“To me, prosperity is something everyone can achieve; it is being successful and reaching your goals.”

Meet Christiane: Per a friend’s suggestion, Christiane applied for a position at Global Mamas after completing high school. She began as a quality control champion, and has since been promoted to quality control manager. Her job is to make sure the office is tidy and everyone else is doing their job correctly and efficiently – she is responsible for seven employees! Working for Global Mamas has taught her many skills: not only does she know how to check clothes for quality, but she also has learned how to socialize and has made many friends through the Global Mamas family. As a hobby, Christiane loves to make her own batik desigs. She hopes to one day become a food caterer (she especially loves banku and okro stew). She also hopes to see her young daughter grow up, complete tertiary school, have a better life, and become a Mama like herself!

“To all the women around the world who support Global Mamas, I would like to say a biiiiiig thank you for buying and wearing our products and making us proud!”

“To me, prosperity is doing something that you put all your strength and mind and materials into and then get to witness the finished product.”

Meet Elizabeth: After working at a pharmacy for very little pay, Elizabeth learned about Global Mamas from a friend and decided to apply as a temporary worker. She then applied for full time work and was accepted into the program as a quality control seamstress champion. Now that she has the income of a direct employee, Elizabeth has been able to rent a room in a house for herself, allowing for more independence in her life. Moreover, she was empowered in November 2015 to make decisions about sewn items for export. Calm, composed, and always ready to focus on the task at hand, Elizabeth loves working with the Mamas and helping them make their products better. She hopes to further her education by completing tertiary school, and then continue moving up through Global Mamas. What she loves most about her job is that she can see someone wearing the finished product that she had a part in producing.

“To me, prosperity is being able to give to your children or other’s children, or take care of your health, pay your own medical bills .“

Meet Esther: She has worked at Global Mama since 2012, Esther as a quality control batik and seamstress champion as well as a tour guide for volunteers. She was encouraged by a Mama to apply to this organization and it has since helped her in many ways. Esther explains that “I am asthmatic and the drug for asthma is very expensive. Before I could not afford to pay it myself, but after working with Global Mamas, I am able to buy the drug without the help of anyone.” Her most fundamental goal is to provide for her family. By working at Global Mamas, she achieves a steady income to take care of her sister’s three children. As an ambitious young woman, her dream is to own and manage her own business. She hopes that her work with Global Mamas will provide her with enough savings to open a cosmetic shop and develop as an entrepreneur.

“To me, prosperity means being successful and giving life worth. I will achieve prosperity when I am able to have my own house, cars, and business.”

Meet Hubert: His friends call him “Huby,” and he is a quality control champion and tour guide at Global Mamas. He first heard about Global Mamas through his aunt, Elizabeth Cato Cudjoe, who is a Global Mama batiker herself. As a quality control champion, he motivates the batikers and seamstresses to submit high quality products, as well as advises and supports them in their production. Since becoming a tour guide at Global Mamas, Hubert has relished learning how to relate to people in different cultures. And he especially loves watching his Mamas achieve their goals. To Hubert, work “feels more like a family here.” His favorite Global Mamas design is “sailing, ” because of the beautiful colors and pattern. In his free time, he loves going to the beach, watching movies, and listening to “high Life” and Gospel Cools music.

“Prosperity, to me, is the ability to earn a steady income and be able to meet your financial obligations.”

Meet Patience: Patience has been with Global Mamas since the very beginning. Hired by Renee Adam, Peace Corps volunteer and co-founder, Patience was the first official employee. When asked what her role was at the beginning, Patience claimed, “I did everything!” Now she is the People Development Manager and is responsible for the welfare of all her direct staff,mamas and volunteers. Patience has had the pleasure of growing and learning with Global Mamas, witnessing it progress from 6 Mamas to now over 400 individuals – and she has personally met every single Mama! She is the business mastermind behind Global Mamas, with a diploma in marketing and a degree in management studies. Although she has a lot of favorite things about working for Global Mamas, the passion on which the organization thrives is what keeps her motivated to continue her work. According to Patience, “empowering women to be financially independent is so important because it is an investment that grows the nation’s economy and reduces unemployment; it is also the way to let artisans achieve independence and export their products.” Patience is proud that Global Mamas is a unique kind of company: customers can expect fair trade products of the highest quality that are made with passion and that have a woman’s story woven into it. In her free time, Patience loves to go to church, teach her Sunday school class, and spend time with her family. In the future, if the company is able to stabilize production, Patience hopes to see Global Mamas expand beyond Ghana because their mission is to aid in the prosperity for African women and their families.

“To everyone across the world wearing our product, I will say continue to purchase the fair trade product because you are helping to make a woman proud in Africa.”