Threads of Transformation: Weaving New Futures in the DR Congo
Threads of Transformation is an innovative program launched in September 2024 by Business for Better Society (BBS) in collaboration with UK-based designer Ms. Saskia Lenaerts and Remember Youth for Change (RYC) in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
This initiative aims to empower youth affected by conflict through fashion, entrepreneurship, and storytelling.
Program Overview
The program combines skill development, creative expression, and entrepreneurship to help participants reimagine their futures:
- Skill Development: Participants learn design processes, sketching, and garment repurposing techniques.
- Creative Transformation: Students repurpose historically significant garments, symbolically transforming their past experiences.
- Entrepreneurship: Created garments are sold to support the launch of students’ businesses.
Key Components
- Design Leadership: London-based designer Saskia Lenaerts, who has worked with Burberry and Alexander McQueen, leads the project.
- Visual Documentation: Filmmaker Vitoria de Mello Franco is producing a visual project to capture the participants’ transformative journeys.
- Sustainable Impact: The program aims to create a lasting positive change in the community.
Join Us in Funding Phase Two: Collaborative Design and Sustainable Growth
Building upon the success of the pilot program, Phase Two is a 16-week initiative focused on collaborative design and building a sustainable future for the apprentices.
Your support can directly impact this phase!
Key Activities & Outcomes:
- Collaborative Design Project: Creating a design product from upcycled uniforms donated by UN personnel.
- Research on Local Artists/Artisans: Each apprentice will investigate a local visual artist or artisan to connect with their Central African heritage.
- High-End Prototyping Skills Development: Finalizing high-end prototypes to luxury standards.
- Marketing Campaign Development: Creating an artistically considered campaign for “Threads of Transformation.”
- Building Sustainable Workshop Infrastructure: Establishing a tailoring workshop in Goma as a creative atelier.
Long-Term Program Outcomes
- Production of a Short Documentary: A captivating short film will be created to showcase the journey of the young apprentices and the impactful work of Remember Youth for Change.
- Cultural Exhibition: An exhibition will celebrate the apprentices’ creations while spotlighting the rich culture and traditions of the DR Congo.
- Comprehensive Business Skills Training: Apprentices will participate a proven entrepreneurship curriculum tailored for individuals with no to limited formal education.
- Establishment of a Creative Atelier in Goma: A dedicated atelier will be opened in Goma, serving as a vibrant hub for creativity, collaboration, and enterprise.
How You Can Help Transform Lives
Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a tangible difference in the lives of these aspiring artisans. Every dollar you donate goes directly towards empowering these individuals to build brighter futures for themselves and their communities.
100% of your donation will go to the cause you support
“Threads of Transformation has opened the minds of our apprentices to new ways of thinking and creating. They are developing skills that will empower them for years to come.” – Bienve Kamwendo, Founder, Remember Youth for Change
“I would like more time with you for our classes, I feel very passionate about what we are doing in the classes and would like to develop more and learn from your ways of working. I am very thankful for this experience, because in my mind there are new thoughts pouring in thanks to the exercises we have done.” – Micheline, Phase One Student
