Client Success Story
goGOGOgo
Our client, goGOGOgo (contact Kay Roman: kay@go-gogo-go.org.za) is a South African non-profit organisation that works alongside grandmothers in their communities to empower them to be leaders in their families and communities. Many South African grandmothers are responsible to bring up their grandchildren, and as a result they are in a unique position within their communities to bring about change. goGOGOgo aims to improve the lives of these grandmothers and their grandchildren by designing community-based programs that help to enhance their incomes and their education. One of these projects that they run is GOGObags where the ‘gogos’ make bags that are sold within South Africa and internationally. The sales of these bags provides these older women with an income to support themselves. goGOGOgo made use of Import Export License to assist with their licenses to export these bags. Read more to learn about them and their journey to exporting their bags in order to support communities in South Africa.
1. Can you please share a bit of background information about your business?
goGOGOgo is a South African non-profit organisation that partners with grandmothers (known as ‘gogos’) to strengthen the health, wellbeing and life chances of the children they raise, their families and their communities. We design and run community-based programmes that position gogos as leaders, educators and income earners, and not only as caregivers. GGG was formally established in 2020 to respond to a clear gap when Jane Simmonds, Executive Director and Founder, heard a grandmother ask for help with talking to her grandchildren about sex & HIV.
2. Which countries do you export to or import from?
Our first export opened a new chapter for our income4GOGOs programme. It marked the move from local production to international trade, with 4,000 bags ordered for the InterSystems READY 2026 global summit (https://www.intersystems.com/za/). goGOGOgo creates dignified work for older women via sewing and community production. The earnings from this work support household stability, allowing older women to contribute meaningfully to local economies, while some revenue is reinvested into social programmes.
3. When did you realise your business was ready for exporting/importing? What were the key indicators?
We realised our business was ready for exporting when our local demand, systems and international exposure started to align. Stakeholder engagement at global health and aging conferences opened doors, and when InterSystems invited us to supply conference bags for a global summit, it confirmed that our quality, story and capacity could meet international expectations and demand.
4. Can you share some tips for finding and researching international markets for export, or international suppliers for import? Where did you find your best leads?
You can find strong export markets and import suppliers by starting with your product’s clear story: specifications, the real impact on gogos and proof of demand, such as showing large orders from Amazon (90,000 bags) and Taste of Africa (where our bags are sold at OR Tambo airport). Believing in your work drives the best leads. Engage stakeholders like partners and gogos in your outreach – their real stories closed Amazon & Taste of Africa deals. This approach turned GOGO bags into a sustainable income source for grandmothers.
5. What was your biggest initial fear or concern about exporting/importing, and how did you address it?
Our biggest initial fears about exporting GOGO bags were the hidden costs and lacking correct documents, like import/export certificates. Uncertainty around international shipments added stress, especially for our first international order. We addressed this by partnering with Import Export License who handled the certificates and AGOA registration.
6. Reflecting on your experience, are there any aspects you would approach differently now?
Find trustworthy freight and logistics companies who prioritize patience, guidance, responsiveness and recommendations. It helps you to understand export lingo like DDP (Delivered Duty Paid, seller handles all costs and import duties) and DAP (Delivered at Place, seller delivers to destination, but buyer handles duties). A good freight and logistics company can assist you with this. Leverage trade agreements for lower duties, such as AGOA.
7. Did you encounter any unexpected obstacles, and how did you adapt?
Our main obstacle was getting all the correct documents and certificates in time. The import-export license and AGOA registration can be quite long, but partnering with a reliable company will speed up the process. It helped us complete the steps faster so that we could meet order deadlines. You can save time and stress by using companies like ImportExport License and Trade Logistics to make this process smooth and anxiety-free.
8. Did you attend trade shows or participate in international business development programs? If so, can you mention any that were helpful?
No, we have not attended any, but we are curious to learn more in order to spread our mission to empower gogos to be agents of change.
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