Diana: Uplifting women and girls through basket weaving

5 min read

Once I could only dream of going to school, now I’m a successful entrepreneur

Growing up in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region of Ghana, life was challenging due to my parents’ financial struggles. I feared that attending secondary school would be a dream I could never realize. At that time in Ghana, secondary school was not free, and my family couldn’t afford the fees on top of essentials like school uniforms and books.

Determined to continue my education, I began selling food at a bus station and local market, as well as collecting dirty dishes for money. I managed to raise enough to complete the first term, but my funds didn’t stretch far, and I was soon forced to return to work in order to pay for the next term.

Everything changed when I was selected to become a Mastercard Foundation Scholar at CAMFED Ghana, meaning that my school-going costs were covered for the rest of my education. This unwavering support meant I could completely focus on my studies and try my best in class.

After graduating school in 2017, I felt motivated to support other girls who might be facing challenges in education. Through CAMFED, I volunteered at my local school as a Learner Guide, acting as a vital role model and peer mentor for vulnerable girls. I supported them to build critical life and learning skills and helped them plan their futures. I also served as a Transition Guide, mentoring school graduates and supporting them to make a transition from school into secure and fulfilling livelihoods.

I also joined the CAMFED Association — the network of women leaders educated with CAMFED’s support. There are now over 77,000 of us in Ghana, supporting each other to be the best versions of ourselves and paying forward the benefits of our education so more girls can follow in our footsteps!

Fulfilling my potential as an entrepreneur and role model

Having faced severe financial problems, I really wanted to help lift others in my community out of poverty. So in 2018, I founded my own basket weaving cooperative, RISE SOCIAL, training women in basketry weaving and helping them earn a stable income. I provide financial literacy training and support women to learn artisan basket weaving techniques. I then sell the products in Ghana and abroad for premium prices, ensuring everyone is paid fairly for their work. I have helped many women gain financial independence, support their families, send their children to school — breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty.

Through CAMFED, I received invaluable training in financial literacy and business skills, which boosted my confidence to take RISE SOCIAL to new heights. I used a grant that I received through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Entrepreneurship Fund to purchase raw materials, a motorcycle, and land in order to build my first artisanal training center in Bolgatanga. I’m proud to say that the cooperative has grown from 5 women in 2018 to an impressive 315 members today!

Here I am with baskets hand-woven by talented women in our collective. (Credit: CAMFED/Mmaa Social)

With economic success comes a big responsibility. As I’ve grown my business, I’ve remained committed to being a socially-conscious entrepreneur, improving the lives of cooperative members and their communities. Profits from the cooperative have so far supported 300 children with stationery and partial school fee funding, and I anticipate supporting at least 1,000 girls through school by 2026.

This area of Ghana is affected by higher than average infant and maternal mortality rates, often due to lack of access to healthcare and low incomes. To combat this, I am assisting pregnant women and children with the registration and renewal of health insurance cards. I plan on ramping up my efforts even further by building a community maternal health center to improve access to life-saving care.

Another challenge in Bolgatanga is access to clean drinking water, especially during the dry season when wells often dry up. Water is essential for basket weaving as it softens materials like reeds so they can be woven into baskets. This means women are forced to travel long distances to fetch water in order to continue their work. Recognizing this challenge, I partnered with another organization in 2022 to open a community hand pump borehole right outside the weaving center!

The hand pump has uplifted the entire community, providing access to clean drinking water for basket weaving and essential daily tasks.

Looking ahead, I aim to replicate my basket weaving cooperative model across Northern Ghana. One of my goals is to establish a women-run and led artisan village to showcase the untapped talents of women, demonstrating what can be achieved when given the opportunity.