Current Date: 29 Mar, 2024

Magnum Launches Fashion Brand ‘AWA’ to Support Cocoa Farming Communities in Cote d’Ivoire

Magnum Launches Fashion Brand ‘AWA’ to Support Cocoa Farming Communities in Cote d’Ivoire

AWA by Magnum is unveiled by Magnum ice cream with a campaign by LOLA MullenLowe to celebrate Magnum’s upscaling female empowerment programme all over their Cote d’Ivoire cocoa farming communities in collaboration with partners and NGOs through Magnum’s supply chain network, like CARE International and 100WEEKS.

The programme (AWA by Magnum) provides women that are in the cocoa farming communities with entrepreneurship and literacy skills, funding, and  Village Savings and Loan Association infrastructure.

This will help the women to establish themselves financially and independently and provide training to further their economic understanding and a lasting impact.

Individuals that participate in the AWA programme will have savings 12 times more compared to the benchmark in Cote d’Ivoire.

Furthermore, the first cohort of Magnum’s female empowerment programme graduates has successfully established businesses like food retail and fashion retail, with about 74% (three quarter) of people in the programme has expanded their income-generating activities already.

Women play an important role in Cote d’Ivoire cocoa farming communities. In order to support them, Magnum is increasing their voices and work while providing awareness of its long-term strategy and empowering them financially and socially this World Cocoa & Chocolate Day.

The empowerment program is brought to life by AWA, Magnum’s first digital ambassador.

2022 is the first cohort of the programme graduates. Beyond this, AWA will inform others with the achievement stories from the programme and how, by empowering them socially and economically, the women have succeeded in diversifying their income.

AWA will model a fashion collection of limited-edition created in partnership with Rebecca Zoro, making use of local materials that are inspired by her Ivorian culture and heritage. The 5-piece collection will be available for purchase from October 1, 2022, via the AWA by Magnum Online Store.

Rebecca, speaking about her collaboration with Magnum, what inspired the collection, growing up around and in cocoa farming communities, said: “Since my early childhood, I have always been passionate about the strength, beauty, and work of Ivorian women. Today, I highlight this love through my creations. The inspirational trips inside Cote d’Ivoire as part of this project allowed me to “see” and especially to “feel” the positive impact that female entrepreneurship can have on our local communities. AWA by Magnum is a dream come true.”

Funds generated from the collection sales will go towards developing additional impact programmes led by Magnum in Côte d’Ivoire.

By the end of the year, six hundred women would have passed through the programme.

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Excellence Chukwuma Chukwunaedu

Excellence Chukwuma Chukwunaedu

I enjoy marketing, technology and business. I help businesses and brands connect with their ideal customer profiles and build products that excite them and solve their problems.