The German Ambassador to Ghana, Daniel Krull, has extended a special invitation to basket weavers from the Sherigu community in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East Region to attend his final major event in Ghana, scheduled to take place at the German residence in Accra on Thursday.
The Ambassador’s invitation includes an opportunity for the women to showcase and sell their unique basket products to a wider, international audience.
Ambassador Krull made the announcement during a visit to the basket weaving site at Tangabisi in Sherigu, where he met with the basket weavers and interacted with Paulina Adongo, one of the community’s skilled basket weavers who recently returned from Germany after undergoing life-changing surgery.
Once crippled by severe pain resulting from childhood polio, Paulina was on the brink of becoming a nursing case. Her fate took a dramatic turn when she met Irene, a German national who visited Northern Ghana a few years ago to support basket weavers in accessing international markets. Upon learning about Paulina’s condition, Irene mobilized her church community and an NGO in Germany to raise funds for a complex surgery and follow-up physiotherapy in Hamburg.
Speaking to the women in Sherigu, Ambassador Krull said, “The fact that Paulina was in terrible pain and needed a very complex operation—and that people in Germany, out of goodwill, made it happen—is something that should inspire us all. We are lucky that Irene and her NGO were able to make the trip possible and that the hospital in my hometown Hamburg agreed to perform the surgery.”
He added, “It was a touching moment to see Paulina walk again and return home to enjoy her first Ghanaian jollof rice in Accra after months of rehabilitation. Her journey is not just a story of personal transformation but a testament to global compassion and human connection.”
Mr. Krull, who is nearing the end of his tenure as ambassador, expressed his desire to use his farewell event to spotlight the cultural and economic potential of Ghana’s north. “I would like to host you at my final event in Accra. Bring your baskets and use the opportunity to show the world the incredible talent and artistry that comes from this region,” he told the women.
Paulina, now fully mobile and beaming with gratitude, continues her craft with renewed strength. She expressed joy and appreciation for the support she received from Irene and her partners and the care and love they have shown her.
Ambassador Krull was accompanied by two chefs to the Sherigu community. Chef Esther Mumuni, who is from Tamale but resides in Humberg, and Otto Pfeiffer, a well-known Chef from Berlin, the capital of Germany.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Sherigu
