In Liberia’s capital of Monrovia, I had the pleasure of meeting Chid Liberty, the energetic co- founder of the Liberian Women’s Sewing Project. Chid’s family owns Vamoma House, located on one of Monrovia’s biggest boulevards, an imposing multi-story building painted in faded light blue and cream. During the Civil War, Vamoma House was occupied and pillaged, providing a safe haven for warring factions, including Charles Taylor. Chid returned to his native Liberia to bring his family’s building, scarred with bullet holes, back to life. In the basement of Vamoma House, the women of Made in Liberia, Africa’s first free trade-certified garment factory, are filling orders for companies like J.Crew, prAna, and FEED.
I just got back from Mali, and you know what was one of my favorite stops? Le Ndomo in Segou. It’s a company that employs local artisans to make beautiful products, from blankets and scarves to pillows and napkins.
Last month, at the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke about continuing challenges and new solutions for success in US-Africa trade relations.
Today was a pretty amazing day here in Kenya. We met with Kenyan entrepreneurs this morning, and a representative from USAID, which is deeply invested in building Africa’s world presence as an exporter.
Then this afternoon, we spent time in Kibera, one of Nairobi’s most well-known kagigis, or slums. The two are linked in my mind, because I think it is the first that will eventually help lift the circumstances of the second.
I heard a Kenyan joke today, “We don’t have oil here in Kenya — our people are are main exports.” We all laughed, but the truth is, though Kenya has many great natural resources, the people are an amazing asset. I have yet to meet an ordinary person. The energy, creativity, and enthusiasm they’ve given us with on this trip simply astonish me. And I don’t think they’re putting on brilliance for the out-of-towners, you really can’t fake this level of extraordinary-ness.
Oasis is one of the first words that comes to mind when visiting Amani Ya Juu, a sewing and training program for African women who are marginalized and often broken.
Earlier this week UK International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell made an important speech to leading financial investors and business leaders entitled “Africa is open for business”. As he pointed out, “[If you] haven’t gone beyond the propaganda that says all Africa is corrupt, unstable and unsafe, then – well, you’re missing out altogether.”
In a recent opinion editorial published in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Daniel W. Yohannes, CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and leading African philanthropist and ONE board member, Dr. Mo Ibrahim, highlighted achievements and opportunities presented by increased trade with Africa. Both Yohannes and Ibrahim, who are recognized leaders in African development, offered the African Growth and Opportunity Act and the Millennium Challenge Corporation as models for sustainable development and reminded investors that America has much to gain by investing in Africa. Read their WSJ column below:
Africa Is Awakening, Helped by Free Trade
Six of the 10 fastest-growing economies of the last decade were in sub-Saharan Africa.
By DANIEL W. YOHANNES AND MO IBRAHIM
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Long a symbol of stagnation, the African continent is experiencing a reawakening. Poverty and hunger are still widespread problems, but Africa’s growing middle class is creating business and investment opportunities that are among the best in the world. With the right trade policy and development assistance, we can unlock the potential of a thriving private sector and lift millions from poverty.
ONE is campaigning to ensure that the Congressional budget does not cut foreign assistance programs like Feed the Future that help people break the cycle of poverty and hunger.
The Horn of Africa is experiencing its worst drought in 60 years. More than 11 million people, mostly nomadic pastoralists and farmers in south-central Somalia, north-eastern Kenya, and south-eastern Ethiopia, are severely lacking access to food.
2011 marks 30 years since the first cases of AIDS were documented. Take a closer look at the specific, achievable goals we must hit by 2015 to make this year the beginning of the end of AIDS.
As aid agencies warn more than 9 million people could be affected by a food crisis in East Africa, world leaders are failing to keep their 2009 promises to tackle the causes of chronic hunger and support farmers in the world's poorest countries.
Tenneh and me
