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As more companies and institutions recognize the enormous potential in Africa, The Mastercard Foundation has increased its partnership with Corps Africa to $59.4 million – tripling its original investment.
The $17 million commitment, which ends in 2021, began as a three-year commitment and has since been consolidated into five years. The increased money will be used in 11 countries, with the original plan of four. To date, Corps Africa works with communities in Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, Malawi and Rwanda. The goal is to create more than 80,000 jobs and impact more than 800,000 community members across Africa. Although the organization is not exclusively dedicated to fashion-related work, it also supports some communities that are related to textiles. In Senegal, they work with communities that grow cotton for commercial purposes.
With the increased funding, there will be additional efforts to boost economic development, public health, food security, education, gender issues, the digital economy and the environment.
Having added Ghana and Kenya last year, this year Corps Africa will expand its reach to volunteers and residents in Nigeria, Uganda and Ethiopia. Five scouting expeditions are planned to find out which countries to enter, the island of Cape Verde is a possibility, as well as Benin, Tanzania, South Africa and a few others.
Although Corps Africa is not affiliated with the Peace Corps, founder Liz Fanning was inspired by the service. The organization is a private effort and aims to be “a second Peace Corps by and for Africans,” she said in an interview Monday. Giving leadership skills to young Africans, especially women, is a priority, she said. “We do not have a sector to separate from Salam Core. We don’t go in there with a job. All our volunteers are trained in human-centered design. They listen to local people who know their needs best and connect them to resources. They also help identify projects and bring everyone together around a project – help apply for funding if needed.
While volunteers help manage the process, the emphasis is on ensuring that each local community owns the projects. To that end, each local community must contribute 10 percent of the project’s cost to the “customer and philanthropic beneficiary,” Fanning said.
The program, set up in remote and impoverished African villages, includes projects aimed at helping women create cooperatives to sell the clothes they produce and other hand-made goods, among other jobs. For example, in Rwanda there is tailoring, tailoring and hairdressing training.
“Creating jobs in rural communities can be as simple as building a family kitchen garden or community garden to provide a variety of healthy, fresh vegetables for good nutrition. Volunteers are also helping with clean water access, girls’ and women’s education, road and bridge maintenance, school renovations and other initiatives.” ” said Fanning. Noting how some of Corps Africa’s partners are “doing some interesting things with fashion,” Fanning said a company in Senegal makes clothing out of plastic water bottles.
UNESCO reports that the fashion and textile industry is Africa’s largest sector with a market value of $31 billion in 2020. With annual growth expected, the fashion and textile sector has the potential to create employment opportunities for millions across the continent, especially for women and youth. Aware of the global interest in fashion and the financial strength of some fashion companies, Fanning said her company is looking to host a fundraising fashion show, possibly this year in the U.S., featuring African designers.
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