Working in Africa
I am a Canadian but originally from Zimbabwe. I always say that the smells and colours of Africa are seared into my soul! Recently I decided that I wanted to start giving back to Africa in a tangible way. As I am an artisan I wanted to assist in the marketing and development of other artisans work in Africa, having worked with different artisans cooperatives throughout my life, whether in Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Toronto or Hong Kong. I have also enjoyed teaching all my life, as well as mentoring young artisan entrepreneurs...... so now Africa is calling!
In January 2008 I went to Kpando, in Volta region of Ghana with Village Volunteers, www.villagevolunteers.org , to set up a women's textile cooperative called, Dzidefo meaning "there is hope". www.ghancoop4women.com. It consists of 10 hard-working young women who use locally designed and printed, traditional Ghanaian fabric to create toddler's clothing and home accessories. Dzidefo is managed by a dedicated young woman, Sena Kumah. Their delightful, colourful work is presently marketed in Prince Edward County, and Cobourg, the U.S as well as retail outlets in Accra, Ghana. The much needed income they earn goes to provide food, education and medical supplies for their families. In three years of operation they have become self sustaining, with orders from US and British designers.
Buoyed by this in 2009, Village Volunteers asked me to go to Atorkor on the east coast of Ghana to assist the artisans of the area. The Atorkor village is desperately poor, there is massive unemployment, due to overfishing of off-shore trawlers. I am now working with the Atorkor Development Foundation www.adfatorkor.org to develop an economic development plan for the area. The Atorkor Centre is a project to establish a vocational training Centre, focusing on the traditional arts of Ghana, using contemporary designs. It will make textiles, glass beads (trading beads), kente weaving, baskets, wood-carvings and drums, marketing them in its own retail space, in Accra and exporting to established markets in the United States, Canada and Europe. It will bring employment and tourists to the village, and provide sustainable income to the 60 or 70 artisans there.
This project will bring such benefits to so many women who are the backbone of the local economy, they will walk proudly, send their children to school, attend the medical clinic, improve their housing, and their standard of living; the whole community will be elevated. Once the Centre is established it will be run by Ghanaians for Ghanaians.
I am from Africa, I understand about African time, and ways of life; I am familiar with the cultures and their colonial histories! I know that I need to be there for the building to progress, and to be there for the establishment of the centre, so I have sold my house and gallery and intend to be in Ghana for at least a year, to build the centre and establish the programs.
My work is still available in Bloomfield at:
Black Pig Gallery,
275 Main St, Bloomfield.
613.393.8954, www.blackpiggallery.com
and at
Frantic Farms Clay & Glass & Gallery
2 Mill St., Warkworth, K0K 3K0
www.franticfarms.com, 705-924-9173
peta hall - project coordinator
The Atorkor Centre, Atorkor Development Foundation, Volta, Ghana
To donate please contact petapots@kos.net or go to www.adfatorkor.org/adfc.html