OUR VOICES | 08/12/23 | SUPER HD
Metadata
- OUR VOICES | 08/12/23 | SUPER HD
- December 8, 2023
- Content Type Program
- Language English
- Transcript/Script EDITED: Vincent Makori OUR VOICES SHOW – Made in China, Takeover of African Textiles LEAD HOST – Simegnish Yekoye TAPING DATE – 12/08/2023 AIRING DATE – 12/08/2023 WELCOME [[Host 3]] [[CAM 1 Simegnish]] Ankara, Kente, Khanga or Shema are some of the most colorful, well-known African Fabrics that are popular across much of the continent. While these hand-woven textiles are treasured for their high cultural values, cheaper Chinese-made fashion products are increasingly penetrating the African market. Hello and welcome to Our Voices – I am Simegnish Yekoye, and I am joined by my co-hosts Auriane Itangishaka and Ginny Niwa. Today we are talking about the impact of Chinese fabrics on Africa’s traditional textile industry. Hello, ladies! You all look beautiful today in your traditional clothing. But do you know if what you are wearing is authentic, locally hand-woven fabrics or Chinese made prints? Does it matter to you? SHORT CHAT [[HOST 1]] [[CAM 3 Auriane]] ===== [[HOST 2]] [[CAM 2 Ginny]] ===== [[HOST 3]] [[CAM 1 Simegnish]] SHOW MAIN INTRO [[HOST 3]] [[CAM 1 Simegnish]] For centuries, Africa has produced handmade, traditional, and colorful fabric designs with elaborate prints, bold patterns, and symbols. These fabrics created from cotton, wool, silk or animal skins convey spiritual and cultural gatherings, community celebrations, and speak to the history of communities. However, cheap Chinese-made African clothing is pushing domestic textile industries out of market. VO On this week’s episode of our voices, we will discuss the influx of Chinese-made African prints and their impact on local textile industries. We will also hear directly from local designers and retailers on how to promote locally produced fabrics and transform Africa’s textile industry to global success. A BLOCK – China’s Takeover of African Textile Industry INTRO – Businesses in Ethiopian Traditional Clothing Market Say Chinese Competition is Unfair [[HOST 1]] [[CAM 3 Auriane]] Businesses in the Ethiopian traditional clothing market say cheaper garments made by Chinese manufacturers is driving them out of work. Kennedy Abate has this report from the capital Addis Ababa, narrated by Vincent Makori. //CUT: Businesses in Ethiopian Traditional Clothing Market Say Chinese Competition is Unfair // INTRO TO SKYPE GUEST + Q & A – Jacqueline Shaw, Director, Africa Fashion Guide [[HOST 3]] [[CAM 1 Simegnish]] Like the Ethiopian business owners, traditional textile makers and designers across the continent also say Chinese imports are not only undermining African domestic industries, but also compromising the traditional value. To discuss this further we invited Jacqueline Shaw, founder, and director of Africa Fashion Guide. Ms. Shaw is also a professional fashion designer and focuses on promoting African fashion and textile industry to the greater global market. Ms. Shaw, joins us via skype from London, thank you so much for joining us. [[HOST 3]] [[CAM 1 Simegnish]] ===== [[HOST 1]] [[CAM 3 Auriane]] ===== [[HOST 2]] [[CAM 2 Ginny]] ===== [[Q&A: SKYPE GUEST – Jacqueline Shaw, Director, Africa Fashion Guide]] TOSS TO FIRST BREAK [[HOST 2]] [[CAMERA 2 Ginny]] Jacqueline Shaw, founder and director of African Fashion Guide, thank you so much for joining us. It’s time for a break -- but we will continue our conversation on china’s impact on Africa’s textile industry and when we comeback we will meet a researcher who specifically studied Nigeria’s textile industry. We also love to hear from you on social media platforms. We are on Facebook, Instagram, and X, formerly known as Twitter, and our handle is at VOA AFRICA. Use the hashtag VOA OUR VOICES. We will be right back! B-Block – African Textile Industry Rising Above the Challenge BACK FROM BREAK SKYPE GUEST + Q & A – Toye Afolabi, Research Assistant, University of North Texas [[Host 3]] [[CAM 1 Simegnish]] Welcome back, you are watching "Our Voices. We are looking at Africa’s traditional textile industry and the challenges it is facing from growing Chinese textile export into the continent. Joining us via skype is Toye Afolabi, Research Assistant at University of North Texas, college of Liberal and Social Sciences. Afolabi studied International Political Science in Comparative Politics where he published his thesis on ‘China-Africa relations - The case of Northern Nigeria Textile Industry’. Afolabi, thank you for joining us. [[HOST 3]] [[CAM 1 Simegnish]] ===== [[HOST 2]] [[CAM 2 Ginny]] ===== INTRO - VOX POP –Kampala, Uganda [[Host 1]] [[CAM 4 Auriane]] Now, let’s hear from some women in the Uganda capital, Kampala about their view on Chinese-made African clothing and, what factors they consider the most when buying traditional clothing - price or quality? We have Charity Ahimbisibwe, Martha Namutebi and Blessing Agnetta in our ‘Your Voice’ segment. [[VOX POP – Rwanda]] [[Host 1]] [[CAM 4 Auriane]] ===== [[HOST 2]] [[CAM 2 Ginny]] ===== [[HOST 3]] [[CAM 1 Simegnish]] // Q&A: SKYPE GUEST: Afolabi Toye, Research Assistant, University of North Texas// GOODBYE [[HOST 3]] [[CAM 1 Simegnish]] This is where we end our show. Thank you, Toye Afolabi, Research Assistant at University of North Texas, for joining us. We also thank Jacqueline Shaw, Director of Africa Fashion Guide who joined us earlier. We also want to thank our editorial and production teams on Our Voices. Will see you again next week with another exciting program. Be sure to continue the conversation on our social media platforms. Until then, thanks for watching! ### (PLAYBOOK SLUG: ETHIOPIA-CHINA TRADITIONAL CLOTHING HEADLINE: Businesses in Ethiopian Traditional Clothing Market Say Chinese Competition is Unfair TEASER: They say cheaper clothing made by Chinese manufacturers is driving them out of work PUBLISHED: BYLINE: Kennedy Abate DATELINE: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA VIDEOGRAPHER: Kennedy Abate VIDEO EDITOR: Kennedy Abate SCRIPT EDITORS: Salem Solomon, KEnochs, DLJ VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA Original PLATFORMS: WEB __TV X RADIO X TRT: 2:42 APPROVED BY: KE EDITOR NOTES: All SOTs have been introduced so it works for radio. For questions and final review, send it back to Africa Division’s senior editor, Salem Solomon, email: salemsolomon@voanews.com, Africa Division’s executive producer, Betty Ayoub, email: bayoub@voanews.com. Style note: Eritrean and Ethiopian names go by the first name on the second reference.)) ((INTRO)) [[Businesses in the Ethiopian traditional clothing market say cheaper garments made by Chinese manufacturers is driving them out of work. Kennedy Abate has this report from the capital Addis Ababa, narrated by Vincent Makori.]] ((NARRATION)) This is Shiro Meda market in Ethiopia’s capital city, Addis Ababa. Most shops here sell Ethiopian traditional clothes that are made of woven cotton. Business owners say they earned a decent income until Chinese companies started producing similar items made of chiffon. Meron Asrat is the owner of a traditional dress shop in Shiro Meda. She says the competition is unfair. [[Radio Track: She says the market has been so frustrating. She doesn't have new buyers except for some of her customers. The chiffons manufactured in China can’t be a replacement for traditional clothes, but people are buying cheaper ones, which she says is slowing down business.]] ((Meron Asrat, Trader) ((Female, in Amharic)) “There are no new buyers except for some of my own customers. The chiffons manufactured in China can’t be a replacement for our traditional clothes. But people are moving towards the cheaper ones from an economic point of view.” ((NARRATION)) Jamil Taha Abdu has a shop next door. He says Chinese-manufactured clothes are hurting the market because of the price difference compared with clothes that are handmade locally. [[Radio Track: He says the Chinese clothes are made from foreign fabrics, but the printout design was taken from Ethiopia. Because Chinese clothes are three or four times cheaper, he says, they can’t compete with them. And people want to spend where there’s a discount because life is a little difficult now.]] ((Jamil Taha, Trader)) ((Male, in Amharic)) “It will be three or four times cheaper. We cannot compete with them. And people want to spend where there’s a discount because life is a little difficult now.” ((NARRATION)) Jamil said the clothes imported from China have created an uneven playing field in the market. But to stay in business, he says that he has started selling Chinese clothes as well. [[Radio track: He says they spent so much time without sleep designing, then in a week the Chinese products flooded the market. That means businesses can’t compete with them. He says businesses end up being prisoners against their will. So, they sell Chinese products and keep theirs too.]] ((Jamil Taha, Trader)) ((Male, in Amharic)) “We spent so much time without sleep on designing, then in a week the Chinese products flooded the market. That means you can’t compete with them. So, you become a prisoner against your will.” ((NARRATION)) Endashash Wube, a customer, says price is what makes shoppers turn to Chinese clothes. Here, she bought a traditional “Netela,” or handmade scarf-like clothing made of cotton. [[Radio track: She says she bought it for $18 or 1,000 Birr. She says the price of Chinese-made chiffon is better, although Ethiopian traditional clothes are better in quality.]] ((Endashash Wube, Shopper)) ((Female, in Amharic)) “... the price of Chinese-made chiffon is better. But the quality of Ethiopian traditional clothes is better.” ((NARRATION)) Birknesh Sugebo, another customer, shares Endashash’s sentiments. [[Radio track: She says she came here to buy traditional clothes to send to other places. But it is very expensive. The Chinese counterfeit product is cheap and lower in terms of quality than what's woven by hand, she adds. But because of the cheaper price, people buy those counterfeit products.]] ((Birknesh Sugebo, Shopper)) ((Female, in Amharic)) “I came here to buy traditional clothes to send to other places. But it is very expensive. The Chinese counterfeit product is cheap and lower in terms of quality than what's woven by hand. But because of the cheaper price, people buy those counterfeit products.” ((NARRATION)) Some business owners are asking the government to provide protection for traditional clothing weavers, garment makers, sellers and other Ethiopians involved in the traditional clothing market. (((For Kennedy Abate, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Vincent Makori, VOA News.))
- NewsML Media Topics Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
- Topic Tags SUPER HD
- Program Name Our Voices
- Network VOA
- Expiration Date January 7, 2024 23:59 EST
- Embargo Date December 8, 2023 09:52 EST
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America - Africa