19 Dec 2024 Historians tell us that Christmas has been celebrated since the 2nd century, so it certainly has staying power. But is it sustainable, in the sense that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs? In many ways, the answer is no. It encourages overconsumption of resources, increases household waste (including food waste), its packaging and shipping has a high carbon footprint, and its emphasis on spending accentuates significant disparities between socioeconomic groups. Surely we can do better? That was the question the V&A Waterfront leadership team asked in 2019, and its answer was that year’s first Joy from Africa to the World celebration, which replaces single-use decorations around our coastal neighbourhood in Cape Town with the work of hundreds of local crafters, makers and artists. Five years later, the impact has been amazing. We have supported well over 400 crafters, some of whom have stitched, woven and welded reusable installations which have become firm favourites with our regular visitors. Instead of consuming plastic, the decorations have reused hundreds of tons of it from the V&A recycling centre. And through Joy from Africa the crafters have found new clients, including the operators of cruise ships that dock at the Waterfront. This is sustainability in action: crafters using sustainable materials and techniques to create sustainable products that make their businesses sustainable … and so the virtuous circle continues to turn. At the same time, Joy from Africa has helped to change the narrative that African crafts are merely decorative or outdated. It has shown that they represent legacy, practicality, innovation and opportunity. Sustainability journey It’s no accident that Joy from Africa was conceived at the V&A. Our journey towards sustainability started in 2008, and it’s become a fundamental value that guides us as we continue to build the shared value ecosystem in which we work with multiple stakeholders, including our tenants, residents and visitors, to support each other and address complex challenges. In October we celebrated the 10th birthday of one of our success stories, The Watershed. Home to 150 crafters and designers, it is a talent incubator that gives tenants exposure to the millions of local and international visitors the Waterfront welcomes annually. Over the past decade, many Watershed tenants have gone on to bigger things, at the V&A and elsewhere, and it’s been heart-warming to hear the stories of success that have followed our decision to create this unique space where we can introduce the world to the passion, skill and innovation of Africa. The first Joy from Africa drew heavily on the talents of Watershed tenants – some of the 400-plus small businesses that operate at the Waterfront. We incubate these entrepreneurs – assisting them with anything from how to file a tax return to how to run social media channels – support their product development and offer accelerator programmes. And for many of them, Joy from Africa has been an important milestone on the path to success. But the story doesn’t stop there. Sustainable African design at the Waterfront moved to a new level in 2022 with the opening of AAFRICAA in the revamped Albert Mall. Cathy O’Clery, the creative director behind Joy from Africa, is also the creative driving force behind the store, which has become a hit with visitors for its high-end home décor created with sustainable skills, techniques and materials while benefiting crafters by providing them with a retail outlet. There are wonderful stories behind the products stocked by AAFRICAA. Afrographic, for example, which began as a creative collaboration between local graphic artists and skilled artisans from Cape Town’s informal settlements, now sells its handcrafted leather keyrings in 100 shops worldwide. And its international expansion followed a chance encounter at a V&A market. Beaded products maker MonkeyBiz, a Joy from Africa stalwart since the start, was the first company to receive an order from AAFRICAA and now has 250 artisans on its books. Human connection International visitors are coming back to the Waterfront in ever greater numbers as the effects of the pandemic fade, and as they do so they are reviving that wonderful side effect of travel: a physical human connection which fuels greater cultural awareness and understanding on all sides. The Watershed, AAFRICAA, Makers Landing with its community of local foodpreneurs, and the hundreds of other small enterprises that make up more than half of the V&A’s tenant mix are the places where these connections are made. Inevitably, they are also the places where foreign tourists make the memories that last. That’s important, because when they go home they will spread the word, sparking interest in our country, our people and our products, encouraging other people to visit, and growing our tourism sector. The Waterfront has seen that in action, with small, medium and micro enterprises recently showing annual growth of 35% in craft and design, and 16% in food and retail. We hope our sustainability journey has another spinoff, too, by encouraging our visitors to reflect on their shopping decisions. Joy from Africa creators, Watershed crafters and AAFRICAA suppliers invariably work with their hands using natural or recycled materials, eschewing mass production and creating items with a story rather than a barcode. They are challenging outdated perceptions about Africa, unlocking economic potential and demonstrating sustainability in a tangible way. This Christmas, if you’re looking for a gift with heart, with meaning, and with real potential to do some good here in Africa, you know where to look! Author: Tinyiko Mageza, Marketing Executive of the V&A Waterfront. Originally published on Daily Maverick, here.
