We are now offering handcrafted Bolga baskets woven by remarkable artisans in Bolgatanga, Ghana. Each Basket is a one-of-a-kind treasure.
Proceeds from the sale of these baskets helps to provide healthcare, education and financial support to over 1,000 African villagers and their children.
African Market Baskets™ is a division of The Overseas Connection, Ltd., located in Boulder, Colorado. Founder and CEO, Steve Karowe has been importing from Africa since 1991. Since 2004, he has worked directly with artisans in Bolgatanga. Steve Karowe also formed Every Basket Helps™, a non-profit organization created to help manage humanitarian projects in the villages of Ghana. African Market Baskets™ donates 10% of its profits to Every Basket Helps™.
Steve travels to Africa to meet with the weavers regularly and to oversee Every Basket Helps™ projects which include:
- Providing basic school supplies for the weavers’ children annually
- Organizing and funding health care for the weavers and their families annually
- Funding and building a community weaving center that serves two villages and over 400 weavers (2009)
The Story
Basket weaving has helped bring much needed income to the villages surrounding Bolgatanga, Ghana. The traditional skill which has been handed down from generation to generation provides employment to approximately 10,000 people, mostly women. An average of two baskets a week can be woven by a woman who also has household chores, firewood collection, water collection, washing and the care of her children to tend to each day.
Using locally-grown straw, the women create art. View a gallery of images showing women weaving and the process from natural grass to finished basket. This gallery shows how the grass is transformed, colored and then woven into a basket.
Bolgatanga and its surrounding villages are the largest producers of straw baskets in the country. Known as the crafts center of northern Ghana, Bolgatanga has a large central market where artists sell their work every third day. See a gallery of images showing the transportation of baskets to market.
African Market Baskets™ is a member of the Fair Trade Federation.
Right now, we have the African Market Baskets in The Farm Store. They make great yarn baskets, or stashing most anything! I’ve got one in my bedroom that holds socks, and yes, a cat from time to time as well!
We do not yet offer them online. Seems they sell so fast, I can’t get them listed!
Thanks to all of you who help support the weavers by buying African Market Baskets.
