T H A N K Y O U
NIGERIAN TEAM
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PEOPLE'S CHOICE WINNERS
Belle Signatures & Polly's Signature
Video Message from Folake Okunaiya
President of Milliners Association of Nigeria
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Our Achievements of
THE RECYCLE
CHALLENGE
THE MILLINERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA
For over nine months our collaboration with THE RECYCLE CHALLENGE generated the below achievements:
1) 24 milliners participated in over five training sessions with THE RECYCLE CHALLENGE to introduce the basics of paper layering. Paper layering is a technique developed by Madera E. Rogers-Henry, the Founder of THE RECYCLE CHALLENGE.
2) From the training, the milliners created
hats made from only materials left over in each milliner's studio.
*24 wide-brim hats, fascinators, berets, and headband hats were completed.
*Over 500 to 700 sheets of paper and magazine pages were utilized and repurposed into wearable art.
*3 cardboard boxes were utilized
3) In addition to the twenty-four hats,
*ten additional paper rose crowns were ordered, generating $200.00, which went directly to five to seven milliners.
*Over 60 small wooden spikes were repurposed
*Over 5 to 7 small cardboard boxes were recycled
*Over 100 sheets of construction paper and magazine pages were repurposed into each hat
*Of every 2 hats out of ten hats incorporated fabric, plastic, and old jewelry.
4) To promote the milliner's work within their community a
*PEOPLE's Choice Competition garnered in three days between three-thousand and three-thousand and fifty friends, clients, and family who voted on their favorite three designer's hats.
*90 % consisted of Nigerian first & last sir names
*The remaining 15% had British and American first and last sir names.
5) Hats were shipped to New Orleans to be showcased in the 2022 event.
*About 15 hats needed repair
*Two rose crowns did not sustain the travel. At present each is being repaired by volunteers in New Orleans.
6) Hats are being prepared for two small art shows in New Orleans and will be available for sale or rental or the 2023 event scheduled from April 18th to the 23rd.
2022 REPORT
THE-RECYCLE-CHALLENGE
HIGHLIGHTS:
On Earth Day April 22nd, and 23rd, 2023, located at the historic St. Roch's Market in New Orleans, Louisiana.
As a fundraiser for Literacy Project International AKA Whose Magazine? A Youth Publication, performers showcased ways that paper and other materials could be recycled into costumes. The series served as a community outreach presented in the form of a three-day experience with a performance parade featuring queens, Rose Princesses, and hats from the Milliner's Association of Nigeria wearing paper and recycled dresses and costumes.
All intertwined with community, parents & elders, stilt walkers, children drummers, poets, and art bridging recycling, repurposing while reducing trash. Our aim is to engage the human senses - feeding the heart, mind, and soul.
It bridges the world of activism, sustainability, recycling, and art. The focus - how art can solve issues around the environment, social justice, and reducing trash pollution.
Photo:: Natashia of Chic Nouvelle Model & Talent
Management.
Photo: Queen Dr. Kendra Andrus of Sunflower Paper Dress with two Rose princesses. Wearing Paper rose crowns from Milliners Association of Nigeria
2022 OBJECTIVES ACHEIVED:
* The New Orleans community donated to date over 1,650 pounds of glass donated by attendees to THE RECYCLE CHALLENGE located at St. Roch Market. In two-days St. Roch's Market recycled 98% of glass utilized by food vendors and guests.
* Twenty-four hat makers from The Milliner's Association of Nigeria, created thirty-four hats that were
made of paper and fibers - that included fascinators, berets, and wide brims.
*Over 500 to 700 sheets of newspaper & magazine pages
*From 2018 to the present, over ten wearable art dresses have been crafted by youth and adults alike.
Learn more about the challenge.
*Sunflower Dress
Sunflowers utilized over 1,200 sheets and still building the dress for the 2023 event.
*30 office folders created the 34 and counting sunflowers on the dress
*Thee Church Dress 700 newspapers
*1 to 3 Cardboard for church
*Butterfly Skirt (waiting for report)
* The Fringed Dress 75 sheets of newspaper
*Over 60 roses of various sizes have been made from 100 sheets of construction paper and unwanted paper.
2022 BENEFITS:
Glass Half Full Nola, Co-Owner - FOSTERS GLOBAL & COMMUNITY RECYCLING
"It was really cool watching some attendees actually bring in tow their unwanted glass bottles and jars. These folks accepted the challenge and attended for free."
Brian Baskin - Manager of St. Roch Market - PRIME TOURIST ATTRACTION WITH HIGH FOOT TRAFFIC
"In New Orleans, St. Roch Market is a tourist destination. Our foot traffic in an hour could be over three hundred in a matter of an hour - on busy days. Before the pandemic, each year around April, we could expect our foot traffic and food transactions to be decreased. This year Earth Day, we saw increased foot traffic and had more than 202 food transactions on record."
Folake - Nigerian Milliner - FOSTERS CREATIVITY
"I am happy that Milliners of Nigeria accepted the challenge "The Recycle Challenge encourages creativity at the highest degree. Amazing! The online training, and energy that Madera shares with us, introduced a new way for us in Nigeria - a new way to create something from nothing. I now realize that it was making us aware of trash to wealth."
Sasha Woods - Youth Artist/Whose Magazine? Editor - INCREASES PERSONAL AWARENESS OF
RECYCLING & REPURPOSING
“The most valuable thing It’s taught me is to be kinder to the environment. It’s taught me to appreciate the world we live in. Especially with all global changes, global warming, etc. "
Madera E. Rogers -Henry - VIABLE EDUCATIONAL PLATFORM
“Through our festival, we bring together young and old, alike. We are a family-friendly experience that showcases music, fashion, and art and intertwines to showcase recycling and repurposing. It's a positive vibe that celebrates the rich African history that's so abundant in New Orleans. THE RECYCLE CHALLENGE educates attendees on culture and traditions repurposed from paper and other rubbish into whimsical to stunning wearable works of art and costumes. “
