African Crafts and Trade Fair - BICAF visit

Bolga International craft and arts fair (BICAF) was integrated in March 2014. The first BICAF was in 2014 at the Jubilee Park in Bolga(tanga), 2017 this year was the fourth consecutive year at the

The Trade Aid Team at BICAF.
Photo credit: Trade Aid Team

venue. This particular annual event is always held to promote local business and fair trade at the regional, national and international level, during this event people from various regions and countries comes to showcase their cultural staff and African customs as well.

                                                       

Being part of Youth Alive project, we had the opportunity to present the work that we have being doing in Navrongo communities. We have been round the various school having sensitisations on youth confidence, child marriage and raising the self-esteem of young girls in the communities, we also used that

Jay and Narian doing a presentation
on Youth Alive's work.
Photo credit: Tahidu Rahama

opportunity to encourage parents who were around at the BICAF event to create good relationship with their children to build the confidence to make them responsible people in the future.

Well, another project part of International service in Tamale called RAINS also had a presentation on the topic (KAYAYE) which is done in the three northern region where young people go to big cities to get money which they end up by putting themselves to certain danger. They encourage parents to let their children stay in school to become better people in future which will help prevent the kayaye.

Still on BICAF, I expected to see more people coming in to get some materials and staff because it was a fair trade but it turns out to be the opposite. All that we needed was to get people to buy the stuff that was being showcased at the venue. However what

BICAF. Photo credit: Google

excited me the most was when I saw the bracelets which were weaved because I am learning to do this myself. It was one of my expectations that was met and I was really happy to see that.

Above all there was a great energy and good atmosphere, seeing the talent and skills that was showcase by African people was very amazing. At least almost everything that presented there was made by the hand and also with natural resources was being used as well.   

Author: Tahidu Rahama