The past few months Sarah, Emily and I have been working with Ernestina to grow and strengthen her business, Edinam Designs*. We’ve been collaborating on product design, cost models, and brainstorming potential sales channels. We also created “Her Story” tags to accompany each of her pieces. This gives Ernestina the chance to tell her story and the buyer a chance to hear and appreciate the place and person their new product came from. We shipped a handful of Ernestina’s products to the states to be sold by Many Hands 4 Haiti >> http://www.mh4h.org/. 

Ernestina’s story as reads on her card >> “Ernestina, a young African woman from Ghana, received a small loan from Mission Resource to buy a sewing machine and pay her apprenticeship fees. Today, she has paid back the loan, has started Edinam Designs and is making one-of-a-kind purses, bags, hair accessories, and aprons among other items. Ernestina is delighted to use her skill to offer people a creative, quality product. With the income she earns through her sales, Ernestina is able to take care of herself, put her brother through school, steadily grow her business, and receive the joy of giving as she supports people and ministry in her own community. By purchasing this item, you are helping Ernestina fulfill her dreams! The proceeds from your purchase go directly to Ernestina.”

Ernestina is so talented and creative. It’s fun to come alongside someone you know has so much skill and potential, yet steals none of the glory from God. We hope for others to see this, too, as her business continues to bloom. Join us as we pray with Ernestina, that she would be able to be a business woman/owner who continues to operate with integrity, trains and employs other Ghanaian women and makes famous the name of Jesus through her skill and influence.

*Edinam means “God has shown his favor on me.”

Read all of Josi’s journey in Africa on Her View From Home or on her blog.