African business expo offers new ventures

David Muhammad, founder and coordinator of The Black Agenda Project says African people are the largest consumer group in TT but the smallest in terms of production.

He says the African Business Expo is a way for black people to support each other in the same way they supported others over the years.

Speaking to Sunday Newsday on Saturday at the expo hosted at the Kwame Ture Education and Development Centre, Laventille, Muhammad said such support was not about racism or boycotting any other business but about internal economic empowerment.

He said people of African descent in TT spend the most money on meals, groceries, and clothes but few owned restaurants, supermarkets, or clothing stores.

“The (financial) strength and power of other ethnic groups have been the result of our undying, loyal, unconditional support, dedication and commitment to spending our money with them, but we don’t have the same kind of approach to each other.”

He said The Black Agenda Project comprised nine action groups including health, agriculture, education, security, arts and culture, trade and commerce, justice, information, and science and technology. And one of the objectives of trade and commerce was economic empowerment.

The project expects to host similar trade fairs bi-monthly.

“This is one of the initiatives, to have these African expos or trade fairs where we have a skills bank, think tank, come together, pool our resources, network with one another and identify members in different fields of human endeavour, different occupations and processions, and see how we can assist each other in the empowerment of each other based on our individual objectives which morph into collective objectives.”

There is also black business directory where participants receive free advertisements, free inclusion in the network, and a minimal fee for tables at the expo.

“The greater priority for us is that we bring people together and get them to network rather than to make a profit.”

Available at the expo were a variety of goods including hair and skincare products, ice cream, hand-made leather footwear, jewellery, printed t-shirts, books, plants, business opportunities and more. Booths housed business such as the African Association Credit Union, Executive Exotic Vet Services, The Modelling Association of TT, and Times Internation Orga’s Leather Craft.

Tracey Gonsalves of Goddess Kreations said she joined the project earlier this year and Saturday was her first expo. She said she found the meetings to be very informative and the expo a necessary outlet to support black businesses, network, and encourage others to start more businesses. She also believed it was a good idea to take the expo to other communities to show what black people could do if they worked together.

Dosunmu Olukayode, director of Okosu Enterprises, also believed the expo was a good idea.

“People need a space to trade, socialise and expand their businesses. It’s one of the best things that was done to help the African business man.”

Muhammad said the project had other free programmes including holiday camps for children inclusive of meals, a public speaker workshop, a girl’s academy, CSEC lessons in six subjects, and more.