Zim Designer Shortlisted for Global Awards

Leading Zimbabwean ecological and ethnic-fashion designer Novell Zwangendaba of the famed BlackScissors Ethno Design label, has been shortlisted for the Global Young Social Entrepreneurs’ Competition which runs in all regions of the globe.

The shortlist comprises of selected young people up to 30 years who have set up innovative enterprises that aim to make a revenue as well as positive social impact and that use Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Knowledge as part of their business model.Given the tremendous world interest, GKP had to extend the deadline of the Competition to accomodate more contestants from across the world.

Zwangendaba, an award-winning artist in the UN-sponsored Artists Against Poverty Campaign (AAPAC) has been shortlisted for his Ethno-Eco Fashion Design Project, whose objectives are to advance skills and knowledge of the ecological and ethnic fashion designing through the innovative use of ICTs. In 2005 his project also qualified for financing at the Zimbabwe Culture Fund but Zwangendaba refused to accept the grant "because they did insist on funding some different objects which did not correspond with our project."

This year's Global Young Social Entrepreneurs’ Competition winner will be announced on October the 20th, and will be invited to attend the award presentation ceremony which coincides with theYoung Social Entrepreneurs’ Forum @ GK3, to be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia, 11-13 December 2007.
The event will also run two sessions where ten young social entrepreneurs will ‘pitch’ their enterprises to experts to secure funding. They will also meet various funding organisations such as development aid agencies, commercial banks, CSR investors and venture capitalists; mentors; experts and other stakeholders

The Young Social Entrepreneurs’ Forum is part of the 3rd Global Knowledge Conference (GK3), a GKP Event on the Future on ‘Emerging People, Emerging Markets, Emerging Technologies’ that will bring 2000 participants to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Forum and GK3 are organised by Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP), the world’s leading multi-stakeholder network promoting innovation and advancement in Knowledge for Development and Information and Communication Technologies for Development.

GKP runs the Youth Social Enterprise Initiative (YSEI), a programme dedicated to young social entrepreneurs that offers support in the four key areas of knowledge, networking, mentorship and financing.

By Fiona Stephens

Ethno Design Project
2nd Floor Left Wing 23 South Avenue Harare Zimbabwe
Tel:263-4-737280
Mobile:263-912-989700
Press Contact: Peter Rabvukwa (jr.)

Ethno Design Project is a subsiduary of BlackScissors Investment (PVT) LTD and specialises in ecological and ethnic fashion design. It runs a retail shop and a manufacturing line in the capital, Harare.

This release was published on openPR.