Upper East: Blessing Baskets Project Ghana, a straw basket exporting organization, along with its partner Ten By Three, has expressed gratitude towards the leaders and head artisans of basket weaving groups in the Upper East Region. A total of 55 women leaders from 38 women’s groups were each presented with 25 kilograms of Flora rice to recognize their efforts in producing high-quality baskets and fulfilling demand throughout the year.
According to Ghana News Agency, these organizations have collaborated with various straw basket weaving groups, primarily composed of women across the Upper East Region. They have been instrumental in building the capacity of these artisans and supporting them in producing baskets that meet both national and international demand. The baskets are purchased at standard prices and exported to foreign markets, creating a sustainable market for these artisans. Some of the communities involved include Bolgatanga-Nyariga, Bongo-Nyariga, Sumbrungu, Zaare, and Zorko.
Mr. Abdulai Asuah, Executive Director of Blessing Baskets Project Ghana, emphasized that the gesture was part of an effort to celebrate the head artisans during the festive season, acknowledging their leadership and organizational skills. “This is just a token of appreciation for all that they do for us. This year, we have achieved our target of exporting 40-foot containers of baskets every two months, and the quality of the weaving has improved,” he stated.
Apart from capacity-building training, Blessing Baskets Project Ghana and Ten By Three have provided subsidized straw and raw materials for the baskets, creating market opportunities for the artisans’ products. Mr. Asuah noted that the initiative had empowered over 2,000 artisans and their families, helping lift them out of poverty through income-generating ventures.
Furthermore, the support has facilitated the graduation of 75 artisans into entrepreneurs, who have transitioned out of basket weaving and no longer require assistance from the organization. On the project’s Corporate Social Responsibility, the Executive Director highlighted that since its inception in 2004, the initiative has led to the construction of a school, a computer laboratory equipped with computers, boreholes, and an educational fund that has supported numerous students up to the tertiary level.
Mr. Joseph Ayamga, the Assemblyman for the Bolgatanga-Nyariga Electoral Area, praised Blessing Baskets Project Ghana and its partners for their efforts, stating that the intervention had empowered many vulnerable households and contributed to poverty reduction in the communities. Naba Paul Agoo, the Chief of Zaare, recognized basket weaving as a transformative intervention and encouraged the women to maintain high-quality production to secure international markets.
The head artisans expressed their gratitude to Blessing Baskets Project Ghana and Ten By Three for the enduring support, which has enabled them to sell their products at higher prices and improve their livelihoods. Madam Aweligya Adombila, a head artisan from the Nyariga-Doone community, commended the project and appealed for its expansion to other communities to uplift more vulnerable families from poverty.