FCA is an International Organization which is known for supporting & giving creatives in the Fashion Industry the global exposure they need to better their craft through training, capacity building and an annual Fashion Week to display their talents and give them the right global exposure. We may also provide them with startup resources depending on what their individual needs are.

Today the 30th of September, we are happy to outdoor the Fashion Connect Africa Model Bootcamp, the first of its kind in Africa for Models and Creatives alike. This event, an initiative of acclaimed Top Model and Entrepreneur Victoria Michaels who is also the Chief Inspiration Officer of FCA, is slated for the 22nd & 23rd Of October, 2021. The goal of this event is to create an inspiring environment for models across Africa, in order to provide them with skills and global career best practices such as:

• Empowering them with additional skills to generate multiple streams of income
• Preparing them for global modelling opportunities, cultural shocks and social diversities
• Tutorials on creating Z-cards and portfolios
• Photoshoot tips
• Masterclasses on the importance of having the right management, placement and agency.
• Educating models on the importance of pre-audition and casting preparations.
• Capacity building on -the importance of 360 grooming

The above programs were designed to mitigate some of the challenges models face in this part of the world, like the lack of career sustainability due to limited opportunities, lack of global acumen on the part of most models and the growing lack of capacity largely due to deficient education. Unfortunately, these are sad realities that continue to stare us in the face.

She stated that she faced similar challenges a few years ago before leaving Ghana to pursue her modeling career in abroad. It is her experience and the lessons she learnt from her sojourn overseas and being part of such programs that has inspired her to create this platform to change the narrative for younger and upcoming models.
According to her, the Entrepreneurship training is centered on the evolving of models into both Modelpreneurs and professionals with the requisite skills. The training would be on how to move from being a model to an entrepreneur or more. The dialogue session will be tagged- “The Power
Room”. “This event will be mostly an all-girls affair; we are also determined to see women provide most if not all the ancillary services required for the event. The panelists will be women and men role models that depict who a model can become if they are pointed in the right direction”, she added.

Modelling should be just one of the means to an end, at some point you have to do something different. This platform would help educate and enlighten models on the opportunities they can capitalize on in the pursuit of BECOMING MODELPRENEURS and more.
In attendance are Pieter Smidt Van Gelder – Deputy Ambassador of European Union in Ghana, Ayesha Bedwei – Tax Partner at PWC Ghana, Mr. Gabriel Ibe – CEO of Goldcard Resources Limited, Sonya Sharara – life Coach and CEO of Spark Africa, Gisela Gagakuma – Africa Rep for Swaroski, Herman Macmillan – Fashion Industry Stakeholder, Ami Tonye Yomekpe – CEO of MOD Africa, Bedwei Kweku Sonny (Rhyme Sonny) representative of Abeiku Santana, Michael Akpawu – Country Manager, Green Eight Capital, Emmanuel Smend – Operations Coordinator, Uber Ghana, Lillian Sally Addo – CEO of Models Union of Ghana, Julee Bocoum – CEO of D’joulde Online Ghana.

During the solidarity messages session, His Excellency Pieter Smidt applauded Victoria Michaels for all her laudable initiatives and this one in particular which is geared towards transforming lives positively. Life Coach, Sonya Sharara also emphasized on the need for models to strategically position themselves for access to the right opportunities. Key industry players like Gisela Gagakuma, Herman Macmillan, Ami Tonye, sponsor representatives and corporate leaders all reiterated the need for models to partake in this Initiative in their various remarks. We were treated to good music by Elorm Gh and DJ Alighaton.
The event was climaxed with appreciation of the New Africa Foundation gesture by Victoria Michaels. She expressed her gratitude to Business Mogul and Philanthropist Freedom Jacob Ceaser for taking up the registration cost of forty models who are financially constrained but would love to participate in the boot camp.

Our sponsors are Uber, Melcom, Green 8 Capital, Coca-Cola, Goldcard Resources and Belaqua Mineral Water. Supported by New Africa Foundation, Maybeline & Sincerely by Menaye.
We implore you all to support this laudable cause dedicated towards industry development.
This event is powered by VM Consult and refreshed by Alisa Hotel.
Thank you.

For more information, kindly visit www.fashionconnectafrica.com or follow us on Instagram @fashionconnectafrica.