Female transplant in Ghana's capital supports northern counterparts

[00:00.45] These women own businesses in Accra, work with nonprofits and women in northern Ghana to source raw materials for their goods, such as shea butter.

[00:11.07] The butter extracted from the nut of the African shea tree is a staple in Violet, a MOB's line of Natural Beauty products.

[00:19.84] She says one of their goals is to help women keep the next generation out of poverty.

[00:26.48] So we ensure that they're able to use the profits or the money they get from our purchases to improve their livelihood by doing things like building clinics, taking their children to school and ensuring that they have a job.

[00:38.96] Mobarika Awudu supports women in the north by buying their handmade fabric to make beds for Accra markets.

[00:47.73] Her father came from a small northern village, so she is aware of the many hardships in the region.

[00:53.84] She says women's economic independence has become especially important this year as incomes were stretched because of the coronavirus pandemic.

[01:03.67] Some of them are doing well. They have started with weaving alone. Now they have apprentices that they are training as well.

[01:09.78] Especially now that the schools are locked down, most of the girls are now learning how to make a living from weaving.

[01:17.21] Threaded Tribes puts a modern twist on traditional fashion to encourage young people to appreciate African style.

[01:25.18] It sources fabrics from across Africa and works with northern Ghanaian women who do the weaving.

[01:31.56] The fact that they're women makes me happy. I don't think there are barely any men weavers to be honest because they'd be in the farms.

[01:37.67] And even though women be in the farms too, but the weaving is a women business.

[01:42.18] And being a woman in a black area, it's amazing. It's so amazing to be able to do this with women. To be honest, it's great.

[01:47.76] While the north produces quality materials, there are few jobs leading young people to move south, many to already crowded cities.

[01:58.12] Ghana's business experts say more investment is needed in the north to expand job prospects and to improve working conditions.

[02:07.95] In terms of development, when you look at all the different regions in Ghana, some of the most deprived can be found in north.

[02:15.38] So it's only fair that given that they are giving us so much value, at least we give back a bit to ensure that the community also thrives.

[02:25.21] Investing in women, say experts, is one of the best ways to develop local economies, a practice that these Accra business women are only too happy to support.