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Kenya and Africa, lands of opportunities

Interview to Martino Ghielmi, founder of "VadoinAfrica"

29-09-2022 by Freddie del Curatolo

"One in two Africans is under 20 years old and this is the only part of the world that will experience significant demographic growth. It is a rapidly changing continent, full of opportunities for those who approach it with curiosity and respect," so opens the interview with Malindikenya.net Martino Ghielmi, 37, founder of vadoinafrica.com, the Community for professionals and entrepreneurs working with this continent.

Martino, how did the Vadoinafrica project come about?
"My interest in this continent started when I was 20 years old, linked to my passion for athletics. The starting point was Kenya, which made me discover contexts full of life, energy and drive. After living in Nairobi in 2008-09 (with an NGO), I worked in business consultancy and then at the start of a major university education project in various African countries. Little by little, I became aware of the need to make Italy reflect on the importance of a greater knowledge of Africa, beyond the generically inaccurate look I was seeing around.
Today VadoinAfrica is a Community of over twenty thousand professionals and entrepreneurs, united by the passion to create value with this continent. We are not an aseptic B2B platform, but a collaborative network of people united by a bond with Italy: many Italians from Africa, the Italian-speaking African diasporas in the world, professionals straddling the two worlds'.

In your opinion, is the Italian vision of Africa backward?
'Italy is geographically very close to the African continent. Even on a cultural level, I believe we are the most Mediterranean European people close to the African universe. Nevertheless, for historical and linguistic reasons, we do not realise this. The vision that dominates in the media and in people's minds is that Africa is 'a country', poor, living on international charity and where everyone dreams of emigrating to... 'Italy'! The obsession in the public debate on irregular migration from Libya, exploited without perspective or responsibility by a short-sighted political class, has further complicated things'.

What avenues should be explored in search of common ground between Europe and Africa?
"As the Nigerian Wole Soyinka (Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986) says, Euro-African relations of the last five centuries are the story of a monologue. The European one. Since the collective trauma of the Atlantic trade and the colonial period, Europe has struggled to recognise African voices and interests as equals. In fact, 'there has never been a mutual recognition that acknowledges the profoundly changed economic conditions of recent times, but rather a one-way confrontation. Of course, African leaders also have their responsibilities. This is unfortunate, because a dialogue between equals would do a lot to foster the development of human relations. VadoinAfrica wants to make it known that 'something new always comes from Africa' as Pliny the Elder used to say. In this sense, I believe it is no longer possible to sustain a look of sufficiency or superiority towards the South on the part of an ageing Europe (we will lose 80 million Europeans in the next 80 years)'.

Which countries and sectors have the most interest in Italy?
"The country attracting the most interest, for the moment, is Senegal, with which there is a historical link of two-way migration flows. There are more than one hundred thousand Senegalese living in Italy, the largest sub-Saharan community, and about four thousand Italians in Senegal, often small entrepreneurs who got to know the country thanks to Senegalese colleagues, partners, or employees.
But Kenya, as a hub for East Africa, is also a country in which there is constant interest. Two key sectors are agrifood processing, which is full of opportunities everywhere and where Italy has a long tradition of producing quality machinery, and consultancy/training. There is also a lot of ferment for fashion projects inspired by Africa and for interior design'.

Those interested, where can they start from?
"First of all, by reading the blog vadoinafrica.com and then introducing yourself in the free Facebook group where we share experiences, contacts and resources every day.And then by signing up for the free online workshop LeaderinAfrica scheduled for next Monday, 3 October at 6pm (Italian time): in this seminar I will provide participants with all my experience with the African continent to tackle the major obstacles that professionals and entrepreneurs are used to encounter when interacting with Africa. In East Africa we have some active members, such as Francesca De Gottardo, founder of Endelea, a brand of ethical fashion made in Tanzania by artisans with a design that mixes African fabrics and European tastes. The products are sold through an e-commerce and pop-up store. It won the Marzotto Social Impact 2020 Award and the Young Designer Dhl Award 2022 from the Italian Fashion Association.
Then there is Girolamo Asta, coach and trainer, founder of NOESIS and African Looms APS. Twenty years after living in the Meru region, he decided to return to Kenya and put his skills and connections at the service of the region, and Orazio Albano, an expert consultant on aquaculture, founder of Coastal Community Network, a collaborative network of coastal community actors from Africa, the Mediterranean and beyond.

TAGS: vado in africabusinessopportunità

by Freddie del Curatolo

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