For the many who begin their career in one sector and carved a major niche in that area but seek to venture into another sector which is not directly linked to the former, that transition can become tricky. Why? If it is not done well, all that has been built over the years is gone and one cannot move forward with the new identity. You are stuck.
But Victoria Michaels, CEO of Fashion Connect Africa Garment Factory, a fast growing textile manufacturing business has found the perfect combination to move on from a model to a full scale entrepreneur, running a successful business in manufacturing and a humanitarian, who is working with other partners to help the disadvantaged in society equally fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
The garment factory is part of businesses under the Fashion Connect Africa (FCA) Limited brand, which seeks to promote African fashion creatives on the world stage, so they can achieve the global recognition they deserve.
In a conversation with the B&FT, the business leader noted that she turned a year older today but instead of throwing a huge party to have fun with family and friends, she instead donated the funds to the recently launched 1 Million Masks Project by her FCA Ltd to mark her birthday.
“I am not insensitive and ignorant of the times we are in. Many have died from the spread of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic so why party? It is my duty as a patriotic citizen to protect and inform the public through my Platform Africa Literacy Development Initiative, the flagship programme of Victoria Michaels Foundation.
The funds that would have gone into organizing a party have been donated towards the production of more masks for those in the deprived communities and this makes me proud of myself,” she said.
The One Million Facemasks Project for Rural Communities is aimed at providing facemasks to residents in rural communities to help curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. The project will involve the production and distribution of quality face masks to rural communities.
Through this project, more people will be engaged to help produce and distribute the facemasks. This will ensure that they have a source of income for a period of time and are empowered to provide for their ends meet.
So far, donations and contributions have been made towards the production of about 81,200 masks out of which 48,750 has been distributed already. Production is still ongoing at the Fashion Connect Africa Garment Factory thanks to partners such as the American Chamber of Commerce Ghana (Amcham), European Union, Blue Space Africa, College-For-Ama, Soccabet, BOJ Garment Factory Ghana, Altimate Advertising, 1647 Garment Factory Ghana and others.
“The best birthday present anyone would give me is a donation towards this life changing Project. Please donate so we can collectively protect the deprived in the rural areas especially now that election is around the corner,” she appealed.
The launch of the project which came off at the Accra Marriot Hotel recently saw in attendance Ambassador Diana Acconcia, Head of European Union Delegation to Ghana; Gifty Twum Ampofo, Deputy Minister for Education and MP for Abuakwa; Ayesha Bedwei, President of the American Chamber of Commerce and Partner at PwC and Dr. Baffour Awuah, Representative of the Minister of Health.
The rest were Nana Brame Okai II, Chief of Mpehuasem; Daniel Agama, Company Secretary of Zenith Bank Ghana; Simon Madjie, Executive Secretary of AMCHAM; Actress Martha Ankomah; Kweku Bediako of Chocolate Clothing; Samuel Amanor, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Space Africa; Kojo Soboh, Executive Director of EMY Africa; Kofi Okyere Darko (KOD), Chief Executive Officer of Nineteen57 by KOD; Actress Nana Ama MacBrown; Elikem Kumodzi, the Tailor, and several others.
