Tamale: Mr. Mohammed Gadafi Mandeya, Executive Director of Africa Youth Centre for Development (AFRI Youth), has called for urgent measures to revitalize and strengthen the local weaving industry in northern Ghana to reduce the economic vulnerabilities faced by women and girls. He made the appeal during a multi-stakeholder engagement forum in Tamale, which was attended by weavers, designers, and other actors in the weaving industry.
According to Ghana News Agency, the event was organized by AFRI Youth in collaboration with the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Ghana) under the initiative 'Empowering Women on Weaving for Economic Growth', with support from the African Women's Development Fund (AWDF). It aims to empower about 500 young girls across the Northern Region through training, capacity building, mentorship, digital marketing, and business development support.
Mr. Mandeya explained that the forum was to explore strategies for promoting the weaving industry and creating a sustainable market for weavers, suppliers, and designers of weaving materials. He noted that while weaving had become a promising source of livelihood for many young girls in the region and contributed significantly to reducing rural-urban migration, many women still faced barriers that hindered their ability to earn sustainable incomes from the craft.
He said: 'Traditionally, weaving was a male-dominated industry but our recent survey indicates that close to 20,000 women are currently involved in the sector within the Tamale and Sagnarigu Municipalities alone. Unfortunately, these women lack the necessary support to fully realize the potential of this industry.'
Mr. Mandeya called on government agencies, civil society organizations, NGOs, and philanthropists to prioritize investments in the weaving sector as a pathway to women's economic empowerment. Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, Executive Director of SWIDA-Ghana, highlighted the importance of gender-sensitive policies that addressed the unique challenges women faced in accessing economic opportunities. She said a thriving and well-supported weaving industry could help curb rural-urban migration by providing viable livelihood alternatives within communities.
Alhaji Salifu Yussif, President of Smock Weavers and Sellers Association, emphasized the need for increased technological investment to modernize operations and expand training opportunities for women and girls. He said: 'Beyond access to modern equipment, it's crucial to support these women in establishing and sustaining their businesses after training. Without that, many return to urban centres because they lack the means to start on their own.'
The forum formed part of AFRI Youth's broader mission to create sustainable economic opportunities for youth and women in the region through entrepreneurship and capacity development. Participants commended the initiative and expressed optimism that with the right policy and financial support, the weaving industry could become a key driver of inclusive and sustainable development in the region.
