France invests in Malawian creatives
Chimwemwe Mkwezalamba and Rafik Selemani of Kwacha Creative Studios and Terrence Ngulube of Terry Made Designs have been named among 12 finalists in the Creation Africa Programme that France supports.
The Embassy of France in South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi, along with the French Institute of South Africa (Ifas), announced the finalists at a media breakfast event in South Africa on Tuesday.
Launched in 2023 by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the programme focuses on the cultural and creative industries in 16 African countries to invest in entrepreneurship and creative industries in areas of fashion, design, audio-visual, video games and music.
Speaking, during the breakfast, Ambassador David Martinon commended the talents who have progressed to the final incubation and immersion phase of the initiative.
“Business acceleration programmes in the cultural and creative industries such as Creation Africa are crucial for nurturing creative talent. I am convinced that investments in ecosystems, skills development and innovation can drive productivity and competitiveness, leading to sustainable economic growth and job creation across our nations,” he said.
Kwacha Creative Studios is a film production and distribution company producing Malawian films while Terry Made Designs is a fashion enterprise renowned for innovative and culturally inspired fashion.
In an interview yesterday, Ngulube expressed gratitude for being among the finalists, noting that the opportunity represents Malawi’s creative potential on the international level.
“I’m excited to be on board with the other 11 finalists. It shows that we have a lot to offer and it is something that is going to change the game for us and help us raise the Malawian flag as we look forward to breaking through international markets,” he said.
On the other hand, Kwacha Creative Studios founder Mkwezalamba said the programme will help to put emphasis on art in general as a viable entrepreneurship sector that others can consider investing in.
“The creative industry is overlooked in Malawi, but this has emerged as a game-changer for us to explore the entrepreneurial opportunities in the creative sector since it is opening international markets for us,” she said.
In addition, Kwacha Creative Studios co-founder, Selemani said the programme is also promoting collaborations among local and international creatives, which are crucial to the growth of the creative sector.
During the programme, the finalists will embark on a five-month incubation journey designed to empower them. They will further be given an opportunity to learn from French and international industry leaders in the creative sector.
