A SOCIAL ENTERPRISEPROMOTING AFRICA'S FINEST FOOD AND FASHION PRODUCERS GLOBALLY

Our Story

In 2008, Conall O’Caoimh set up a small organisation with two friends called Value Added in Africa. As development education specialists, they were shocked to see firsthand the low prices coffee farmers were getting for their green beans in Brazil, knowing that roasted beans sold for four times that amount. The team believed that capturing the value of natural resources locally was the key to generating wealth and jobs so they took the idea of value-addition and applied it to the African context. Over a decade and a name change later, Proudly Made in Africa still believes that creating sustainable African jobs is the best solution to African poverty. We are proud to work with Africa’s finest food and fashion producers and show the world the amazing array of finished goods that are coming from the continent.

Non-Profit

Now a non-profit social enterprise, we work to support our African SME partners with export market entry, connect ethically-minded buyers with responsibly sourced products and promote the excellence of African industry through our Proudly Made in Africa award and our education programmes. Proudly Made in Africa is committed to the delivery of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and our work contributes to target under Goal 4: Quality Education, Goal 5: Gender Equality, Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production and Goal 17: Partnership for the Goals.


Our Vision

Equal Partnerships | Shared Learning | Accountability

Our vision is a world where African communities thrive, trading on equal terms with the rest of the world.

OUR STRATEGY


Our Mission

Support | Connect | Promote

To help African businesses capture the value of their resources and sell to the rest of the world.

WHAT WE DO
Why Africa?
  • Abundant natural resources
  • High quality
  • Transparent vertical supply chains
  • Positive social impact

Meet Our Team

Vikki Brennen

CEO

Vikki comes from a background in responsible procurement and human rights. Prior to her role at Proudly Made in Africa, Vikki was Head of Signatory Engagement at the Bangladesh Accord Foundation, the world’s first international legal agreement between fashion brands and trade unions, created in response to the disaster at Rana Plaza. She has previously held roles at high street retailer Primark as a fashion buyer and Associated British Foods as a Senior Ethical Trading Executive. Vikki holds an Mphil (Hons) in International Peace Studies from Trinity College Dublin and is a certified SA8000 lead auditor. She sits on the board of the Irish Development Education Association.

Feena Kirrkamm

Programme and Sourcing Manager

Feena is a specialist in new business development, value chain building and brand management. With over 14 years of experience in commercial procurement, managing multi-million dollar portfolios for international fashion brands such as Primark and Pepe, Feena comes to PMIA with a passion for producer relations and a deep knowledge of business in a developing world context. Along with huge commercial successes, she has also led smaller brands through their start-up phase to grow their market footprints. Feena has worked with grassroots NGOs in India as well as Suas in Dublin, giving her a unique perspective on the nexus between business and development. She is also a certified SA8000 auditor and holds a MSc in Sustainable Development.

Dr. David Nyaluke

Development Education Officer

David ​is the Proudly Made in Africa Fellow in Business and Development at University College Dublin. Prior to joining us, David was with the Kimmage Development Studies Centre and Maynooth University, focusing on the role of business, NGOs and state in development and on Africa in the international system. Through this work, he has built strong relationships with several NGOs in the Irish development education sector. David holds a PhD from Dublin City University which investigated trajectories of political and development transformation of African states from independence into the 21st Century. He currently sits on the board of Development Perspectives.

Barbra Barungi

Regional Programme Manager

Barbra is a quality control and standards consultant specialising in developing and implementing management systems across various industries for optimal business success. An MBA graduate of Coventry University, she also holds a BSc from Drexel University, Philadelphia and an MEng from Loughborough University. Based in Kampala, Barbra’s passion is in supporting SMEs to develop and implement good manufacturing practices. An expert in light industry, Barbra helps businesses to reach international export requirements as well as advising on planning, product research and development, marketing and branding. Barbra is a qualified ISO 22000 and ISO 9001 lead auditor and experienced in OHS, ISO 14001 and water management for manufacturing.