For Immediate Release
Contact:
Amma Johnson
717-538-9407
Two U.S. based women have high hopes for production in Africa amidst the COVID-19 crisis.
April 9, 2020 - Harrisburg, PA - Two women are teaming up to manufacture masks from Africa. Amma Johnson, founder of the AMMA JO brand, a resident of Harrisburg, PA and first born Ghanaian-American and Siamanda Chege, founder of bebeRAVI and native of Kenya, currently residing in New York are teaming up to produce and import masks from Africa.
The two have been friends for over 10 years, both operating their separate retail and fashion businesses. Amma started her namesake women’s handbag and accessories brand based with one handbag and $100 in 2015. Siamanda Chege, former fashion model, is the founder of bebeRAVI, a luxury manufacturer of children’s and women’s clothing and also donates proceeds to orphans in Kenya.
“Siamanda and I have been wanting to work together for a long time and given the recent challenges, we see this as a manufacturing opportunity for the African market and seizing this opportunity requires us working together”, says Johnson whose background is in corporate management and sales.
The two are reusing loads of bright and colorful African fabrics to create the masks, providing a unique product, employing women in Kenya in need of work.
“Right now, we are collecting orders from companies. The turnaround is quick and we have the production capacity. Siamanda is an expert at production management and textiles and I enjoy reaching out to customers and servicing them. There is ample availability of workers in the region of Kenya where Siamanda’s production facilities are located.” states Amma.
Chege and Johnson will import masks to the U.S. for direct sales to consumers and large companies. They are also looking to help their local communities by donating free disposable masks in both New York and Harrisburg, PA.
Siamanda states, “Here in New York, there is such a shortage of masks and New Yorkers are being hit hard with this virus on every side. We will donate disposable masks for every order we collect.”
For more information, visit www.shopAMMAJO.com
###