Features / Investigations
How 50p turned into an ?8,000 piece of art
Vashti Seth, founder of the charity Deki, has embarked on a challenge to trade-up a badge worth 50p into something that has the potential to help 10,000 African entrepreneurs.
Deki is the UK’s first peer-to-peer microfinance charity that empowers African entrepreneurs by proving access to start up loans and business training.
is needed now More than ever
Vashti is stepping into the shoes of Bruno, one of Deki’s entrepreneurs, to understand what it’s like to start with nothing.
She started by trading a Deki badge for a whole fish at a local fishmongers; the fish was then traded for a bottle of red; the wine for a meal voucher; the meal for a £300 watch; the watch for a 24-carat, 1oz gold bar, worth over £1,000.
The gold bar was traded for a two-week stay in a luxury Kenyan villa and this has been swapped for an original piece of art from Mr Jago, worth £8,000. Vashti is now hoping to trade this with something even bigger.
The challenge ends on November 30. Follow the journey on Twitter with the hashtag #TradeItLikeBruno or visit the website www.deki.org.uk/bruno
Read more: My Bristol favourites: Vashti Seth
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
