Prada & UNFPA: First-Of-Its-Form Style Coaching Programme In Ghana And Kenya

UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive well being company, and Prada Group, are bringing collectively the Prada Group’s main position within the style trade, and UNFPA’s experience in selling gender equality, in a singular and modern partnership. The pilot programme, Style Expressions: The Tales She Wears, goals to leverage the social and financial energy of style as a automobile to advertise ladies’s empowerment and sexual and reproductive well being in a six-month coaching programme for younger ladies in Ghana and Kenya.

By means of the Style Expressions: The Tales She Wears challenge, 30 younger ladies in Ghana and 15 in Kenya are gaining beneficial expertise and data in a variety of areas, together with style design and manufacturing, with a concentrate on native traditions and kinds, re/upcycled style, conventional textile design, and monetary literacy. The programme additionally gives complete academic periods in sexual and reproductive well being, overlaying matters resembling menstrual well being administration, puberty and prevention of teenage pregnancies. As well as, members obtain coaching within the prevention of and response to gender-based violence, equipping members with beneficial expertise wanted to assist fight dangerous practices, together with feminine genital mutilation and baby marriages.

UNFPA and Prada Group formally entered right into a partnership in 2021 and have been growing this distinctive coaching programme in collaboration with native companions Worldwide Wants (Ghana) and County Authorities of Kitui and the Kitui County Textile Centre (Kenya). UNFPA Ghana and Kenya are additional partnering with established native style manufacturers to facilitate 6-month native industrial attachments guaranteeing long-term employment alternatives.     

Mariarosa Cutillo, Chief of Strategic Partnerships, UNFPA, stated: “UNFPA is working with artistic industries to seek out modern methods to help younger ladies from ‘left behind’ communities to entry their rights and decisions so as to unlock their full potential. Style is a strong platform to offer long-term, sustainable schooling and improvement alternatives internationally. We’re proud to launch our partnership with Prada Group and its folks by means of this impactful programme that focuses on ladies’s financial inclusion, pushes boundaries for sustainable improvement options, and acts as a springboard for additional collaboration within the years to return.”

Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group Advertising Director & Head of Company Social Duty, stated: “This coaching programme displays Prada Group’s perception in style as a power for good. We’re honoured to accomplice with UNFPA on this distinctive challenge to leverage the social and financial energy of our trade to create extra inclusive and equal societies.”

Malika Savell, Chief Variety, Fairness & Inclusion Officer, Prada Group, The Americas stated: “We’re excited to proceed deepening our partnership with UNFPA to mentor and empower the following technology of feminine artists by means of the “Style Expressions: The Tales She Wears” challenge. It’s a privilege for Prada Group to play a task in increasing the alternatives out there to aspiring younger designers from around the globe.”