Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Standard Bank Luju Food and Lifestyle Festival supported over 100 traders to find purchase on a world class platform.
The festival, which took place over a two day period, afforded small and medium enterprises (SME) a creative platform to showcase their products and services in the transformative space with the theme ‘A Return to The African Future’.
For the convenience and security of guests, all trading conducted at the festival worked on a cashless system.
The festival further offered a family-friendly environment as the Bee Hive returned to the Luju Festival where children enjoyed a range of games and activities.
Children indulged in the Rhodes stall, which offered a range of juices and competitions, Emlembe Water, which was a hydration station also offered iced cones, Nhlonipho cold-pressed juices as well as Danny’s Amusement which offered jumping castles, Ferris wheel, quad bikes as well as horse riding.
The Beehive was also host to youth owned stalls Bonbon fluffs, Abigails Confectioneries and Art Hut where children could explore their artistic side in canvas art and face painting, among seven others.
The fashion café was a transformational space and a marvel to look at.
The Café was home to emerging brands where various brands showcased products varying from up-cycled personal accessories, to candles, beads, fashion, t-shirts as well as jewellery.
The Café gave a physical presence to most shops which were mainly found online which provided a platform for the brands to be exposed to their customer base further growing the viewership of the businesses themselves.
The food garden was a platform for food stalls to trade food and express themselves artistically through food as there was also a section for exotic food which was home to Dim SumCliffs Diner, Hau Hong Noodle King, Explorers Smash Burgers as well as Eswatini Tacos, otherwise themed ‘Taste of Africa’.
The festival was also home to Future Icons consisting of 20 traders which were being mentored through the Luju Platform.
Standard Bank Luju Food and Lifestyle Festival Creative Director Jiggs Throne said the festival afforded a mentorship programme to some traders under the future icons.
“We provide various insights on the best practices by mentoring them through trading at both Bushfire Festival and the Luju Festival,” said Throne.
He stated that Luju was an opportunity for young entrepreneurs, emerging brands, SMEs to find purchase on a world class platform.
“The platform allows entrepreneurs to showcase their products and really get exposure to a dynamic platform,” said Throne.
He added that Luju Festival as a whole supported a dynamic creative economy by proving a transformative space that allows trader to showcase their products beautifully. “As House on Fire, we look at how we can remain relevant as a creative platform that drives a creative economy while supporting the development of a range of SMEs,” he said.
Throne said the Luju Festival supported various forms of entrepreneurship, whether artists on the main stage, artistic traders in the fashion café, as well as food traders.
“There are probably 100 traders in total here today,’ he added.
Standard Bank Chief Executive Mvuselelo Fakudze said the bank prided itself for being an enabler of trade.
“As a bank we are happy to facilitate trade, business and promote the arts,” said Fakudze.
He stated that without the arts there was a part of a life experience that would not be fulfilled.
“We want artificers to come and showcase what they are capable of so that part of our being can be fulfilled,” he said.
Fakudze added that arts was a business. “Not to mention the number of jobs which were created by the platform, even that is making a positive impact on the economy,” said Fakudze.
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