A philanthropist, Benjamin Aduko Atadita, has donated vetiver grass straw to women basket weavers at Atongbisi in the Azoribisi Electoral Area of the Bolgatanga Municipality in the Upper East Region of Ghana.
The women, who are part of a traditional basket weaving cooperative, will use the donated straw to produce the internationally acclaimed “Bolga Basket,” a handcrafted traditional commodity that has gained worldwide recognition and export demand.
The Bolgatanga basket weavers face significant challenges in accessing vetiver grass straw, the primary raw material used for Bolga basket production.
The vetiver grass straw is cultivated in southern Ghana, making it expensive for the women artisans to procure. This supply chain challenge has been a major setback for the women, who depend on the traditional basket weaving industry to support their families and contribute to Ghana’s handicraft export sector.
However, Mr. Atadita’s philanthropic donation represents a timely intervention that will significantly support the women’s livelihoods and boost local handicraft production. The Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Roland Ayoo, who presented the donation on behalf of the philanthropist, expressed his appreciation for the women’s dedication to preserving traditional Ghanaian craftsmanship.
He encouraged the basket weaving cooperative to maximize the benefits from the donated materials and continue developing their traditional craft skills. Mr. Ayoo also pledged continued municipal assembly support for the women artisans in the future.
“It is a good venture by Benjamin Atadita to support the women, and my duty as MCE is to also help the women in one way or another to come out of the poverty cycle. So I have assured them of my support from time to time when the means are available to assist them,” he said.
On behalf of the Bolgatanga basket weaving cooperative, Esther Adongo expressed gratitude to Mr. Atadita for his support. She also appealed to other philanthropists, private individuals, and government agencies to support the traditional handicraft industry in Upper East Region.
“We are grateful for what Mr. Benjamin has done for us. We always find it difficult to access raw materials for basket weaving, but through his generosity he has provided us with the vetiver grass straw. Whenever we gather for basket production, some of our members don’t have the necessary materials to weave,” she explained.
Source: A1Radioonline.com | 101.1 MHz | David Azure, Bolgatanga
