A sample of my internship work

On January 24^th, I had the pleasure of spending a night in Prampram, about an hour East of Accra. I visited with the purpose of writing a story for the Global Mamas' website, and I thought I'd share that story with you here so that you can observe one kind of writing I've used in my internship.

Just five minutes outside of the seaside village of Prampram, a cluster of freshly scrubbed buildings is perched on a rise of sand above a little lagoon and the Atlantic ocean. Upon entrance, visitors gasp and remark on its resemblance to Paradise. This little haven is not a new resort however; here, two seamstresses and two batikers are in their second week of work at Global Mamas' newest production site.

Christy and Be batik in the courtyard, stamping, dying, washing, and rinsing patterns and colors in three to six yard lengths. At this point, they're working on color and stamping consistency to be sure that their products match the high quality output of other Global Mamas batikers. Christy and Be both have experience batiking, but they talk about how these patterns are much more precise than the batiking they do at home. They've also learned out to cut their own stamps, which is Be's new favorite part of her handicraft.

Inside, T.T. goes from room to room checking the sewing and knitting machines and assisting the seamstresses Eunice and Charity. As the resident knitting machine expert, T.T. comes on Mondays to help with maintenance of the equipment. Eunice and Charity are working on Batik Button Baskets, and they eagerly examine a newly arrived sample of Batik Storage Bins. The seamstresses have many years of experience, but they explain that they've mostly made custom dresses so it's challenging to learn how to make these new products. Both Charity and Eunice own their own businesses in Prampram and they will continue to take on orders even though they work from 8 to 5 for Global Mamas. Eunice simply said that she has four children and that she has to work to take care of them. In fact, in the next room, her eight month old daughter Rosemary takes her afternoon nap on a cushioned bench. Everyone likes the working space; it's clean, quiet, and comfortable.

This idyllic location has been more than a bit of work, but its gotten off to a great start in under 6 months. Tim and Lydia Richardson arrived in Ghana in August, shortly after their wedding; they are volunteering with Global Mamas for two years and their dedication and hard work have been key to this new adventure for Global Mamas. They look forward to taking on volunteers with bright ideas and innovative energy.

All the production here will be completed on site with Global Mamas-owned equipment; this will reduce the cost of production by centralizing materials and by providing immediate feedback and quality control. Eventually, Prampram will be the largest production location of batiked products. The plan is to construct a large facility nearby for the employment of nearly 200 batikers, seamstresses, and quality control personnel. In conversation with Christy and Be they talked about limited opportunities in Prampram; many leave for work in Tema or Accra. Be also explained that many young people need work to stay in school, but as of now, they have difficulty doing so in Prampram. So while this is a different model than the one used in Cape Coast, it will create jobs and stability in the community and also provide opportunities for women to work towards economic independence.