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THURSDAY 14 AUGUST 2014 • [email protected] • www.thepeninsulaqatar.com • 4455 7741 Avocado pasta inside MARKETPLACE brings simple • Fourth anniversary celebrations at back to summer Quality retail outlets P | 4 P | 7 INTERIOR DESIGN • Right at home: Style tips for off-campus living P | 6 FILM • Guardians of the Galaxy: Marvel’s winning formula P | 8-9 HEALTH • Many meds taken by seniors can raise risk of falls P | 11 RUNAWAYS TECHNOLOGY • How to set up a media server to share photos TO RUNWAY with phones, tablets? P | 12 The muddy streets of Kenya’s crowded Korogocho slums are a far cry from boutiques in Paris, LEARN ARABIC Milan, New York or London. But beneath a tin • Learn commonly roof, workers from some of the country’s poorest used Arabic words communities sew buttons and stitch cloth for top and their meanings international designers in a not-for-profit “ethical fashion” project. P | 13 2 PLUS | THURSDAY 14 AUGUST 2014 COVER STORY ‘Ethical’ fashion changing lives of Africa’s poor By Nichole Sobecki houses like Vivienne Westwood, Fendi and Stella McCartney. he muddy streets It is part of the Ethical Fashion of Kenya’s crowded Initiative (EFI), a project built on a Korogocho slums are a far model of “mutual benefit” that aims cry from the fashion bou- to support poor communities by link- tiques of Paris, Milan, New ing them up with fashion houses and TYork or London. distributors. But beneath a tin roof, workers from Workers on the scheme — a mem- some of the country’s poorest commu- ber of the Fair Labor Association — nities sew buttons and stitch cloth for would take months to earn enough to top international designers, part of a buy some of these luxury goods, which not-for-profit “ethical fashion” project. sell for hundreds of dollars on the high “Before Ethical Fashion, I couldn’t street. educate my children,” said Lucy, sitting But conditions are very far from the in a circle of women, needles in hand sweatshops that muddy some fashion as they deftly sew white seed beads brands, with the UN-backed scheme to the surface of smooth, chocolate- providing decent working conditions, coloured leather. training and — perhaps the clearest “But now I can educate them, and sign of its success — people queueing provide for them anything they need,” up to join looking for work. said the mother of four, in her late 30s. Organisers say some 90 percent From Korogocho, accessories like the of workers in Kenya have improved A worker sewing in Nairobi's Hub workshop, the heart cuffs the women sew are sold in high- their homes, and almost 85 percent of Ethical Fashion Africa, a not-for-profit group. end international boutiques, stamped now provide better food for their with the labels of international fashion families. PLUS | THURSDAY 14 AUGUST 2014 3 A joint effort by the United Nations and World Trade Organization, the initiative has expanded from Kenya to Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Haiti, with plans for future expansion on the continent and in Asia. ‘Not charity, just work’ A joint effort by the United Nations and World Trade Organization, the initiative has expanded from Kenya to Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Haiti, with plans for future expansion on the continent and in Asia. The long journey these bags, clothes and accessories will make has reshaped the lives of women like Lucy. Struggling as a teenager in this tin- shack slum in Kenya’s capital Nairobi, by the age of 16 she had turned to prostitution to survive. With three children of her own, she also cares for her nephew, after her sister died of Aids. Starting out five years ago as a seamstress, Lucy is now a supervisor. the project, it offers a sustainable way The project’s slogan is “not charity, ‘A decent life’ Last year she moved her family out to improve lives. just work.” Workers also use environmentally of Korogocho to a nearby suburb, with “Trade, economic activities, “We call it ethical because we give friendly, often recycled materials, and lower crime rates. Of the more than markets can also be married with a decent job, with decent working their operations are carbon neutral. 5,000 people involved in the initiative human development, with women’s conditions, to very destitute people,” Gonzalez says that for the in Kenya, 90 percent are women. economic development, with poverty Gonzalez added. designers working with the EFI, For Arancha Gonzalez, chief of the reduction,” Gonzalez said on a visit to “First and foremost it gives women economics and ethics need not be International Trade Centre that runs the workshops in Nairobi. dignity.” mutually exclusive. “It’s about making money,” said Gonzalez. “But you can also make profits in a socially sustainable way.” Beyond Vivienne Westwood, brands producing work through the initiative include Karen Walker, Sass & Bide, Stella Jean, United Arrows and other major international houses. Hubs in Nairobi, Accra and Port- au-Prince receive commissions from the designers, provide training and organise the production of bags, jewellery and fabrics by locals. “We talk about responsible fashion as if it were a segment of fashion but it is not, it’s fashion,” said Simone Cipriani, the project’s technical advisor. Though fashion may be fickle, quality endures. By linking skills like sewing and beading with top fashion houses, Ethical Fashion hopes to create products that are both beautiful and meaningful. “We are not talking about those things that you buy because you have a sense of guilt,” Cipriani said. “We are talking about things that you buy because they are beautiful, really gorgeous. But then they have this incredible, positive story behind them, A worker working on a Vivienne the story of people who get a decent life Westwood bag. out of this work, who get a new life.” AFP 4 PLUS | THURSDAY 14 AUGUST 2014 COMMUNITY / MARKETPLACE Masraf Al Rayan organises blood donation campaign asraf Al Rayan held its blood donation campaign for 2014 recently in collaboration Mwith the Unit of Blood Donation at Hamad Medical Corporation. Adel Mustafawi, Group Chief Executive Officer at Masraf Al Rayan, underlined that the blood donation campaign has become an annual event for the bank and the staff to reinforce the principle of raising awareness of the importance of blood donation and its positive impact on public health, and the respon- sibility towards the community. He also talked about the cooperation with HMC to work together in such initiatives for the benefit of the donor and the ben- eficiary alike, and also as part of Masraf Al Rayan’s strategy to enhance the well-being of the community. Nasser Mohamed Raeissi, Assistant General Manager for Human Resources and Administration at Masraf Al Rayan, talked about the success of the humanitarian cause as it helps to save the lives of Rayan have contributed to one of the most important campaign and its role to raise the level of aware- thousands of patients who are in urgent need of blood initiatives that would enhance the health of individu- ness of the importance of blood donation as a noble transfusion, and how the employees of Masraf Al als and thus the community. The Peninsula Fourth anniversary celebrations at Quality retail outlets elebrating its 4th anniversary, Quality retail outlets have rolled Cout its 6th raffle draw promotion for two Mercedes Benz C 180- 2015 model. For every QR 50 spend at Quality Hypermarket — Salwa Road, Quality Centre Department Store — Airport Road and Quality Hypermarket — Industrial Area, customers will be eligible to participate in the lucky draw to own the new 2015 model Mercedes Benz C 180. This promotion will continue till December 13. Also, to mark the fourth anniversary celebrations of Quality Hypermarket, Salwa Road, the store is planning many promotions. Through the ‘Visit And Win’ campaign, quality hypermarket will be giving away 51 gifts ranging from mobile phone, LED television, refrigerator, laptop and microwave oven. All customers who visit Quality Hypermarket during the celebration period from August 13 to August 19 will receive a coupon to participate in this lucky draw. The winners will be elected on the August 21. In the luggage section, there is an Al Emadi Hospital hosts obesity awareness drive exclusive promotion ‘Lucky Luggage’, where for every QR25 spend on lug- l Emadi Hospital hosted a and seek professional expertise on and maintain a healthy lifestyle. gage items, customers will be eligi- two day event that shed some their situation, free of charge. Syed vouched for the competence ble to win 3 iPhone 5s through raffle Alight on obesity awareness. Shaid Mahmoud Syed, Clinical of Al Emadi Hospital, stating that draw. This promotion will be from The International Association for Education Manager at Ethicon, a the hospital provides a balanced August 13 to September 5. The lucky the Study of Obesity stated that 45 part of Johnson and Johnson, stated pro and post surgery experience, draw will be held on September 7. percent of women and 34.6 percent that participating will provide the and that the success rate of the In the health and beauty section, for of men (aged 25-65) in Qatar were patients with useful information surgery itself is very high, and that every QR25 spend on Maryaj products obese in 2003. about bariatric surgery, a procedure most patients have been able to 40 customers stand a chance to win Apple Visitors of Al Emadi Hospital that is performed on patients that to 50 percent of their weight, and Mini iPads. Quality Hypermarket- were encouraged to participate have struggled with obesity their successfully maintain the weight Salwa road will have amazing offers and find out their body mass index whole lives, and are seeking surgery loss.

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