Purposeful Sewing: School Bags for Children in Ghana

At the heart of Tojeh, a small town near Adidome in Ghana’s Volta Region, a quiet transformation is taking place.

Trainees at the CEED* recently took on a challenge: look beyond the classroom and identify a real need in a nearby community. 

Trainees photographed looking through scraps of fabric and sewing

One trainee’s simple observation sparked something bigger. After a visit to the Tojeh Community School, she noticed many children carrying their books in old rice sacks and flimsy plastic bags.

These makeshift school bags were barely holding together. When she shared it with her classmates, they responded: “Why don’t we make proper bags for them?”

Immediately, the group began discussing how they could help.

From the process of making to the result

Due to their creative training, the students saw a problem and a solution. Therefore, they decided to put their skills into action.

Guided by their team leader, they gathered leftover fabric scraps from previous sewing projects. What would have been discarded became the raw material for something useful.

As a result of their hard work, leftover fabric was transformed into colourful school bags.

Ultimately, the handmade school bags became vibrant symbols of compassion.

When the trainees arrived at the Tojeh Community School to deliver the bags, curiosity filled the air! As a result of this unusual scenario, children gathered – they were eager to see what the visitors had brought.

As the colourful bags were handed out, the children’s faces lit up. Their gratitude deeply moved the trainees.

Consequently, the students realised they were not just learning fashion and design, they were learning to serve others with a deeper purpose.

*CEED: Centre for Empowerment and Enterprise Development was established by IN Ghana in 1991. Today, as an accredited skills training centre, it equips young women in Fashion, Hospitality Management, and Cosmetology.

Read more positive impact stories in our latest Spring issue of our Invision magazine here. You can also follow us on Instagram to keep up to date with our projects at @ineedsuk

International Needs Ghana

International Needs Ghana (IN Ghana) was established in 1987. They registered with the Department of Social Welfare of the Government of Ghana in 1991.

IN Ghana is committed to seeing transformed lives and changed communities through partnerships. As a Christian charity, they are guided by God’s love and have a commitment to holistic development, non-discrimination, equal opportunities and Christian values.

IN Ghana seeks to achieve all of these values through thematic approaches: promoting Gender, Child Rights and Youth Development, Education, Health, and Christian Witness.

Currently operating from their head office in Accra, IN Ghana also has two field offices in Adidome and Winneba. IN Ghana is currently active in 30 districts across six regions – Volta, Oti, Central, Greater Accra, Upper East and Eastern Region.

Our work so far in Ghana:

• We provide ongoing support for released Trokosi women, including vocational training to help them support themselves, and counselling for those traumatised by their experiences.
• International Needs Child Assistance Programme currently supports the education of over 2,500 children in Ghana, providing supplies, uniforms, meals and school fees.
• We are working in Kpogede Community School to improve sanitation and hygiene practices. through this we want to reduce the burden of sickness on families in Kpogede, Ghana.
• 7- unit latrine toilets were constructed at the Togbe Aho Memorial School at Kebenu, Central Tongu District, Ghana.

Written by Cromwell Awadey, Executive Director, IN Ghana

Cromwell Awadey is the Executive Director of International Needs Ghana. Cromwell has been ED since 2019. Prior to this role he was the Head of Programmes for 14 years.