Goodwill Games

Ever wonder where the clothes you donate go? Many of them come to Africa. In fact, the little Maasai girl in the photo to the left is wearing an "I heart NY" t-shirt as her dress...I believe it was once white!

Every time we walk through or drive by a local market, it's funny to see all of the clothing vendors. They'll have stacks and stacks of second-hand clothes from the U.S. & Europe. One vendor will have all T-shirts, and you'll see Old Navy, GAP, various U.S. Sporting teams, etc. Another vendor will have all shoes, and you'll see 9-West, Nike, Adidas, even Ugs & Crocs! Another vendor might have all suits, and my favorites are the vendors who specialize in evening gowns and formal dresses!

I read a local newspaper article about the secondhand clothing trade here in Africa. It's grown in popularity and is now trickling down into smaller & smaller local markets and towns. The clothes are separated by type back in the states and packaged in huge plastic bales (t-shirts vs. pants vs. shoes, etc.). Then the bales are transported over and purchased by wholesalers for very little money at the international ports. These wholesalers then divvey up the parcels and sell them for a nice profit to the vendors at the local/regional markets, who in turn sell & trade them to the African people.

According to the article, the secondhand trade is controversial for several reasons. First is that the goods are orignially donated, so the idea that there are wholesalers making a lot of money on them has been questioned. Second is that local textile industries are being undercut and having a hard time now that the donated clothes are making it to smaller towns & markets. And finally, with the Western clothes becoming more available and accepted, there is concern of culture erosion, as fewer people bother to invest in and wear traditional tribal dress.

No matter your stance on the issue of secondhand clothing, one this is certain. Africans, even in extremely rural areas, take pride in their dress. Driving through the most remote little villages, it's common to see a man walking along the side of the road in a three-piece suit, or a group of little girls playing on the roadside in what were probably once some Americans' Easter dresses or flower girl outfits. Africans dress to impress.

Mere