By: Megan Laird
Produced & Edited By: Andrew Davis
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“We went from a class project trying to
help fund two other nonprofits on the ground in Ghana to starting our own
nonprofit that was focused on the economic empowerment of young homeless women
through giving them a job, a safe place to sleep, and way to save.”
A Growing
Organization
ABAN was started in 2008 and now has 19
employees and three interns on two different continents. The former college
students that started it were able to turn a dream into a reality, and have
seen success in Ghana. According to Brauel, “We have gotten support from
several large companies in Ghana, created a Ghana Advisory Board, and have
partnered with numerous schools to initiate recycling programs.”
From fall of 2008 to the summer of
2010, ABAN sold their products to support Accra’s youth. The founders of ABAN
then won the Carolina Challenge, a prestigious business competition at Universityof North Carolina-Chapel Hill (Callie’s original university before studying
abroad), the funding from which allowed ABAN to become a registered non-profit.
The actual process of creating the
beautiful handbags, jewelry and other products from ABAN involves up-cycling
water sachets (the main source of litter in Accra) and combining them with
recycled glass and traditional Ghanaian batik fabrics. The proceeds from the
goods directly benefit the young mothers who are enrolled in ABAN’s school. The
ABAN school is an entrepreneurial school that seeks to empower and transform
the beneficiaries to develop themselves and their community. According to
Brauel, the women selected are those,
“…Willing to commit two years to
breaking the cycle of poverty, changing their lives and preparing for a more
participative role in their communities and society. Because the women are in a
resident environment, ABAN is able to focus on developing a sense of
self-confidence by teaching a basic educational curriculum, developing vocational
and social skills, money management, and counseling in nutrition, and physical
and mental health.”
Doris Darkwah, the Programs Coordinator
in Ghana, discussed some big moments in her time with ABAN, “When they show up
for training day in, day out, that tells me they are willing to make a change
in their lives and that makes me proud. A peculiar big day for me is usually
their graduation day.”
Darkwah also noted her main fear for
the women of Ghana, “My fear is that most of them will not reach the peak of
their potential because of cultural restrictions placed on them.”
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| Photo © A Ban Against Neglect |
Helping Others
ABAN fights to break down these restrictions, and educate the women and young mothers about gaining their independence, often from men.
The organization has a staff in both
Ghana and the United States, working to spread ABAN’s message and help the
girls of Ghana. According to Operations Manager, Mary Kathryne Hutton,
“While our Ghana operations focus
primarily on program planning and implementation, as well as production of our
products, ABAN’s US office focuses primarily on sales and fundraising to
sustain our programs.”
New programs are constantly being initiated,
all working towards the bigger cause. One such program being ABAN Women’s
Empowerment, or AWE, which consists of many stages and different accomplishments
ABAN hopes to reach. According to Executive Director Janine de Nysschen, ABAN
is currently experiencing one of it’s biggest leaps in terms of growth, “almost
quadrupling intake numbers” and “expanding it’s overall community impact.”
She also spoke of what ABAN has planned
for its program future.
“Program-wise, ABAN will expand into
the area of social entrepreneurship so that we can take our self-funding, which
currently is around 35% to 40% of what we do, and raise that to being able to
fund 60% of everything we do.”
Other Goals
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| Photo © A Ban Against Neglect |
ABAN fights to not only help women, but
also to help the environment, making them multi-dimensional in their efforts.
Furthermore, they execute their cause in such a manner that is unique and beautiful; and they are creating products that are in demand and well liked. Among the staff’s favorite items that ABAN produces were the tote bags, computer and iPad cases, cosmetic bags and wine bags. Nysschen spoke of what she feels is ABAN’s strength as an organization.
Furthermore, they execute their cause in such a manner that is unique and beautiful; and they are creating products that are in demand and well liked. Among the staff’s favorite items that ABAN produces were the tote bags, computer and iPad cases, cosmetic bags and wine bags. Nysschen spoke of what she feels is ABAN’s strength as an organization.
“ABAN
has a strong sense of purpose; our core reason for doing what we do is to help
people and things achieve a renewed sense of worth. That's why we can work with
young women from very disadvantaged backgrounds, and yet we see in them their
potential, their true value. It's also why we have a heart for recycling and
nurturing our environment.”
Co-founder
Emmanuel
Tetteh Quarmyne spoke of the impact
he sees of ABAN on the women of Ghana. “I see it in their everyday lives. For
most of the girls who I saw and recruited on the street it is fulfilling for me
to see them gain employment and a monthly income that enables them to take care
of themselves, their children, their dependent family and the community.”
Emmanuel’s hope for the future of ABAN
is to see it not only grow bigger but to empower up to 100 girls in every
session. This goal, while ambitious, is not unrealistic for this unique
non-profit.
ABAN defies the norms of a business,
having been started by three college students, and having grown to the
magnitude to which it is today. The impact of ABAN is seen through the women in
the programs and their success stories, the beauty of the products, the impact
on the surrounding society and the satisfaction of the staff involved.
