Paying it Forward to Africa

Paying it Forward to Africa Fashionably, Top 10 Non-Profit Shop for Change List the combination of business, fashion, and philanthropy is an enticing one and some entrepreneurs are jumping into that with two feet. Ban Ki-moon, the U.N. secretary general insists that: "Africa does not need charity, it needs investments and partnership." As a result, the top 10 list serves to illustrate something of what Ban Ki-moon was trying to say.

Take Saran Kaba Jones, for instance, who founded Face Africa that funds and supports sustainable clean water, sanitation and hygiene projects in Liberia; and African Leadership (Mocha Club) that trains approximately 13,000 students in 23 African countries and supports over 18 projects in 8 countries through their entrepreneurial ventures.

Renzo Rosso, Ali Hewson and her husband Bono, banded together earlier this year to form the Diesel+Edun label that produces fashion products, sourced or made entirely in Africa these are examples of people who integrate business with philanthropy and direct the proceeds to Africa. Sometimes these businesses are partially non-profit. Other times, they are totally so with all proceeds going to the African workers who produce the creations.

A glimpse at one of the websites that integrates fashion with philanthropy and hires African women to weave scarves indicates the beauty of the design and work that can emerge from Africa and how these ventures exceed charity in its crude sense. The entrepreneurs may be benefitting more than, or as equally as the people they hire to create their merchandise. The business FashionABLE scarfs! Is a non-profit organization that gives 100% of its profits to the women who make the scarves -- and the scarves are magnificent. The goal of the company is the following: "The FashionABLE mission is to create sustainable business in Africa so that the women are not dependent upon charity but instead are a vital part of a developing economy."

In Aid for Africa, African artisans have produced jeweler, crafts, and other products. The proceeds go to African people. Global Mamas (Trade for Change) is another innovative and philanthropic company that in turn creates jobs and increases the income and standard of living of women and their families in Africa. Other companies include Indigo Africa that uses the proceeds from African women to help Africans become better educated; and African Leadership (Mocha Club) that trains approximately 13,000 students in 23 African countries and supports over 18 projects in 8 countries through their entrepreneurial ventures.

As we have seen, fashion is not the only field that has the idea of integrating business with philanthropy. Other industries have focused on other African causes such as AIDS/HIV, Water, Business, health, education.

(RED), a division of the ONE Campaign advertises itself as "fighting for AIDS for a free generation." Using an optimistic message, (RED) promotes itself as an organization that believes that it can change the face of the AIDS epidemic in Africa by stopping transmission of HIV form mothers to babies. In 2010, 1,000 babies were born every day with HIV. In 2011, that number was reduced to 900. (RED) urges shoppers to buy (RED) products. The manufacturers send the contributions to the Global Fund which then uses all of the money -- no proceeds going to RED -- to finance HIV / AIDS programs in Africa.

ING is another original philanthropic program that promises to send a Moskeeto Armor Hood-E to every African individual per Hood-E bought. The Moskeeto Armor Hood-Es protect Africans from mosquitos that carry malaria and other insects and diseases.