"I had to drop out of high school one year shy of completing my studies, so I never got to graduate with my friends," says 22-year-old Angela Nzilani. As the second-oldest child of seven, she was forced to abandon her studies at seventeen years old and instead work to support her family. "My parents could not afford to have two children in high school, and as the oldest, it was easier for me to get a job that could help pay for my younger sister's education," recalls Angela.
Now, five years later, Angela stands beaming with pride at a graduation ceremony after successfully completing a six-month training course in fashion and design. She is one of 13 young women from vulnerable backgrounds selected to take part in a first-of-its-kind program that aims to provide young women in Kenya and Ghana with valuable knowledge and practical skills in the fashion industry. The program, dubbed "Fashion Expressions: The Stories She Wears," is an initiative of UNFPA and Prada Group that aims to promote gender equality through women's economic empowerment.
During the training, the trainees learn sketching, pattern cutting, fabric dyeing, garment stitching, and finishing, among other techniques required to execute garment designs. "I have always wanted to work in the fashion industry, and being able to showcase clothes that I have made from start to finish is like a dream come true," says Angela.
Angela is proud of the skills she learned at the Kitui County Textile Center (KICOTEC), where she and the rest of the training cohort spent the last six months under the tutelage of the center's team of fashion experts, led by the Factory Manager and designer Bonface Ndunda.
"We have seen incredible growth not only in fashion industry skills but also in confidence and self-esteem among the trainees," says Mr. Ndunda. The young women also participate in education sessions on personal growth, career development, prevention and response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV), as well as sexual and reproductive health education. These sessions aim to equip participants with valuable skills needed to help combat harmful social norms and practices that drive gender inequality, including female genital mutilation and child marriage.
Following the successful completion of the training course and subsequent graduation, the young women have embarked on a three-month apprenticeship at leading fashion houses in Kenya, where they will work on honing their skills under the guidance of top Kenyan designers Carole Kinoti, Liz Njoroge, Neomi Ngangá, and Peggy Onyango.
The trainees also receive a start-up kit, which includes a sewing machine and capital to help them launch their small businesses. "I am passionate about sustainable fashion and want to explore working with recycled materials to create great clothes for my future clients," says Angela.
She also hopes to mentor and train young women in her community who, like her, did not have an opportunity to finish their education. "This experience has taught me that given the right skills and opportunity, girls like myself can find a way out of poverty and live a happy and productive life," she says.
