MEET OUR ARTISANS
Bolgatanga Baskets
Enusah Anafo hails from the Northern part of Ghana, Bolgatanga, and he learned Bolga basket weaving from his grandfather.  In 1991, he became well established and moved to Accra to expand his customer base by opening a shop at the Arts Centre. He currently has eighteen (18) employees who help in running the business, some in Accra and others in Bolgatanga.  He has been a supplier for eShopAfrica since 2008.  Shop for Bolgatanga Baskets here.

 DrumsHayford Aboagye Akwasi learned wood carving and drum making from his grandfather, starting at a young age after school.  After graduating from High School, he moved to the Arts Center in Accra and joined a drumming and dancing group for three years, and then commenced the drum-making business.  After working for five (5) years with another business, he managed to save some money and then with the help of a friend he started his own drum making business "Universal Drums Enterprise”. He has trained ten strong boys whom he currently works with.  They have been supplying eShopAfrica since 2009.  Shop for Drums here.

 
Ga Coffins		 After working 12 years as an apprentice with a famous Ga coffin-maker, 'Paa Joe Carpentry workshop,’ Eric Adotey Kpakpo established his business, "Eric's Carpentry Workshop," with his own savings.  His workshop is situated at La, a suburb of Accra. Currently, he has two apprentices whom he is training. He specializes in miniature coffins and chests with mind blowing designs, different shapes and sizes which are exported and also sold locally.  His dream is to expand the business, and to continue to satisfy his clients by producing the best on both local and international markets in the near future.   Eric has been supplying eShopAfrica with Ga Coffins since 2001. Shop for Ga Coffins here.

 Kente Cloth Strips
Eric Boateng a textile trader is from Ghana and has provided eShopAfrica with beautiful, hand woven kente cloth since 2007.  He learned the business from his mother and sister and has now taken over the family trade. Although his family were originally kente cloth traders, Eric has made contact with artisans in Mali and Burkina Faso producing mudcloth and indigo cloth and he has become one of the best known mudcloth traders in Ghana.  Shop for Kente Cloth strips here.

 Kente Cloth
Shawls		Adams Salifu is a kente weaver and adinkra printer from Ntonso, a village near Kumasi in the Ashanti Region. He is the Secretary of the Amangoase (meaning ''under the mango tree'') Association  His association advocates for its weavers, printers, and traders to use traditional methods of textile production and has also participated in various HIV/AIDS awareness programs within Ntonso and throughout the district. Like most young men in Ntonso, Adams learned his weaving and printing from his father. He believes it is important to the people of Ntonso to pass down their craft from generation to generation. Shop for Kente Shawls here.

 

Lost Wax Casting Brass Beads

Kwaku Ampong was born into a family of brass bead makers in the Ashanti Region of Ghana and started learning his family’s trade at a young age. He runs his own production with a few employees depending on their work load.  Kwaku wants to own a big production house that will accommodate the young adults who wish to learn and acquire more skills in brass beads production. He really loves his job and always gives thanks to his father for passing on the trade of brass bead production to him.  He has supplied brass beads for eShopAfrica for a few years.  Shop for Lost Wax Casting Brass Beads here.
 Powdered & Painted Glass Beads Florence Martey, of TK Beads, is one Ghana's leading bead designers who produce high quality hand-made designer beads. Her designs draw both on traditional and modern themes and, as with many West African artisans, her use of colour is outstanding.  In the past few years, TK Beads has expanded greatly. They started with fifteen workers and now have over twenty-five workers. They also engage in training interested people in bead-making.  TK Beads has been a supplier for eShopAfrica since 2001.  Shop for Powdered Glass Beads.

Oklah 
Recycled Glass Beads
Oklah Tetteh was born into a family of bead makers in the Eastern Region of Ghana and started learning his family’s trade at a young age. He established a small workshop on his own in 1993 making powdered glass beads. In 1994, he added ‘bodoum bead designs’ and recycled glass beads in new sizes, colours and unique colour combinations.  He has been a loyal supplier for eShopAfrica since 1997, and his beads have been exported around the world. Currently, he is developing plans to create a training centre to train others who desire to be in the bead-making business so they can earn a better living.  Shop for Recycled Glass Beads here.

Ria Azu is a jewellery designer who has made Ghana her home. "In Ghana,” she says, "beads accompany us from birth to death, they mark the milestones of our lives. They are treasured for many generations, some even for hundreds, thousands of years. My passion for Beads inspires me to create jewellery with a Story. Through the Ghana Bead Society I have the opportunity to interact with bead producers, traders, jewellery designers, bead researchers; people from all walks of life sharing a love for beads…..always exciting, always inspiring.”  After years of designing jewellery with beads, copper came into her life and a whole new world opened up. Copper wire has an earthy warmth and loveliness that combines so well with beads. It was the start of new a love affair: ’Whispers in Wire’. Together with her other line called: ‘Beads Speak’ they are the two halves of her beading heart.  Shop for RiA's Beads Copper Wire Jewelry here.


Sun Trade Beads Ornaments
Sun Trade Beads was established in 1996 by Kati Torda in order to promote the local and export sale of beads, jewellery and handicrafts from Ghana.  Kati’s work has played a significant role in promoting the importance of beads in Ghanaian society.  Sun Trade Beads has become a destination to find a vast selection of handmade items in Accra, Ghana.  Shop for Ornaments here.