Noon
I am sitting at the university canteen waiting for Amanda. I haven't been here for a long time and it feels very different from any other occasions. Open Access has changed, we have to pay for black and white photocopying now and I left my photocopy card at home. I can't afford to get a new one or to buy a cup of tea either. I could get hot water as I did many times before during the past 6 years here and before that at Guildford College, but I try not to spend on that either. I need to buy shampoo very soon, that's more priority than a cup of tea, err... I mean hot water at the moment.
12.15pm
I found a cold water machine which is free, but no cups and at the canteen you have to pay for the cups. Let's try to enjoy being thirsty instead of mourning over the loss of non-delivered and non-refilled cup stands! I am munching on the biscuits I brought from Hungary instead and can't wait for the evening to have that cottage pie I got in Helen and Steve's food parcel. Until than I am gonna have a tutorial, a nanny job and my client is coming to pick up her dress and finally I am going to have a little bit of money towards the direct debits, which I didn't calculate at the beginning of the months, so praise God I am not going to be in as much of a minus as I thought. What simple joys of life we have to be content with! I enquired about downgrading my phone contract this morning. No more e-mails on my BB. I am really sad about this. I went into the shop with the line: 'I believe my contract is due for an upgrade`. But when I actually explained I need a downgrade the assistant brushed me off with a you need to do it on the phone. So I need to do it on the phone. Another thing on the need to do list.
13.30pm
Amazing, amazing, amazing! Walking down the stairs from the tutorial, I got a text with the most unexpected news of blessing ever. It is so wonderful, but I can`t tell what it is. I got so touched when I read it I nearly fall off the stairs. Next Tuesday I will not only be able to get a cup of hot water, but a cup of tea!
It was great to see Amanda for tutorial. She thought me at BA and I know how calm and encouraging she is. She asked me to think about my audience to whom I would like my findings of thesis to communicate and how. Concerning I wasn`t able to read or write for nearly 6 months on my year out, having a tutorial about my written work is just awesome. I am so glad I feel I can have time until hand-in. It is reassuring.
The journey from `Mission Possible` to `Glocal Trinnovation` (I keep falling asleep, so I have to read this tomorrow morning if it makes any sense at all.)
From the African experience of setting up sewing projects to the decreasing number of Hungarian artisans. Drawing upon research and the challenges of product design development from `Mission Possible` (Fodor 2008) undertaken for final major project on BA, PDDFI – Clothing (product Design and Development)at London College of Fashion, it was intended to deepen the research and further explore the possibilities of sustainable development in disadvantaged African communities.
Throughout the research, it was identified that high percentage of the people living in the First World, who has disposable income have a limited understanding of the challenges people in disadvantaged communities have to face on a daily basis. The role of the volunteers in setting up sustainable sewing projects on ground and supporting from the First World not known, either. The financial, medical, environmental, social and gender differences between Western customers and Sub – Saharan makers comes across with a significant difference in reasoning why clothing and accessories are made and bought. Setting up projects based on skills and materials, that can be sourced on ground and sold for Western customers is more than a challenge.
By working in partnership with an existing organisation an analytical journey of a product designed and made by women in disadvantaged communities, and sold for western costumers was proposed to be written and illustrated with photographs. The aim of the book was to show a real picture of both makers and customers from their everyday life, which could educate and inform readers about sustainable development in a visual and easily readable way. The idea was to create a bridge between the disadvantaged and the wealthy by introducing people from both sides of the label.
Early on the research during conversations of the theme of the thesis in Hungary it was identified that there is a need there in local development in craft to create sustainable livelihoods, which was not encouraged by the policy making at that time. Few factors had been eased since 2008 due to the change of the political scene, which has a more favourable effect on necessity entrepreneurs in terms of reduction of bureaucracy burden when registering. The shift of the research has given the author a unique insight in the relationship between policy making and the decreasing number of Hungarian artisans. The need for sustainable development projects on local level to create jobs locally by using local materials and local skills for the local market to generate income in areas where the unemployment level is high in order to keep the money flowing within the community made it necessary to concentrate not only on the design elements of the products, but on the surrounding main factors: business and economics.
The challenge of applying PDDFI principles in an environment, where there is no electricity and running water gave an opportunity of constant problem solving in order to create products that the women could learn to make in a short period of time to reduce the leeway for turnover.
During the research into an ethically aware consumer base in England with disposable income, it was realised, that although the target customers are more and more interested in sustainable products, they know very little or almost nothing about the makers and the challenges they face on a daily bases. This led to discover a huge gap in knowledge between the third world maker and the first world customer, giving an idea, to create a bridge by telling stories from both sides of the label.
During summer 2007 the author volunteered for Hope for Africa Missions to carry out research in Southern African communities. The aim of the research was to identify possibilities for setting up sustainable sewing projects in order to empower women in disadvantaged communities.
During the mission trip the author developed a deep interest in research and problem solving for sustainable development through translating the skills learnt on BA Product Design and Development for Clothing. Through the realisation of the final year project a sustainability model was developed for the charity, which could since been used in the visited communities in Lesotho and Mozambique. During this process a keen interest in sustainable development was deepened even further in combining local skills, materials and markets.
The fashion industry is going through a significant change concerning sustainability and ethical issues. I would like to gain a full understanding about what this change is bringing into the industry from the product design development through customers’ needs and expectations on an international level. I strongly believe by given the opportunity to study on MA Fashion and The Environment course, the skills and knowledge I gain would significantly affect my ability to help the disadvantaged and would give me a chance to be able to obtain a job in the field of research and practical development working for both the fashion industry and the social sector.
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