Lilongwe, Malawi- The Federation of National Associations of Women in Business in Eastern and Southern Africa (FEMCOM) in collaboration with the Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) held a consultative forum on food secutity and women in business March 28-30, 2011.

Participating countries included; Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Eritrea Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe and the host Malawi.

FEMCOM is one of the umbrella associations involved in the implementation of the European Union supported COMESA Regional Agro Inputs Programme (COMRAP). The Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) has the mandate to coordinate COMRAP implementation and is working closely with FEMCOM in this regard to ensure appropriate gender mainstreaming in the COMRAP and other ACTESA led initiatives.

COMRAP has the overall objective of contributing to improving rural food security and livelihoods in the COMESA region through training and capacity building of national and regional input providers and harmonization of related regional legal frameworks.

The consultative forum should provide a conducive environment for COMESA member States to deliberate on appropriate programmes that will integrate women into trade and development through COMRAP activities within the region. But above all, this activity is a step towards contributing to the overall objective of ACTESA and COMESA in the agriculture sector which is to improve agriculture production and enhance food security within the region.

FEMCOM is a COMESA institution, established in July 1993 under Article 155 of the COMESA Treaty and the Secretariat is hosted in Malawi

The main objective of FEMCOM is to promote programmes that integrate women into trade and development activities in the region, in particular, in the fields of agriculture, industry, trade, services, fishing, mining, energy, transport, communications and natural resources. FEMCOM was founded on the idea that regional economic integration cannot be seen to have succeeded if it did not involve the full and equal participation of women in business.

FEMCOM is re-positioning itself to become a key player in regional trade activities at different levels especially in the agriculture sector is dominated by women

The consultative forum was expected to have attracted 60 participants from COMESA member States including representatives of the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Program (CAADP), Regional Food Security and Risk Management Programme (REFORM), Women in Agri-business in Sub Saharan Africa Alliance (WASAA), USAID, Market Linkages Initiative (a USAID funded project) and Agricultural Commodity Exchange for Africa (ACE).

Malawi has been chosen as a venue for the consultative forum based on its strong performance in boosting security through the wise leadership of President, Prof. Bingu Wa Mutharika of transforming the country from a food importing to a food exporting nation.

The major expected outcome of undertaking this consultative forum was to concretize strategies for enhancing partnerships, defining areas of collaboration and harmonizing programs for strengthening women networks among farmers, agro-dealers, agents and producers at regional and national levels.

Police in Germany has reconstructed the final moments of Emeka Okornkwo, who was stabbed to death by two men from Eritrea last weekend.

Detectives investigating the case said that the incident took place when two women left a night club early Sunday morning to catch a train at a nearby station in Frankfurt. The 29- year- old and 43- year-old females were waiting for their train when they were approached by two Eritreans who verbally harassed them demanding sex.

As the verbal assaults got worse, one of the Eritreans started spitting at the females. This is when Nigerian Emeka Okornkwo came to the women’s aid walking up between the victims and their attackers. After a short fight one of the Eritreans pulled out a knife and stabbed the Nigerian aiming at the left side of his chest.

The Nigerian collapsed immediately and died later in Hospital from the knife wounds to his heart. Last Thursday police arrested a 34-year-old Eritrean who is supposed to be the stabber. His 24-year-old companion was freed as no charges had been filed against him.

There are few things that inspire me more than hearing the stories of others and how their personal journeys birth amazing ideas that they couragelously bring forth to the world. Because of this I always thought I would have more interviews in this space featuring creative goddesses, but for whatever reason it hasn’t happened until now.

I met Viva in 2006 when we worked together in a highly creative, yet very corporate environment. You know how when you meet certain people you just get a feeling that they are destined for greatness? Well, I felt that way about Viva.

I remember when we worked together that I would always keep a notebook with me because she would say these things that were so funny and quote-worthy that I would have to write them down. When she started telling me about her ideas for Inheritrea, I could feel the passion radiating from her and have been so inspired watching her turn a beautiful dream into a reality. I was so honored when she agreed to let me interview her here in my tiny space. I hope you can all see the beauty in her as well.… and no joke, these are the softest t-shirts i have ever felt.

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Hi Viva, I am so happy to be able to talk to you today about Inheritrea and introduce you to those who come to this space. Thank you for taking the time to talk with me and answer some questions.

Hi Stace!  Thank YOU for taking an interest in what Inheritrea is all about.

Tell us about Inheritrea. What does the name mean and what is the mission of your business?

The name merges the word, “inherit” and, “Eritrea” to capture the idea of truly cherishing what has been left to us by generations past.  My family is from Eritrea, a small country on the east coast of Africa that has a long and triumphant history.  So, for Eritreans like myself, it may mean our language, culture, traditions; but it’s such a universal theme!  For others, it may mean their maiden name, inheriting the Earth, even family recipes.  In essence, I wanted Inheritrea to be a source of pride for Eritreans, but also serve as a way to educate the rest of the world about Eritrea and be a reminder of how we all share many more similarities than differences.  So, that’s the philosophical translation.  How am I planning to achieve such a lofty goal?  That’s easy: t-shirts!  Our mission statement reads as follows:

Our mission is clear.
Inheritrea aims to give Eritreans, and friends of Eritrea, the opportunity to SOW SEEDS OF PROGRESS. We seek to accomplish this by marketing high–quality apparel inspired by the richness of our culture and the fortitude of those that came before us. Net proceeds of Inheritrea are channeled to non–profit organizations and charities that support the further development of the State of Eritrea.

When did you first conceive the idea of Inheritrea and how long did it take you to launch from conception to reality?

This is always such a challenging question to answer because I think that on some level I always knew I would pursue a project like this.  My mother and siblings emigrated to the states right before I was born so I had never been to Eritrea until the summer of 2008.  That trip came at a time when I was really asking myself what I wanted my future to look like and, through an arduous and emotional journey, I found my answer.  Visiting Eritrea prompted me to find a way to give back to Eritrea, a country that has been so overlooked by mainstream media.  It was several months before I got the actual idea for Inheritrea.  I attended a concert of the hip-hop artist K’naan and was truly moved by one of the songs he performed – “Waving Flag.”  The next morning the idea for Inheritrea was born.  That was February 2009 so it took close to a year to launch the webstore.

I know you are a non-profit organization so how are you funding your business?

I would love to say that I have dozens of contributors, but the truth is that so far it’s been a one-woman show!  From funding to designing to photographing shirts to shipping them out, it’s just been me.  I know you can relate to this!

I must say that I’ve had loads of support from unexpected places, which has been the most encouraging.  It reminds of the line from The Alchemist: “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it.”  So dope.

How are you marketing yourself to get your name out into the world.

So far, I’ve been trying to get some exposure on different blogs and sites related to non-profit causes but it’s been a slow-moving process.  I recently set up shop at a charity event and got some great feedback so part of me thinks this will be the more fruitful route in the future.  The spring and summer is actually full of many Eritrean events and celebrations that I’ll be excited to attend, as well.  I really feel that the shirts need to be seen and felt in person to truly appreciate.  Lately, I’ve also been toying with the idea of starting a blog to share more about who I am, how this idea came to be, etc.  I’ll have to take a poll and see how many people would actually read it!

I would definitely read it and am sure many others would as well.

What has been the most rewarding aspect for you so far of starting your own business? What about the most challenging?

As I mentioned earlier, I think the most heart-warming and rewarding part of this has been the unexpected support.  Former bosses, past co-workers, friends from high school – all people that bought an Inheritrea tee or even just took a few moments to write an encouraging email.  When you’re working on something in your own little bubble it’s hard to know how it’s going to be received so a few words really do go a long way!  I hope to make our first contribution to the National Union of Eritrean Women at the end of summer, so I expect that will be rank pretty high up on my “proudest moments” scale.  On the flip side, self-promotion has never really been my strongest skill so I’ve had to remind myself that this is a cause that I believe very deeply in and use that as my motivation to say, “Hey, guess what I’m working on…”

I know your background is in fashion, how much of your prior knowledge in the industry help you while you were designing your line? Did you learn some new things with this endeavor.

Yes, my first “grown-up” job after college was for a manufacturer in downtown Los Angeles that also did in-house screen-printing.  I learned so much there.  Like don’t wear a Napoleon Dynamite t-shirt on a day when you’ve got meetings with partners.  Not that that happened to me or anything.  Seriously though, my position was in customer service and working with sales representatives across the country.  I did get knowledge on fabrics, screen-printing, and merchandising techniques that has really helped with creating Inheritrea.  But since my background was much more based in the business aspect of the industry, I’ve essentially been really working on developing a more creative eye, particularly on the graphics side of things.  To give you an idea of where I was at when I started – I had NEVER worked on Illustrator before and have been teaching it to myself!  I’m really enjoying viewing the world differently.  I’ve gotten inspiration for future graphics from things that used to be mundane – even being stuck in traffic!

I absolutely adore my Inheritrea logo t-shirt, it’s incredibly soft and the fit is one of the most flattering I have ever worn. Can you tell us a bit about what went into the actual design process for your shirts from graphics to the yummy fit, they really are the perfect t-shirt in many ways.

You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear that!  Quality is VERY important to me.  I knew that if this project was going to be successful, fit and fabric had to be just right.  So, I started my hunt for the perfect tee.  I ordered several different styles before I found the Holy Grail of t-shirts – Alternative Apparel.  I fell deeply in love with the fit of their Organic Scoop Neck Tee.  I adore the open neck line since I am usually the girl you see stomping around in the shirt with the neck cut out of it!  It’s the softest organic cotton I’ve ever felt.  And, on a selfish note, I needed the shirt to be nice and long.  I’m close to 5’10” so didn’t want a tee that I was going to have to keep tugging at!  Since I’ve had friends of all shapes comment on how flattering the silhouette is, I know I made the right choice.

When I received my t-shirt it came with a beautiful postcard filled with all sorts of inspiring quotes and sayings. Where did these come from?

Honestly, Stacy – sometimes at home alone, I’ll catch myself gazing at that card when I need a boost of hope and inspiration.  And the lovely thing about it is that many of those quotes were collected when I asked dozens of friends to answer the question, “what is your inheritance?”  They’re true and honest answers from real people in my life.

I incorporated some Eritrean references and words in Tigrinya, our native language.  It’s so powerful to see it all in print.  And that’s exactly the type of feeling that I want to continue to capture with Inheritrea.

Do you have any advice or tips for others who are wishing to start their own businesses?

As corny as it sounds, (cue the violins) I think the most important thing is to follow your heart!  I would have wanted to give up a million times if this wasn’t something that I felt the world needed.  Next, I’d say organization is key.  I always thought I was an organized person until I started this project.  The earlier you start with that, the better – trust me!  And you actually recommended The Seed Handbook, which has been an invaluable tool.  If you’re interested specifically in starting a non-profit endeavor, check out Starting and Building a Non-Profit:  A Practical Guide.  It’s really direct and easy to follow.  And lastly, I’m learning to cut myself some slack.  Mistakes are going to happen and, when they do, do your best not to get bogged down in “coulda, woulda, shoulda.”  Just pick up, be joyous, and do good work.

Thank you so much Viva for taking the time to share a bit about your wonderful, heart-filled company. I adore your passion and vibrancy and wish you wild success.

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If you are interested in your wearing your own Inheritrea organic cotton yummy softeness t-shirt that promotes awareness of the country of Eritrea visit http://www.inheritrea.bigcartel.com/

Unicef

UNICEF launched last Thursday an appeal for US$1.2 billion in support for children and women in 28 countries that have been identified critical in the UNICEF Humanitarian Action Report 2010.

According to the report, UNICEF would need $24.8 million for funding programs in Eritrea that help addressing problems of impoverished children throughout 2010.

In comparison, Somalia needs $65.5 million and Ethiopia $68.6 million for the current year.

Critical Issues for Children and Women in Eritrea

Poor and erratic rainfall characterized much of the first half of 2009 in Eritrea, a country located in one of the driest parts of Africa and where seasonal rains are vital for subsistence. The worsening situation has been compounded by the effects of high food prices which have impacted heavily on the coping mechanisms of many households, pushing an increasing number of people into displacements and forcing women and children to live or work on the streets. Malnutrition is on a stark rise as a result, with admissions to therapeutic feeding centres as much as six times higher in 2009 than last year. The presence of landmines in Eritrea remains a major threat, with children comprising around half of the casualties and fatalities caused by the detonation of unexploded ordnance.

Planned Humanitarian Action for 2010 in Eritrea

In addition to working to reduce levels of moderate and severe malnutrition and to meet the needs of over 1 million displaced and relocated persons, host communities and other vulnerable populations, UNICEF is planning to increase its preparedness to provide immediate response to emergencies in partnership with the Government of Eritrea, local administrations and United Nations agencies. UNICEF also leads the Nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene and Education Clusters, and the Child Protection Sub-Cluster, and participates in the Health and Protection Clusters. Joint United Nations programmes will continue to address the needs of resettlement areas holistically. Following are expected results of UNICEF emergency interventions:

Health and Nutrition: As cluster lead in nutrition, UNICEF will respond to the needs of over 1 million people, especially children and pregnant or lactating women, with therapeutic and supplementary feeding to prevent further deterioration in their already poor nutritional status.

Blanket supplementary feeding, initiated in late 2009, will continue into 2010 in the three most drought-affected regions of Anseba, Gash-Barka and Southern Red Sea as a priority.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH): The UNICEF-led WASH Cluster will tackle the problem of access to safe water and sanitation facilities among 80,000 people living in drought-affected areas and displaced resettlement communities by building and rehabilitating water supply systems, as well as providing emergency supplies. The WASH Cluster will also improve the coordination of emergency preparedness in terms of planning and in the pre-positioning of supplies.

Education: A total of 4,100 primary-school-aged children in two of the most affected displaced resettlement areas will have access to a safe, protected and child-friendly learning environment through the construction of classrooms equipped with sanitation, water storage facilities and the provision of learning materials to ensure resumption and continuation of their education.

Child Protection: UNICEF will focus on the needs of at least 2,000 children made vulnerable to exploitation and abuse by food shortages. Support will include the establishment of drop-in centres and several child-friendly facilities that offer psychosocial care, vocational training, family tracing and reunification assistance for separated or unaccompanied children.

Mine Action: UNICEF’s primary concern is for the safety of those currently living in some 480 areas impacted by mines and unexploded ordnance. At least 180,000 students will have access to mine risk education, either in school or via community-based mobile teams. Mine or unexploded ordnance survivors, including children with disabilities, will benefit from increased levels of psychosocial support and vocational training.

Rural Eritrea

Females carrying heavy items on their heads is a common picture in Africa. Eritrean Women in rural areas use to carry wood and fetch water from approximately 2 to 5 kilometres distance from their home.

Carrying a 20 litres jerrycan could be quite exhaustive and a time consuming task for a woman, which has to take care of children and household at the same time.

In 1994 Stefanie Christmann travelled to Eritrea to conduct a scientific research. This was the first time she encountered women carrying heavy items on their heads or shoulders, while having babies on their back, a typical African fashion.

In astonishment Stefanie asked the women: “Don’t you have donkeys?” to emphasis that this work could have been done by donkeys. However, the reply she got back was: ”We are the donkeys!”

When she returned back home from her research in Eritrea, she planned to help the women, by raising money for the National Union of Eritrean Women (NUEW). The NUEW used the money to buy and distribute the donkeys to the females in need.

The first donkeys were delivered to rural areas in the Gash-Barka region in 1996 and later on in 1998 to the Sahel Province in the north of Eritrea. Indeed the project was still expanding to the Southern Red Sea Province as well as highlands, south of Asmara, during the war (May 1998 to June 2000).

In 2007 the project also expanded to other regions such as Nepal in the Himalayas. Especially women who raised their children on their own or came from a family with a very poor background were the ones benefiting from this project.

The value of one donkey was equivalent to $US126 as a start-up capital investment. This was because, the women started to deploy the donkeys for transporting and selling water, wood and grass for livestock for other people.

The return gained was then reinvested into launching small scale vegetable and brewery businesses as well as constructing houses for them selves and others. In this way, the project had become a microfinance system which enabled ordinary females to become successful entrepreneurs.

Moreover, played a important role in transforming the traditional perception of females in rural areas. It demonstrated that women can support themselves being self-reliant and independent in a male dominated society. 

Back then in 1994, no one would have imagined that such a simple idea could have created that much impact and added value to the livelihoods of females in poverty. However, according to the donkey project authorities as well as the NUEW work on the project has been brought to a halt until further notice.

The donkey project was evidence that some times small but innovative ideas could be more efficient than projects undertaken by big NGOs with enormous amount of money.