Times Of Swaziland: MARKET ASSISTANCE FOR ARTISANS NOW AVAILABLE MARKET ASSISTANCE FOR ARTISANS NOW AVAILABLE ================================================================================ Mhlengi Magongo on 14/03/2023 08:11:00 MBABANE – Designers can now be assisted with accessing the international market for their products. The European Union (EU) and the International Trade Centre (ITC), in collaboration with JEREMPAUL, will promote export-led growth through the full utilisation of the Southern African Development Community-European Union Economic Partnership Agreement (SADC-EU EPA). Such is already taking place locally, as they have assisted 19 young people from the Vuvulane community to complete their training in fashion and homeware design from Khulekani Msweli, Eswatini’s first modern luxury designer who has made his mark in the fashion and design scenes. Formerly They formerly concluded their training with a graduation ceremony and exhibition that showcased the talented graduates’ designs. The class was made up of 20 students handpicked from an initial pool of 40 pre-selected candidates. Modules covered in class included design training, textile upcycling for fashion and home accessories, and designing leather accessories and wood products. JEREMPAUL’s Director Msweli had hoped for when he started this initiative an opportunity to open up new job opportunities for the youth in his community, and to elevate the country’s design potential. Commenting on the products showcased at the graduation, Msweli said this was only the beginning of the learners’ design journey. “The exhibition was a pure celebration of what we can achieve when we put our minds and hands together.’’