Industry Insider: AFRICAN LUXURY BRAND ADOLOPHINE AND ITS NONPROFIT GROUP WORK TO FUND CONGO REDEVELOPMENT
Written By: Samantha Cee
Adolophine, a growing artisanal luxury brand offering authentic, handcrafted African luxury goods, is proud to announce a new initiative with Les Amis de Mulunda et Georgette (Friends of Mulunda & Georgette, or LAMG), its nonprofit organization, dedicated to the renewal and redevelopment of The Congo. LAMG seeks to stabilize the country’s living environment and assist the millions of Congolese people who have suffered and whose families died during decades of war and civil unrest in this Central African republic. LAMG seeks to carry out the vital work of providing several Kinshasa orphanages with food, healthcare, and educational services. LAMG also operates a farm just outside the city, gifts women with land for cultivation, imparts life and vocational skills to promote self-sufficiency, and supports elders in the community with food, medicine, and companionship. Funding for this essential work comes via Adolophine, whose sales allow LAMG’s life-giving activities to continue from day to day.
Founded in 2018 by Kinshasa native and Baluba Adolophine Lukabu Sheeley, a Congolese-American entrepreneur and philanthropist, Adolophine emphasizes craftsmanship and uniqueness in its wide variety of products, sourced from countries all over Africa, lovingly created and designed by indigenous craftspeople. The daughter of a diplomat, Ms. Sheeley is fluent in six languages, and has a deep understanding of many diverse cultures. Inspired by her mother, Georgette, who sold exotic European goods in Kinshasa, and the strong business-owning women of her childhood, Ms. Sheeley evolved her company’s philosophy. This includes using locally-obtained materials, and local artisans, to create goods with reverence for the rich traditions, values and artistic visions that evoke Africa’s vibrant, uplifting heritage. “The sounds, colors, and energy of the markets in Kinshasa are a part of my soul,” Ms. Sheeley reflects. At Adolophine, continuing the great legacy of lived experiences, handed down through the artisans’ individual stories, is a commitment encapsulated in the artistic expression of their matchless creations. Through the firm’s ongoing efforts with LAMG, Adolophine is ensuring the future of this heritage and way of life. You can discover the beauty of Adolophine at their website.
