmi tells FORBES AFRICA, &#8220;Mohbad was not just an artist; he was a visionary. His posthumous success is bittersweet, but it reflects the undeniable talent he brought to the world.



&#8220;It&#8217;s unprecedented for an artist to climb global charts after their passing. Mohbad&#8217;s music resonated profoundly, capturing the essence of Afrobeats and transcending cultural boundaries.&#8221;



Commenting on the Billboard rankings, Fasanmi observes: &#8220;To see Mohbad surpass industry giants posthumously is a testament to the authenticity of his art. He had a unique ability to connect with listeners on a deep emotional level.



“The surge in streaming numbers reflects the collective grief and celebration of Mohbad&#8217;s artistry.”

mohbad

Posthumous Feat: From Afrobeats Star To Global Music Charts Domination

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



More than 20,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, the enclave’s Hamas-run health ministry said in an update on Friday, as the United Nations Security Council once again delayed a vote on a resolution to allow desperately needed aid to enter the Palestinian territory.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



According to the Hamas-run health ministry, 20,057 people have died in the conflict so far and 53,320 Palestinians have been wounded.



The death toll does not differentiate between Gazan civilians and Hamas combatants but earlier breakdowns said women and children make up approximately two-thirds of the overall death toll.



Friday’s gruesome milestone means nearly 1% of Gaza’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newarab.com/news/despite-israels-blockade-gazas-population-surpasses-23m" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prewar population</a>&nbsp;of 2.3 million—has been killed in the ongoing war.



According to UN estimates, more than 85%—<a href="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiNzBlMWZkMzYtY2ZiYy00OTljLTk5NDMtOTg0ZDAxODM4YWM5IiwidCI6IjBmOWUzNWRiLTU0NGYtNGY2MC1iZGNjLTVlYTQxNmU2ZGM3MCIsImMiOjh9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nearly 2 million</a>—of the enclave’s total population have been displaced by the conflict so far.



On Thursday, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wfp.org/news/gaza-grapples-catastrophic-hunger-new-report-predicts-famine-if-conflict-continues" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a>&nbsp;released by a UN-backed body warned nearly a quarter of Gaza’s population faces imminent starvation while more than 90% of the population was facing a “crisis or worse” level of food insecurity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



22,000. That is the number of aerial bombings Israel has carried out over Gaza since the start of the war, according to an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-bombs-destruction-death-toll-scope-419488c511f83c85baea22458472a796" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Associated Press</a>&nbsp;estimate. This is significantly higher than the nearly 15,000 airstrikes carried out by the U.S. and its allies in Iraq over a period between 2014 and 2017 during their battle against the Islamic State (IS).



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



A United Nations Security Council vote on the delivery of much-needed aid to Gaza was delayed once again on Thursday as the council’s members attempted to hash out a resolution that would avoid being vetoed. On Thursday, the U.S. ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/12/21/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news/the-un-security-council-is-set-to-vote-on-a-resolution-calling-for-a-pause-in-fighting-to-deliver-more-aid-into-gaza?smid=url-share" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a> the U.S. was prepared to vote in favor of a resolution “that will support humanitarian assistance” on the ground. The U.S. had <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2023/12/21/us-working-to-negotiate-humanitarian-aid-in-gaza-to-avoid-a-veto-at-un-security-council/?sh=3a85d3617b8a">vetoed</a> an earlier resolution by the council which had called for an immediate cessation of hostilities.

Encircled By Israel, Gaza Faces Catastrophe As Death Toll Soars

More Than 20,000 Dead In Gaza Amid Israel-Hamas War, Hamas-Run Health Ministry Says

The importance of agriculture to Africa’s economic output cannot be emphasized enough. Desmond Koney’s Complete Farmer is doing close to $10 million in revenue, and have just closed a funding round of $10.4 million. 



Agriculture has been lauded by many governments as the key to reducing poverty due to the sheer number of people that it employs. According to figures from the World Bank, agriculture contributes to about 65%-70% of Africa’s labor force as well as 30%-40% of GDP.



Furthermore, it estimates that agriculture is the most significant economic activity for about 70% of people on the continent who live in rural areas.



The Ghanaian agriculture sector, in particular, is characterized by smallholder farmers who farm on less than two hectares of land, according to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in Ghana.



“Agriculture has been the principal sector for the development and growth of Ghana’s economy for decades and it still is a major contributor. It contributes somewhere in the region of about 30% to the GDP of Ghana. The main challenge is how we industrialize the process in order to scale and reap the fruits of the sector,” says Kwame Nkum, senior consultant at Nkum Associates.



This is a challenge Ghanaian entrepreneurs in the sector have been grappling with for years. On the one hand, the agriculture value chain is perhaps one of the longest in any industry. Also, there are interdependencies between one stage of the value chain and the next but, often, there is a lack of data between the two, which creates significant infrastructure challenges for the sector.



For mechanical engineer cum farmer, Desmond Koney, these challenges represent an opportunity to innovate and find solutions that help improve the sector. As the CEO and Founder of Complete Farmer, a crowd farming platform that facilitates easy sourcing of quality farm produce through an African online market, Koney is embarking on an ambitious journey to digitalize agriculture in Ghana.



“It is an exciting time to be in the industry and an exciting time to solve the problem the way we are solving it. Africa is producing close to $90 billion worth of produce and if you were able to build the infrastructure that captures that value, we can create a lot of wealth for local farmers,” says Koney.



The problem is that the farmers producing this are not able to sell their products to the people who need it and this is where Koney is hoping his innovative solution will make a difference.



“This presents an interesting opportunity to build global supply chains and ecommerce platforms. Once we can build this infrastructure, the opportunity of that $90 billion a year is something that should excite anyone,” says Koney.



Currently Complete Farmer is doing close to $10 million in revenue, according to Koney, and they have just closed a funding round of $10.4 million. That has led to the expansion of the Complete Farmer solution to Togo. The platform allows buyers from all over the world to order produce under the care of Complete Farmer.



“When a company makes an order, they put it up on the platform and make it possible for anyone who wants to be a supplier of the product to get on board by way of investment,” he says.



Like many great success stories, Koney’s journey was born out of adversity. Although his father was a pineapple farmer, Koney had opted for a life in the sciences with dreams of becoming an engineer for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Then tragedy struck.



“My father passed away suddenly when I was just about to write my exams in school, and it was a really difficult moment for me. One of my lecturers said this was going to be a defining moment for me and looking back now, I can see how it was. Suddenly, I had a little brother to take care of and I had to support my mother. I remember after my father’s funeral I had only GHC [Ghanaian Cedi] 10 in my pocket,” recalls Koney.



He decided to continue his father’s legacy as a farmer but first, he had to understand the challenges he went through. After working on his father’s farm, Koney realized the challenges were glaring.



“We realized that the agriculture industry has middlemen who purchase goods at a low price from the farmers to sell at much higher prices. This means farmers had no access to the market they were producing for,” says Koney.



With these invaluable lessons, Koney decided to utilize his engineering skills to build farms like factories.



“The initial vision was ‘how do we make agriculture like what China has done with manufacturing?’ In China, you will see people using their garages to set up factories… So, for me it was like ‘how can I bring that same energy and that same approach to farming?’ So, the vision was to really figure out how to build a farm like a factory and try and emulate how China has become a superpower in manufacturing,” says Koney.



The company designed an end-to-end process to solve the value chain issue by digitizing it. By doing so, Complete Farmer has become a bridge between both the demand side and the supply side which increases efficiencies in the entire value chain.



“It took us six years and we have had about three or four pivots to really figure out how we can create that factory to get there. Trying to raise funds, trying to figure out business model implications and trying to figure out the legal implications, and that is what we have been doing for the past six years to try and build this vision,” says Koney.



He is a firm believer in Africa’s ability to be the breadbasket of the world and, now, with Complete Farmer, it has become his mission is to make the rest of the world believe in Africa’s ability to feed everyone too.

Desmond Koney; image supplied1

‘Completing The Chain’: How This Ghanaian Is Bridging Gaps Through Agritech

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



The World Health Organization said it is tracking a new coronavirus “variant of interest” called JN.1, an offshoot of the highly mutated “Pirola” strain that is spreading rapidly around the world and has become the fastest growing variant in the United States.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



JN.1 is an offshoot of the highly mutated omicron variant BA.2.86, often given the nickname “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/09/06/modernas-updated-covid-vaccine-is-effective-against-pirola-variant-as-concern-over-new-strain-grows/?sh=6dd42d971a06">Pirola</a>,” which some experts&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/11/28/what-to-know-about-rapidly-spreading-pirola-covid-variant-ba286-and-if-vaccines-offer-protection/?sh=5d1849481978">worried</a>&nbsp;could&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/08/pirola-latest-covid-variant-spreading-in-uk-health-data-suggests" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evade</a>&nbsp;protection from prior infections and vaccination and trigger a large wave of disease like the original omicron variant did when it emerged.



As the WHO already classified BA.2.86 a “variant of interest”—a strain of virus with genetic changes known or believed to affect traits like transmissibility, immune escape and disease severity and that is spreading in a way that could pose “an emerging risk to global public health”—and tracked JN.1 as part of this group, it was already considered to be a “variant of interest” anyway.



The WHO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/18122023_jn.1_ire_clean.pdf?sfvrsn=6103754a_3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;JN.1 now merits its own standalone classification on account of its “rapidly increasing spread” around the world, adding that it now makes up the “vast majority” of BA.2.86 descendents reported.



The UN agency stressed available evidence, while “limited,” suggests the strain poses a “low” risk to public health.



That assessment was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/whats-new/SARS-CoV-2-variant-JN.1.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">echoed</a>&nbsp;by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in early December, when the agency said the JN.1 variant was responsible for between 15% and 29% of Covid cases and was the “fastest-growing variant in the United States.”



Both health agencies said updated booster vaccines will continue to protect against severe disease and death from JN.1, as they do for other variants, and that there is no sign the strain causes more severe disease compared to other variants.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-we-don-t-know">WHAT WE DON’T KNOW</h2>



“The continued growth of JN.1 suggests that it is either more transmissible or better at evading our immune systems,” the CDC said in early December. However, the agency said it’s not clear how much JN.1 is contributing to the recent uptick in Covid activity given patterns of infection normally observed this time of year. It’s also not clear whether JN.1 produces a different set of symptoms to other variants, the CDC said, noting that symptoms “tend to be similar across variants.” Severity and types of symptoms “usually depend more on a person’s immunity and overall health rather than which variant causes the infection,” the agency said. The CDC said it will continue monitoring the situation and that Covid activity is likely to increase over the month of December, urging people to get vaccinated “if you haven’t received one this fall.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-news-peg">NEWS PEG</h2>



JN.1 is on&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">track</a>&nbsp;to become the dominant variant in the U.S. in a matter of weeks. The agency’s latest projections estimate the variant was responsible for up to 30% of cases as of December 9, up from between 6% and 11% two weeks earlier. It trails dominant variant HV.1, which was responsible for an estimated 27% to 33% of cases as of December 9 and 30% to 34% of cases two weeks before that. In the CDC region covering the Northeast—New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands—JN.1 is already the dominant variant and responsible for an estimated 32% of cases. The variant is on a steep upward trajectory in other areas as well and is responsible for between 15% and 26% of cases in regions monitored by the CDC.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



1,159,864. That’s how many Covid deaths there have been in the U.S. since January 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to CDC data. Since early September, there have been around 1,200 to 1,400 Covid deaths across the country each week, some of the lowest figures since the pandemic began and down from a peak of nearly 26,000 around the start of 2021 when omicron drove a wave of cases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



There is another category that sits above the WHO’s “variant of interest” class that the organization has not used since the emergence of omicron. The “variant of concern” threshold, which would likely secure the variant a Greek letter moniker like alpha, beta or delta, is reserved for strains that pose a significantly increased risk to public health. Such variants would have been shown to be more contagious, cause more severe disease or escape the protection of vaccines and treatments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



The CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/whats-new/SARS-CoV-2-variant-JN.1.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;JN.1 is still closely related to BA.2.86, despite what the differences in name suggest. The difference comes down to how variants are named, the CDC said, and explained that “there is only a single change between JN.1 and BA.2.86 in the spike protein.” The spike protein is an important part of the coronavirus that allows the virus to enter cells and cause infection.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/09/06/modernas-updated-covid-vaccine-is-effective-against-pirola-variant-as-concern-over-new-strain-grows/?sh=6dd42d971a06">Moderna’s Updated Covid Vaccine Is Effective Against Pirola Variant—As Concern Over New Strain Grows</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)

Netherlands Reimposes Partial Lockdown Amid Latest Covid-19 Wave

JN.1 Covid ‘Variant Of Interest’ Spreading Fast In U.S. — Here’s What To Know

IMG_8790

The Big Backroom Boom In South Africa’s Townships

Wandia Gichuru cannot wait for the day that AfCFTA becomes a reality, especially in the textiles and fashion space.



Most people start young. But while in her 40s, Wandia Gichuru’s journey into entrepreneurship was serendipitous and unexpected. Creating a truly Kenyan fashion brand, she now epitomizes a new generation of fearless entrepreneurs in the East African nation.



Before venturing into the fashion world, Gichuru spent over 15 years as an international development advisor, working for the government of the United Kingdom, the United Nations and the World Bank. But she always knew that she wanted to make a difference back home.



Into fitness in a big way and also a salsa dancer, she set up Vivo Activewear with a friend, Anne-Marie Burugu, in Nairobi in 2011, with a vision to create a Made in Kenya brand catering to women embracing wellness as a lifestyle. She went on to also set up an e-commerce platform onboarding Made in Kenya beauty and fashion brands.



From a single store in Nairobi, Vivo Activewear grew to include Vivo Woman, Safari and Zoya, curated to resonate with the contemporary African renowned for fusing style, comfort, functionality, and affordability.



“Our vision at Vivo Fashion Group is to see Africa dress herself, as well as Africa dress the world. We believe that in addition to being great producers and ardent consumers of fashion, the time has come that we are also creators of strong African fashion brands,” says Gichuru.



The fashion label recently joined the&nbsp;Nairobi Securities&nbsp;Exchange’s Ibuka incubation and acceleration program.



“We want as many people as possible to join us on this journey. So, listing on the Nairobi Securities Exchange would be one way to do this, by allowing anyone who wishes to become a shareholder of the group.”



Expanding its footprint across East Africa and beyond is a pivotal component of Vivo&#8217;s strategy. Unlike merely exporting Kenyan styles, the approach involves tailoring offerings to suit each unique market it enters.



Gichuru emphasizes the importance of establishing partnerships with creators, designers, suppliers, and manufacturers in these regions, thus nurturing the industry ecosystem.



“Over 200 million East Africans get up and get dressed every day. It is hard to get accurate data, but in our estimation, less than 5% of East Africans wear any clothes that were produced in East Africa. So, the opportunities in the fashion sector are huge, and we are only scratching the surface,” says Gichuru.



As Africa prepares for a single trading bloc under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Gichuru says this presents an exciting opportunity, especially in the textiles and fashion sector. She envisions the removal of barriers that currently impede sourcing and distribution across African countries, potentially opening doors to new African brands entering the Kenyan market.



“We cannot wait for the day that AfCFTA becomes a reality, especially in the textiles and fashion space. This will open doors for everyone in the sector in such powerful ways. We are desperate, for example, to make clothing using Kitenge fabric from Ghana. However, under the current tax environment, we would have to pay 50% duty on Ghanaian fabric, which makes it impossible to create a competitively priced product from it.”



For entrepreneurs like Gichuru, this impending reality holds the promise of uncharted growth. However, alongside this anticipation come the pressing concerns regarding the key challenges that must be addressed to facilitate the scaling of businesses like hers on the African stage.



“Hopefully, AfCFTA will address these kinds of challenges and we will be able to start sourcing from and distributing to countries across Africa. And vice versa, we will see all kinds of African brands enter the Kenyan market,” she says.



Gichuru’s venture, Shop Zetu, is also making strides in Kenya’s fast-growing e-commerce space. The platform is a one-stop shop for all things fashion, beauty, and accessories.



Her current focus is the East African and COMESA markets, where products can be more efficiently moved to and from Kenya.



The Vivo Fashion Group also places strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion. Over 70% of its 450 employees are women. Gichuru is also keen on promoting female entrepreneurs.



“Women in particular are sometimes afraid to come across as too ambitious or too confident. Which can work against us, especially when trying to raise capital. We must be clear about our goals and learn how to articulate them in a way that convinces people that we know where we are going, we know how to get there, and that they should join us on the journey.”



She advises aspiring entrepreneurs to be true to themselves and not let perfectionism or fear hinder their ambitions. She also emphasizes the importance of action.



“I have an incredibly strong bias for action. The advice I mostly give to younger entrepreneurs is to just get started! Don’t let ideas just sit in your head. Start! Execute! Put something in front of potential customers and get a reaction. You’ll either make a sale or you’ll get some feedback – or hopefully both. But it will get you one step further on your way to building a real business”.



As Kenya celebrates 60 years of independence, Gichuru believes that determination and resilience are central to keeping the country’s entrepreneurial spirit alive.



“We have a way of picking ourselves up and keeping ourselves going. And we are also lucky that we live in such a beautiful country, and have a great sense of humor – so no matter how difficult things are, the sun will still be bright and shining, and someone next to you is going to crack a joke and make you laugh!

Wandia Gichuru; image supplied

‘To See Africa Dress The World’: A Kenyan Fashion Entrepreneur On The Industry’s Promising Future  

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Google announced the details of a sweeping&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/12/19/google-will-pay-700-million-and-make-play-store-billing-changes-to-settle-antitrust-suit/?sh=37cdb6cd99e0">settlement</a>&nbsp;with all 50 states on Monday, which include expanded options for developers to use their own billing systems—leaving app makers with options that could lead to savings for consumers on in-app subscriptions and services.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



Google announced they would allow an alternative&nbsp;<a href="https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2022/11/continuing-our-commitment-to-user-choice-billing.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">“user choice billing”</a>&nbsp;option for all U.S. developers—meaning app developers can now pay fees between 11% and 26% to Google on all purchases from the Play Store, in-app purchases, and subscriptions.



Google previously forced all developers to use its in-house billing system, which took a 15% cut—increased to 30% after the first $1 million earned through purchases.



Google began piloting the “user choice billing” program in 2022 with Spotify and Bumble—it is unclear if any other developers were given the reduced rates before the settlement,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/9/23954376/google-spotify-user-choice-billing-deal-bumble-epic" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Verge</a>&nbsp;reported one year later.



Developers could slash prices and move savings to consumers—but they could also decide to simply keep the extra profits.



Google also said it would “streamline” users’ ability to sideload apps—or download apps directly from a developer’s website—which would mean some developers could cut the costs of quality control or verification required for apps to be sold on the Play Store.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Google struck a settlement deal in a massive lawsuit filed by all 50 state attorneys general in September, but the details of the agreement were not made public until Monday. As part of the deal, Google will pay $630 million into a settlement fund, which will then be distributed to consumers. Another $70 million will be paid directly to the states. Eligible consumers who used the Play Store between August 2016 and September 2023 will receive a minimum payment of $2, with the possibility of additional cash based on their spending on the app store in that timeframe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chief-critic">CHIEF CRITIC</h2>



Epic Games, the massive gaming developer also involved in legal disputes with Google, criticized the settlement, with CEO Tim Sweeney calling it an “injustice to all Android users and developers.” Corie Wright, the VP of Public Policy at Epic Games, said it “does not address the core of Google’s unlawful and anticompetitive behavior.” Wright called the user choice billing system “deceptively labeled,” criticizing it for still taking an 11% to 26% cut “on top of payments Google isn&#8217;t involved in processing.” The popular video game publisher won an antitrust lawsuit against Google just one week before the details of the settlement were announced, and said they planned to “seek meaningful remedies to truly open up the Android ecosystem.”

In this photo illustration a Google Play Store logo is seen

Here’s How App Purchases Might Get Cheaper On Google Play Now—After Firm Settles Antitrust Lawsuit For $700 Million

Zuri obtains fabrics and designs from Kenya and other African countries, creating jobs.



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</div></figure>



African style is making its way to New York City. In June this year, the Brooklyn Museum hosted Africa Fashion, one of North America’s largest exhibits celebrating African clothing and craftsmanship. From being highlighted on fashion runways to new stores popping up around the city, fashion from the continent is creeping into the wardrobes of many New Yorkers.



One fast-growing store is Zuri, which opened a few years ago in downtown Manhattan. The brand prides itself on obtaining fabrics and designs from Kenya and other African countries.



“We are hiring different artists from there, who then produce the pieces,” Tiffany Collins, an employee at Zuri, tells FORBES AFRICA. “Then it’s shipped. So you kind of create this ecosystem that continuously flows. You’re creating jobs, and you’re paying people fair, livable wages.”



Workers at Zuri hope their efforts will make African clothes a staple in wardrobes.



“More celebration and understanding of the textile and the process and what really goes into producing those beautiful pieces,” is what Collins wishes for. “So many hands have touched them prior to them even getting here.”

Tag: South Africa

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA