T-Shirt Travels, The Story of Secondhand Clothes & Third World Debt

Soros Documentary Fund “T-shirt Travels” is a journey from the local charity bin to the remote fishing villages of Southern Africa where the donations are put to use. Focusing on Zambia, this documentary investigates the second-hand clothes business and seeks to understand and illuminate the growing...

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Bibliographic Details
Other Authors: Bloemen, Shantha
Institution:Open Society Archives at Central European University
Language:English
Published: United States 2001
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10891/osa:daeacf04-13e1-4c71-b71e-9c383a8e24a0
Description
Summary:Soros Documentary Fund “T-shirt Travels” is a journey from the local charity bin to the remote fishing villages of Southern Africa where the donations are put to use. Focusing on Zambia, this documentary investigates the second-hand clothes business and seeks to understand and illuminate the growing inequalities between the North and the South. The film explores how a continent rich with natural resources and human potential has become the dumping ground for old clothes and other discarded goods, and uncovers an enduring spirit and resilience to survive. The protagonist is Luka, who at 19 must support his family by selling and trading clothes in remote towns. His story shows how old clothes constitute the backbone of Zambia’s growing informal economy and provide a livelihood for many. The film gives voice to Africans and allows them to explain the challenges they face in a global economy, while also exploring the underlying reasons why so many Africans remain in poverty.
Published:2001