Innovative CSI On Fleek

By Seneo Setilo Matlapeng

“FASHION IS THE ARMOR TO SURVIVE EVERYDAY LIFE,” -Bill Cunningham

Colourful People Entertainment has taken Cunningham's quote in the literally. Founder and Events Director of Colourful People Entertainment, David Letshwiti, shares how the company has come up with an innovative and artistic event that aims to uplift the lives of the underprivileged in Botswana through his shared love for African music. The

African Attire on Fleek event is not just a celebration of the creativity of African garments and style but bears the purpose is of leaving a positive impact on the lives of the underprivileged through entertainment.

David Letshwiti, Founder & Director of African Attire on Fleek

AFRICAN ATTIRE ON FLEEK CONCEPTION The past two years have forced humanity to adapt to life as we once knew it, as we started to hear the term "The new normal," more than ever before. Fast track to the year 2022, as we try to slowly return to life before the scourge of Covid-19, realizing just how much we missed the small things like getting dressed up for an event or raising funds for charity with friends. In a way, Covid-19 has made us more thankful and thoughtful. According to Letshwiti, what better way to show this than through dance and celebration? And that is what the African Attire on Fleek event aims to do.

In 2019 Colourful People Entertainment came up with an initiative that would showcase the diversity and wealth of Africa through song, dress, food, language, and history.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Social Impact Through the African Attire on Fleek event, Colourful People Entertainment was able to initiate several charitable projects such as the 'Take a child to school' project, which is a school shoes donation drive where 60 pairs of shoes were donated. The company has also started a community-building initiative dubbed, 'Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention,' popularly known as ASAP Dance Competition. The campaign's sole aim is to provide socio-economic and psycho-social support for individuals whose lives have been affected by substance and alcohol abuse. The company also works with social work offices to identify the deepest needs of various communities across different administrative districts in Botswana.

So far, the communities that have benefited from the African Attire on Fleek event are those in Francistown, Boatle, Palapye, and Gaborone where the event has been held.

CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT Letshwiti asserts that the event also has an edutainment element to it. And by adding a golden circle at the festival themed 'Interchangeably,' a specific tribe will be the main attraction of the show, its food, fashion, language, and history are shared in more depth with people from other tribes to appreciate and learn various cultures.

The African Attire on Fleek event has been ground-breaking in uniting diverse tribes by bringing them to one arena where they share, laughter, love, and experiences. We have also started seeing its effects and influence across borders to other African countries. The event invites artists from other African countries to come and share their cultures and art, allowing both local and international artists to sync their spaces, further collaborating to foster the unity of Africans in the region.

Colourful People Entertainment also works to hone in on morality as they believe it is nurtured through acts of kindness, and they want to use entertainment to birth kindness. "We do this by hosting these African Attire events to send a message that as Africa; only we can come together and do it because aside from the borders, the diverse dialects, the stereotype, and the colonisation, Africa is one. We must do it for ourselves, our children, and our future generation because our forefathers did it for us," explained Letshwiti.

GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY He further shares that as an immediate project to be actioned, his team has decided to engage with fashion and textiles graduates who are new from technical colleges to put their skills into good use and earn from it. The plan is to influence the patrons of the colourful event to use the textiles and designs services offered by the graduates, and this will give them direct market exposure and help them create a client database. It will also help by contributing to the government's efforts to curb unemployment in Botswana. To achieve this, his team will provide start-up resources for a select few in the form of fabrics, household sewing machinery and further engage with already established fashion designers to hire some of the graduates and grow the fashion industry.

To create sustainability, growth, and maximizing opportunities, Letshwiti shares that fashion weeks building up to the African Attire on Fleek fashion event will form part of their mid-year plan at the start of the year to ensure year-round activities in the local fashion sphere and beyond.