Association of Fashion Designers in The Gambia (AFDG) has emerged first in a recently concluded “Mboka” Tourism Trade Fair at Place Independence in Dakar, Senegal. The association was awarded a giant trophy and a Banjul-Dakar-Banjul air ticket.

The first ever bilateral trade fair attracted fashion designers from the host country and the event was saturated with the display of a wide range of fashion designs that Senegambia has to offer to the international community.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily Observer following their return, Aji Ramou Ngum-Nyang, president of AFDG beamed with happiness about the outcome of the trade fair.

“The Gambia’s fashion designers won the best model, best cultural and traditional outfits, which earned them a trophy and an air ticket.”

She thanked the Association of Small Scale Enterprises in Tourism for sponsoring their participation.

The AFDG president said the trade fair, which was attended by Angela Colley, secretary of state for Tourism and Culture and her Senegalese counterpart, and officials of the Gambia Tourism Authority, was successful.

Ramou Jallow, a member of AFDG, said she took part in the traditional outfits’ performance, in which she acted as a Linguere (wife of the king in Wolof) and came out first with the prize of an air ticket. Ms Jallow described the trade fair as a competition that promotes African culture.

For her part, Ida Sallah, a member and adviser of AFDG, thanked President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh for empowering Gambian women to reach higher heights. Ms Sallah assured their commitment to work hard to penetrate other international trade fairs around the world.

Fatou Cham and Dardol Mbaye Kargbo, all members association, announced that the second edition of “Mboka” Trade Fair will be held in The Gambia next year.