BASKET WEAVERS in the Upper East region, most of whom are widows, housewives and disabled persons, can now afford to smile, as HAVILAK Ltd, a Bolgatanga based fair trade company, has promised to offer ready market for the baskets, once they meet international standards.

With this arrangement, basket weavers in the region can also live dignified and fulfilling lives with proceeds from their baskets.

Basket buyers on the international market, especially in Denmark, mostly prefer Upper East Baskets, popularly referred to as Bolga Baskets for reasons best known to them.

On the local market, Upper East baskets still stand tall and yet the livelihoods of the people who make these baskets can not be said to have improved.

A standard shopping basket that meets both markets' requirements is sold on the local market at GH¢5 while on the international market the same basket goes for a fair trade price of not less than $50, which is indeed fair, considering the processes the baskets go through to get to the international market.

In order to ensure that basket weaving really becomes lucrative and also guarantee that the baskets meet the required standard, HAVILAK Ltd, in partnership with its Danish partner, Global Trade, have organized a capacity building workshop for leaders of some selected Straw Weavers Associations to kick-start a year-long pilot project.

Apart from improving on their weaving knowledge and skills, the weavers were also taught how to get the right price for their products to improve their livelihoods and support their families.

Some environmental experts have suggested the use of straw baskets for shopping and storage to save the nation from the filth caused by polythene bags.

Fortunately straw baskets are environmentally friendly, last longer, come in various sizes, affordable and can easily decompose when disposed off into the soil, as against polythene bags which have been proven not to be environmentally friendly.

The Managing Director of HAVILAK Ltd, Francis Danso in an interview with CITY&BUSINESS GUIDE said the year long project dubbed, “Business to Business (B2B)” is aimed at improving the living conditions of the weavers through the production and sales of the baskets under fair trade conditions both in Ghana and on the International market.

According to him, a total of 300 weavers will have their capacities built on periodic basis within the project period. Weavers under the project will also be receiving capacity building in Human Rights, personal and environmental hygiene as well as business management through fair trade workshops.

The project which focuses mainly on weaving associations will ensure that the weavers in these associations work and maintain high standards which will enable them get very good revenue from their produce.

By the end of the pilot project, more than 95 percent of baskets produced by these weavers for the Danish market are expected to be of high quality.

The project manager of “Business to Business (B2B)”, under the global trade in Denmark, Ida Ljunggren disclosed that the demand for Bolga Basket in Denmark is great, and with this HAVILAK-GLOBAL TRADE project, the basket weaver will reap maximum benefit.

From Ebo Bruce-Quansah Source: Daily Guide - Daily Guide