“We are a group of humans driven by the need to uplift humans. We don’t just think change can happen. We know it must. So we are taking the wheel to accelerate the long due rise of Africa. We are here to build pixel by pixel a new world view of the African Continent.”
On a very gloomy, rainy Monday morning in Plettenberg Bay, we had a meeting with the members of Aya Africa. We were laughing about the fact that in our little coastal town where outdoor adventure is the main force of attraction - when it rains - the locals don’t quite know what to do with themselves.
It may have taken all of two minutes flat to brighten the morning, when the Aya team began illustrating who the are, what they stand for and why they do what they do.
Aya Africa is an online platform and collaborative space that allows for established, up-and-coming, or under the radar Creatives and Vendors from across Africa to find their voice and showcase their crafts, in the most empowering and sustainable means possible. When we met this crew, they were two weeks into their road trip across South Africa. From the moment they started telling us about their adventure, we had goosebumps. One could tell that this group of people where not just the dreamers - but they were actively creating a space for change, and inspiring others to do the same along the way.
Their eyes lit up from the moment the road-trip narration began. From local vendors creating beautiful, hand-crafted bags with an African spin on them, to dress-makers creations and beadwork that could only be described as an art. From people creating sustainable, bespoke garments and items whom were already somewhat established, to others who were met with the term ‘online’ for the first time ever. They spoke of the unbelievable diversity of our country - the talent, the soul, and the determination of our people to find their own authentic voice, and continue to tell the most empowering story of Africa. They spoke of culture and of the sense of respect for tradition within local communities. They saw people beam in excitement in enchanting moments of realisation that others were actually inspired by their story, and their own unique creations.
Within the space of an hour, we had shared stories of our prospective dreams and hopes for our businesses, with the main binding factors being those of community, empowerment and sustainability. We showcased a couple of our garments as the rain continued to pour, and before we knew it we were fortunate enough in a wild and wonderful whirlwind of a few hours, to collaborate with young creatives, friends and a dynamic team that pulled off a successful collaborative shoot for our Silver Linings Collection. It was a day like this that we had dreamed of when creating the Dawn to Dusk vision.
We are so excited to announce that Dawn to Dusk will be joining the Aya Africa Community, where selected garments will soon be available on their online platform. We whole-heartedly believe that through Aya, our story will be told in the most beautiful way imaginable.