African Net Manufacturers' Assocation Launched

September 29, 2005 - Nairobi, Kenya

A group of African net producers announced the formation of the African Net Manufacturers’ Association (ANMA) on September 29, 2005 at the NetMark LLIN Technical Meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya. The idea of creating such an association arose from the ten net companies that participated in NetMark’s Quality Control Workshop in late 2004. A small working group was appointed to explore the concept, and they did so over the ensuing months, resulting in the formation of the Association.

ANMA panel membersThe interim committee members (from right to left in photo) are: Chairman: Subhash Sonigra of Polo Industries, Kenya; Vice Chairman: Nnamdi Iro Oji of Rosies Textiles, Nigeria; Finance Secretary: Olajide Williams, of Mabol Ltd., Nigeria; Member: Gary Dodd of Nets & Ropes, Zimbabwe: and Secretary: Antony Haji, of TMTL, Tanzania.

A start-up plan was endorsed, and membership dues were agreed upon. The interim committee decided to place the headquarters of the Association in Nairobi. Recruitment of a full-time staff member will begin immediately, as well as the creation of a website to keep members, international donors, and the general public informed of the Association’s activities. The website will also have details of each of the companies that form the Association. The formal election of a Board of Directors will be conducted at the Fourth Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) Conference to be held in Yaounde, Cameroon, Nov. 11-17, 2005.

In announcing the formation of the Association, Interim Chairman Subhash Sonigra of Polo Industries of Kenya put forth the goals of this manufacturing interest group:

“We have created the African Net Manufacturers’ Association. We have an interim committee which has been set up. Our aims and objectives are to:

1) Create more jobs for the local community;
2) educate and understand the killer disease of malaria;
3) uplift the standard of the environment of our employees;
4) advise the MOH to have standard regional policies;
5) work closely with donor agencies about buying nets from Africa for Africa;
6) maintain quality control standards set by the association;
7) enhance relations among members;
8) monitor new products in ITNs and LLINs for the African market and pass on information to the African manufacturers to help identify and facilitate technology transfer to African net manufacturers.

We, as an association, would like to thank NetMark, USAID, and Dr. Will Shaw for giving us this opportunity to actually form an association”.

For more information on the Association, interested parties can contact the following committee members: Subhash Sonigra at polo.net@wananchi.com; Gary Dodd at Gary@netrope.co.zw, or Olajide Williams at jidewilliat@yahoo.com. An Association website is under construction.

 

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Additional Activities: USAID Unveils New Technology for African Manufacturers for the Mechanized LLIN Treatment of Mosquito Nets

 

 

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