In episode 84 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast, I speak with Hugues Didier, Co-founder of PANAFRICA, on quitting his job to start an impact sneaker company that invites transparency, creates educational opportunities, and invests in job training across Africa.
A little over five years ago, Hugues and his co-founder Vulfran de Richoufftz, decided to quit their jobs and promising careers to start something that that was both creative and impactful to society. They chose to start PANAFRICA, a company dedicated to making sneakers differently, by respecting those who make them and by taking into account the social, economic and environmental impacts of their actions.
Not only do they continue to invest in innovations around its textiles and materials, as seen in their returnable and recyclable sneaker – The ARUSHA, they also invest time and energy into its workers and their futures.
In order to support the development of the workshop and to guarantee long-term employment, PANAFRICA is committed to producing one collection over six months. This enables the company to avoid the pitfalls of mass production over short periods and ensures every worker: on-the-job training specific to the PANAFRICA chain of production, improved working conditions (transparency and lasting contracts), a workload spaced out over a longer period of time.
The purchase of PANAFRICA sneakers support projects for access to education and job training in Africa through the WALK FOR SCHOOL program. For each pair of sneakers you buy, PANAFRICA donates 10% of its profit to various associations.
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