| On Sunday, December 8, as part of Swahili Fashion Week, the East Africa Trade Hub presented a workshop on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and integrating design and marketing for a U.S. customer base. Attended by 40 designers and entrepreneurs in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the workshop featured presentations on U.S. retail channels, brands, trade trends in key product categories, and useful strategies to tailor products that appeal to U.S. buyers and markets. This is the fourth consecutive year that the Trade Hub has joined forces with Swahili Fashion Week in promoting African designers and fostering business linkages under AGOA. Indeed, Swahili Fashion Week has recognized the Trade Hub for its contributions, including past sponsorship, which has allowed the event to grow and reach a wider audience since its inception in 2008. "We are truly excited that USAID East Africa Trade Hub is sharing their expertise. This is a unique opportunity for designers to get first-hand information on the hurdles to overcome in exporting to the U.S.” said Mustafa Hassanali, the organizer of Swahili Fashion Week. Swahili Fashion Week provides talented local designers with a forum to showcase their creativity and skill. Buyers find apparel with commercial appeal and cutting edge, African flair featured on the runway. Events like Swahili Fashion Week reflect the growing appetite for African fashion and highlight Africa’s capacity to respond to global demand for high-quality, fashionable apparel that can be delivered on time to international retailers. Since 2009, the Trade Hub, through its high-profile Origin Africa campaign, has facilitated $150 million in exports to the United States through AGOA, assisting more than 200 firms to enter or expand in the U.S. market. |
United States Agency for International Development |
