July 21st, 2010
by Esther Fell | KEZA Design Intern
As I continue to sketch out designs and constantly look around for inspiration, I also try to think about how we can get KEZA’s name out there. Although I love spending time in the library researching and gathering images from their books, when it comes down to it, the internet has been my largest resource of inspiration.
Blogging has certainly helped a tremendous amount in gathering unknown followers of common interests. That is certainly one way to spread the word. I would love to see KEZA do a spread in a magazine. Although magazines have somewhat become obsolete, they’re still strong in the fashion world.
As I gather inspiration off the internet, there are always images that have come from magazine spreads. This is a goal certainly worth putting on the list. I’ve started to gather a list of magazines that I feel are worthy of trying to get in contact with. Lets see what we can offer them!
As far as progress this week, I’ve continued to sketch. I’m mostly excited to finally be able to meet with Jared this week in San Diego to discuss my designs and work with him to tweak/manipulate/add/change the designs I’ve created. It will be interesting to see how two creative minds can work together.
Tags: africa, design, esther fell, keza, magazines, san diego, sketch
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July 17th, 2010
by Tiffany Robertson | KEZA intern
Would you buy a diamond knowing it was harvested by child slaves? What about a cell phone, knowing that the coltan it took to create the phone batteries was harvested by soldiers that use rape as a tool of war.
What if there was a new ethical fashion brand (KEZA) created? Some form of certification (similar to fair trade and forest stewardship council certification), or ‘green stamp of approval’ that would ensure the consumer the product they are buying was produced in an environmentally, ethically, conflict-free, and socially responsible manner.
Marketing firms recognize the illustrious power a successfully branded product can have on profit. However, the consumers’ desire to want and thus purchase brands that are going to be representative of them is becoming increasingly more obvious. Branding is the process of communication between consumers and producers. I would go farther to say that branding is a relationship between the marketplace and society.
The millions of transactions between product purchase, manufacture, promotion and waste build this relationship. These transactions communicate the values, demands and interests of a society. The techniques of marketing and advertising firms, although often seen as a huge contribution to the unequal distribution of wealth in the world, can be used, and I believe should be used, as a powerful mechanism for global social, environmental, economical and cultural change.
Would you buy a product which was ‘branded (stamped) with approval’ over a product that wasn’t?? Would you pay more money for it?
Tags: africa, brand, coltan, conflict, congo, fair trade, keza
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July 14th, 2010
by Esther Fell | KEZA Design Intern
As I begin to put my ideas onto paper, I find yet more challenges to overcome. As I’ve collected image after image, I find it difficult to push my designs so that it may not be too heavily influenced by my inspiration. Although, the materials that I am working with are different, I essentially don’t want to copy, but alter and push my designs to the next level. As I’ve learned from my time at RISD, very rarely does an artist go with his first idea. Ideas are meant to grow and branch out into multiple directions.
From this point, I think it’s time to look at what I’ve sketched thus far and work out quirks that will spark new pieces. This week I’m starting to pull out the actual materials and experiment with putting them together. Another challenge is certainly putting my ideas two-dimensionally onto paper when I have a clear image of what I’m thinking visually.
Once again, working with the materials is going to help that process significantly. I’m excited that things are moving along. Creating a solid piece of jewelry is a process that takes patience and careful attention to detail. And that is what I’m trying to do so KEZA may have unique products that they can ‘wow’ their audience with.
Tags: africa, design, inspiration, keza, paper, risd
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July 13th, 2010
by Tiffany Robertson | KEZA intern
A brand is a product, service, or concept that is publicly distinguished from other products, services, or concepts so that it can be easily communicated and usually marketed. The intangible sum of a product’s attributes: its name, packaging, and price, its history, its reputation, and the way it’s advertised.
A good brand is arguably the essential tool of success for any business, product or service, because it is no longer the product, which is bought, sold or traded, but the brand itself.6 As products and services become produced, traded and consumed on the global market, brands become something of value to every industry, interconnecting the globe in what Naomi Klein, author of No Logo likes to call “a web of brands.”
I have been thinking a lot about the power of branding and the way the media has become such an influential player in the success of a company, product, idea, movement, and even country. Branding has this same power to communicate, to reframe, promote, spread awareness, oppress, EMPOWER. I will be updating my blog this week around the concepts of branding as a tool for social justice. Follow me on the journey and see how Keza is quickly becoming an international branding player.
Tags: africa, branding, logo
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July 6th, 2010
Esther is interning with us from Rhode Island School of Design. Here is a recent update from her as she begins the design process.
This week has been the most productive week thus far. It really makes a difference to be able to see and touch the materials in which a product is to be made of. Looking through the box of beads, fabric, horns and leather, I could already feel the creative flow jumping ahead of what I was capable of handling.
This week I’ve collected visual inspiration for the product lines of Shuja’ah (Brave, Hero, Warrior) and Malikia (Queen). I found that those were the easiest to visualize and collect images for. Although, as I collect image after image, it seems that in the end I still feel that I don’t have enough. The biggest challenge I find is separating what I think should be collected from what I think I can use to inspire myself. As I realize that is what is preventing me from going all the way, this week I would like to break free from that blockade and use whatever I could see as potential inspiration to just get myself rolling. Enjoy the inspiration boards. I’m getting use to making them online, and I only hope that they can be more creative in compiling the images together.
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July 6th, 2010
Tiffany is interning with us from University of San Diego. Here is a brief update from her in regards to starting her internship.
This week was better and I’m starting to settle into the groove of a routine. Still, sitting behind the computer is not my cup of tea so discipline paired with rewards are my framework for productivity. This week was my last official week of working for the nonprofit in town, which will allow me to concentrate all my energy onto Keza. This is what needs to happen and I am excited to get moving. All that to say, I think I am definitely under attack. I have been struggling all week with illness and fatigue. I don’t want to sound weak or like I’m making excuses I just want you two to be aware of what I may be going through. Context is an important factor to explaining life. It is encouraging to know however, that we are all struggling together. Most likely in different ways, but feeling aware of the spiritual battle taking place for me this summer is an interesting dynamic to life. I think its awesome to know God is molding and transforming me. He’s doing it with Keza, with the both of you, with me and it sounds like with Esther as well. It will be cool to watch the transformations take place and I’m glad you want us to document our internship because I know this will help aid in processing, reflecting and understanding.
Grant research is like chasing the White Rabbit in Alice and Wonderland…always chasing one rabbit hole to another (one website to another, to another link, to another foundation, etc). The process of research is not something I am good at doing. I am aware of my sporadic tendencies and the need to have things tangible, so I know I create more work for myself by creating list after list and printing out everything only to edit it and reprint (reusing paper, of course!). I still need to do a lot of work on the grant list and opportunities as you can see, I am not satisfied with it, but I have a deadline. It appears I feel like I’ve found nothing, but researched endlessly. It is an infinite process. I think that good opportunities thus far are: Echoing Green, Skoll, Draper Richards, Schwab and Good Capital. I am praying every night for direction to the right foundation.
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June 21st, 2010
For many years, KEZA has focused on what the aid world refers to as the “poorest of the poor”. It’s become another buzz term like “sustainability” or “capacity building”. These terms help attract volunteers, donors and public awareness.
However, we’ve recently taken a step back to reanalyze our methodology. There are thousands of entrepreneurs all over Africa that have been working diligently to develop their businesses to the point of sustainability. They have thrashed, suffered and pushed through the hardships and their business is plugging along, but they still can’t quite get over the hump to profitability.
These entrepreneurs have proven their dedication and certainly deserve our respect and attention. If their businesses grow beyond mere sustainability and really start to thrive, they have the opportunity to really make an impact in their community, beyond just serving their personal needs.
A thriving entrepreneurial business means a larger capacity to produce, which means more employees needed and more products being exported. If these products are superior in quality and style, that leads to positive press in the media and a lot of public attention. All of these things help to fuel a brand of excellence and beauty, resulting in a heightened image for their country.
In short, we’ve realized that if we empower the entrepreneurial sector to grow their businesses, they will employ the poorest of the poor, export more goods, do it with excellence and help fuel an image of excellence for their country. That image compels investors, business people and tourists to visit and invest in their country.
There are many ways to serve the developing world. We (KEZA) believe empowering the entrepreneurial sector plays a vital role in creating a solid foundation, built on indigenous businesses.
Tags: africa, brand, capacity building, development, empower, entrepreneur, image, poorest of the poor, sustainability
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June 9th, 2010
The Rwandan women we serve are former prostitutes. They’ve been beaten, raped and oppressed to a point where the only viable method for supporting themselves and their babies was to sell their bodies. Society regularly humiliated them to the point that they believed they where worthless.*
It would be easy for us to tell that story all over the world, knowing it would pull on heart strings and likely compel people to donate or buy products. This methodology would certainly be in line with typical aid agency tactics for support.
One day I was talking with one of the pioneers of this initiative named Virginia. I asked her what she wanted me to tell the people about her experience with KEZA. She said “I am no longer known as a prostitute, I am known as a successful business woman”. I literally broke down in tears.
That prompted me to ask all of the women how they wanted to be represented to the world. It’s astonishing how seldom this question is asked of aid recipients. Every woman stepped forward and said something along the lines of “we don’t want to be know for our past, we want to be known for who we are now”.
If you constantly treat someone as a charity case, they are likely to limit themselves accordingly. If we branded Africa as a bastion of beauty and excellence, we might see more of it coming out of her. People may begin to believe in themselves. She’s experienced decades of aid agencies telling her she’s unworthy, inept and incapable of excellence; that she needs their help in order to survive. How would that make you feel?
We need to flip the switch, start believing in Africa and brand her accordingly. It might just become a self fulfilling proclamation.
*You will never hear these stories in KEZA promotional materials. We committed to only telling the stories the women wanted us to tell; the ones of beauty and excellence. We would never use their past to garner funds. They deserve better than that.
Tags: africa, aid, brand, charity, keza, oppresion, rwanda
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June 8th, 2010
Check out the great article about Ilea in the University of San Diego Magazine this month. Click HERE.
Tags: humanitarian, ilea dorsey, university of san diego, usd magazine
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June 7th, 2010
We live in a world where shock value regularly trumps true value. Consequently international aid agencies either play ball or loose the opportunity for funding. And it’s not just the funding mechanisms that are tainted, it’s the “brand” that’s generated in order to garner the funds.
The media are looking for scenes of destruction, starving children, AIDS victims and tyrannical dictators toting gold plated AK-47s. Why? Because it gets people’s attention, and more specifically, their donor dollars. Pull those heart strings hard enough and money should fall out.
What if the media focused on Africa’s beauty, excellence and ability to rise above their circumstances? I’ve studied Africa most of my life, and have lived there (Rwanda) for four years. She is awe inspiring, magnificent in her vast beauty, with so much untapped talent. But that is not her brand.
Does America have corruption, disease and poverty? Of course. But people from all over the world come to America in droves to visit, invest and build businesses. People expect greatness out of America. Why? Because America has done an outstanding job of branding itself as the home of freedom and thriving businesses.
What if we approached Africa’s brand from the same perspective; that of a great tourist destination and place to invest and build businesses? Might that accomplish the desired results better than continuing to portray her as the charity case we’ve made her out to be? What if we expected greatness from Africa, and then marketed her that way?
Imagine it; “Come to Africa, home of spectacular wildlife, more resources than almost any other continent, overflowing with business opportunities and all the talent and manpower you could ever want. Africa, promise land of the future”. Certainly paints a different (yet accurate) picture than we’re used to doesn’t it?
Tags: africa, aid, aids, brand, corruption, investment, poverty
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