Burundi: A fashion show, made out of recycled waste
The “Kamenge Drop” in northern Bujumbura celebrates local youths’ talent – and showcases innovative ways of using recycled waste to create something new and aesthetic.
In Burundi, despite a number of initiatives, waste recycling is still not widely developed. But at the Kamenge Youth Centre in northern Bujumbura, a designer and artist is determined to explore a new path to more recycling and less environmental pollution.
Her solution: a fashion show.
During a ten-day training programme as part of Green Diplomacy Week, Manuela Minka coached twelve young designers to create their own collections.
The highlight: presenting their creations during a fashion show.
“Recycling allows us to see that if we look at a bottle or waste differently, we can transform it. Above all, we must take care of our mother, the Earth,” explains Minka.
For the young designers, the programme is a success. Apart from learning how to create their outfits from plastic waste or discarded mosquito nets, many have also come to see waste differently.
“If you make something out of these materials, or turn them into different objects, you can earn money from them,” says Arsène Irakoze, one of the participants.
In the audience as well, youngsters have been inspired to create beautiful things out of what is commonly thrown away – and some can even imagine a career in fashion for themselves.
The “Kamenge Drop”, as imagined by Manuela Minka, seems to have accomplished its mission.
