Designing Future, public-private alliance in favor of the victims of the country's armed conflict, who are engaged in the business of clothing and fashion.

With the support of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Productive Colombia, Inexmoda and Propaís, 60 entrepreneurs in the clothing and fashion sector that are part of the Designing Future project and that suffered the consequences of conflict, show their products in a business conference with businessmen from Antioquia in Medellín.

It was sought that, in a single space, business victims can be found with buyers from the same sector by establishing commercial contracts in which both victims can sell their products and buyers obtain a well-achieved product of optimum quality.

During the business day, formal and informal women's and men's clothing, swimsuits, children's clothing, pajamas and endowment clothing, leather goods, among others, were exhibited.

Edgar Raimundo López, Propaís project coordinator said that “this program was created to support the businessmen of the population who are victims of armed conflict in the country, in the textile and fashion sector, to strengthen them both productively and entrepreneurially. In Medellín, there were 19 regional buyers and 60 business victims who have been linked to the program since 2018 that we started this project. They have been given training in productivity, marketing, administration of their business, design and commercialization in order to guarantee their sustainability and permanence over time”, said López.

Through Diseñando Futuro, advice has been provided to 400 victims who suffered the conflict and are now engaged in the fashion business in six cities Bogotá, Medellín, Bucaramanga, Valledupar, Tumaco and Ibagué, with which their business development is promoted and improvements in their productivity and marketing methods, so that they become suppliers of anchor companies and large distributors, generating greater sales and jobs.

Luisa Fernanda Padilla, one of the business women victims of conflict who participated in the exhibition of the business conference, said that “it is a brand of swimwear and beachwear that was born 10 years ago, seeing the need to move forward by the violence that we had to live as a family. My mother and I started this life project and taking advantage of our municipality that is located in a tourist area, and today our products are sold nationally and internationally”.

On the other hand, Claudia Correa, a victim of displacement from the commune 13 of Medellín, said that "I am very happy to have participated in this business conference, I had three successful appointments for my brand, with this I will be able to boost my company".

Wilson Córdoba, director of the Victims Unit in Antioquia, said that “with this alliance, we seek to join efforts for the benefit of the victim population so that they can continue to overcome their condition and improve their quality of life and their families”.

(End/SMC/CMC/LMY)