Tugende Design…..
What am I going to do with you?
More than a blessing you’ve been to me, this year
There’s this team of two humans that have woven their lives on this venture, in that, when you meet them or see them from afar, all you see is Tugende Design
This is their baby….one with a very cute name, right?
And a global baby, at that
But with her roots somewhere in Africa called Uganda
If you ask around Kampala and all those regions surrounding, you’ll realize Tugende Design has eaten a meal at almost every household, literally….
That’s because this child walks around on our necks, ears, upper and lower bodies, bags as well….
I don’t know of any household in the world, from time immemorial, that doesn’t want anything to do with nailing their appearance, before their neighbours!
This golden baby has had a number of caretakers…all the way from nannies to Jjaajaz
There’s this team of ladies, that lay their heads somewhere in Acholi Corner that work tirelessly to ensure that the baby never sleeps on a hungry stomach
It’s been through Grace and the rest of her team’s work that has seen “Tugyende Dezaini” stamp it’s foot on the national ,continental and global scene…as a socialite of sorts….
You should see Grace do her thing….with the tiny little paper beads….it all makes sense when they say that experience is the best teacher
Then, we have another Jjaaja of our little cutie here….most likely, you’ll find her under a shade, as she goes by her spinning sewing machine…trying out all this ideas and blends in the fashion, itself….
The name Monica Swahn will come by very often, when you mention the name Tugende Design… that’s for one simple reason, only
She must have given birth to this little one
Personally, I wasn’t there but that’s what the books of history incline
So, I’m forced to believe she birthed her
If you’re truly compassionate about other people in this world, the least you can do, when you meet Monica, is hi5 her or bear hug her….she’s so much worth it, believe me
Aaaahhhhh… how could I forget about Charles?
The one person that knows every corner of the Malwa republic capital
Swerving these little corners and turns of the uptown and downtown
Plus, he has his ways with tech
From cameras to phones to selfies to the four wheels
Next time you need a drop to the Tugende Design base, you know who to call out
Nurturing our baby here, has been purely out of love
The world could use a little more of that, after all, right?
I don’t know if that shall explain what I’m going to jot down next
You’ve seen these pictures from the Sub-Saharan part of the world, where you see people whose voices have been forced down their throats
They look hopeless in everything and their lives, generally
Once they wake up today, all they look forward to, is their first meal of the day….and the next and the next….and tomorrow, the routine shall be the same
Tugende Design was created to change all this….the narrative, to begin with
You recall how I spelt out the way we dress? The earrings, bags and all?
Yyyyeeeaaahhhhhhh….
So, we get to have all these parts of us made, the next step is to ship them all the way out to the United States of America where we sell them off to literally, whoever feels for these under sieged people
Then, the proceeds are brought back here to Uganda, where they are handed back to the people in these communities
In turn, they utilise these funds from their sweat to better their lives sustainably….
Did you know that there’s a group of ladies that set up their piggery, from our baby’s crawling and milk teeth, somewhere in Jinja?
They did it, right?
We shall do it…
You can do it….
Feel free to…in any way that you can….
Kubanga, as it stands now, ffeena TWOLEKELE Tugende Design!