Share Your Story at Afrika Handmade 2017

Since 2012, we have been hosting artisans and designers for information exchange sessions.

Tens of sessions and a few thousand entrepreneurs later, we are convinced that every business owner has a story worth sharing. And worth listening to.

Afrika Handmade symposium 2017 is about celebrating these unique, powerful stories of challenges, successes and aspirations. Slated for 3 November, we have decided that instead of selecting speakers as we have done in the past, we will invite YOU to share your story with us.

About the presentations

We are looking for ten (10) speakers who will recharge and inspire us with stories of what they are doing and how they are doing it.

Each presentation will be allotted a maximum of 30 minutes (including Q&A). We are looking for informality, a peer-to-peer learning environment, so there is no absolute need for a Powerpoint presentation. The main focus is on sharing real life, practical stories with the aim of learning from each other in a non-competitive environment.

We have included theme ideas below, though they are not by any stretch exhaustive. If what you would like to share is outside this scope, let us know! We are keen to listen to your ideas!

If, instead of an individual presentation you would like to host a panel or present as a duo or trio, let us know this too and we will see how best to accommodate.

Theme ideas

  • Distributing handmade products: What works best? (brick and mortar store, Ecommerce, popup stores, craft fairs etc)
  • Creating loyalty within your workforce
  • Managing cashflow
  • Branding on the cheap: Affordable branding ideas for micro enterprises
  • Developing product lines: How do I expand my inventory?
  • Finding markets across the border: Where should I begin?
  • Keeping track of the macro environment: For example, what does the eradication of plastic bags mean for the hundreds of artisans weaving baskets out of them?

Some of the proposals we have received to date 

  1. How we bought a successful leather company – We will hear from two ladies who recently bought a successful fashion accessories company lock, stock and barrel
  2. Managing a concept retail outlet: This company has been expanding rapidly over the last number of years, opening stores in 4 major malls. What are the building blocks of their growth?
  3. Product gaps in the Kenyan artisan and design scene: Thinking of starting an artisan enterprise or diversifying? These are the products you should be thinking of
  4. Corporate gifting: The untapped goldmine – We learn from a lady minting millions designing and producing corporate gifts

Want to share your story?

Send us a brief proposal [craft@craftafrika.org] with the following information

  • Name of presenter
  • Short company profile with website/Facebook links
  • Proposed topic of presentation
  • Key points you wish to convey
  • When you would like to make your presentation (morning or afternoon)
  • What you want the audience to take away from your presentation

Once we receive your proposal, we will get in touch with the next steps. Remember, there is no right or wrong, superior or less superior story. Your experiences are unique and you never know who you will inspire when you share them.

Deadline for receiving proposals is 6 October 2017.

Information on the registration process and the costs of attending the symposium will be available in October (presenters are not required to pay). Venue of the symposium is at the Village Market.

If you would like clarification on any issue, feel free to reach out to us via mail.