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The Afro Progressive Forum (APF) Community Markets are vibrant local trading spaces created to empower small businesses, local producers, and community entrepreneurs by giving them a platform to sell their goods and services directly to the public. These markets embody the APF’s mission of promoting self-reliance, economic inclusion, and sustainable community development.

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Purpose

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The Community Markets aim to stimulate local economies, create jobs, and support grassroots entrepreneurship by connecting local talent, farmers, and artisans with buyers in their own communities.

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Key Objectives

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1. Economic Empowerment:

   • Provide affordable trading space for small and emerging businesses.

   • Encourage community members to buy local and reinvest in their own economy.

2. Youth and Women Participation:

   • Prioritize stalls for youth- and women-owned enterprises, including start-ups, creative industries, and informal traders.

3. Skill and Product Development:

   • Offer workshops on business management, marketing, and product presentation to help traders grow and sustain their ventures.

4. Food Security & Sustainability:

   • Promote locally grown produce, organic foods, and environmentally friendly products.

   • Create linkages between small farmers, households, and community feeding programmes.

5. Cultural and Social Integration:

   • Celebrate African culture through music, art, crafts, and food.

   • Build unity and pride by creating a welcoming space where community members gather, trade, and share ideas.​​

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