The 'SHIFT 80' Project: Sharing What We Have and Gradually Shaping the Future

The Kibera slum in Kenya, where 1-2 million people live, and is known as the "largest slum in East Africa." Even under conditions that we may find difficult, people living in the Kibera slum are lively and positive. This positivity has helped Miggy Sakata, who runs the apparel brand "SHIFT 80".

In this feature, we interview Sakata who works with the people of Kibera in apparel production. We asked her about the origins of SHIFT 80, current initiatives, and future prospects.

I want to give back in Kenya who saved my heart and life

Could you tell us about the background of launching SHIFT 80?

I was originally working in advertising production. However, in around 2013, I began to suffer mentally and physically. At that time, I thought, "If I keep working like this, I won't survive" and "I won't be happy with my current values," so I decided to take a break from work and travel around the world.

I've always loved traveling abroad, and when things got tough, I would visit Asian countries like Thailand and India. When I go abroad, I meet many people who live with different ideas from my own, which makes me feel better and gives me the chance to take a new step forward, fueling my progress.