Partners Worldwide Helps 'First Lady' of Woodcarving

“Woodcarving is not an occupation for lazy people,” says Janet Osei Jackson, “First Lady” of Ghanaian woodcarvers.

She has carved out long hours conceiving ideas, gathering materials, not to mention the painstaking work of crafting her stunning art works. Yet hard work alone isn’t always enough to prosper a business.

With support and empowerment from Partners Worldwide's local partner Hopeline Institute, she has fashioned a successful business selling her pieces.

“I have seen a tremendous increase in my business as a result of Hopeline Institute Microfinance,”  she said. “I have significantly improved my profits since acquiring my first loan in 2013.”

Janet Osei Jackson started her career as a professional caterer, until she opened her own small diner.

Her major clients: The all-male wood carvers at Aburi, a small town in Eastern Ghana. Soon, she wanted to try the ancient art form herself. But it was difficult to find someone who was willing to teach her how to engage in a craft supposedly “for men only.”

“One major perception in the woodcarving occupation is the belief that women who engage in carving give birth to children looking like their art work,” she said. “This belief puts lots of women off.”

Janet Osei Jackson believes God sent Mr. Akuffo, a local carver, to teach her the art at no cost. “This was a miracle,” she said.
For a while, she combined her catering business with learning her new craft.  “These were challenging times, as I had to give my attention to two demanding trades,” she said. “But I was determined to make it.”

Then, a breakthrough came in the form of a German national who noticed and became fascinated by her work.

“He bought my first art works, and advised me to stop catering and concentrate on wood carving.”

The profits from her first sale became her initial capital, and her carving business began taking shape.  “I therefore became the first female wood carver, hence the nickname ‘First Lady,’” she said.

Twenty-three years later, she is still paring, etching, and smoothing wood, sculpting her singular creations and providing a livelihood for herself and her family. Not only does the business help her support her family's everyday needs, but she used proceeds from her work to pay for education for her three children.

In 2006, however, she experienced a near collapse of her business. She was invited to participate in an exhibition in Germany, and she excitedly packed up her best carvings and shipped them in a 20-foot container.

Unfortunately, there was no exhibition in Germany, and her artwork was stolen. “I reported the incident to the police but received very little help because I did not have enough information on the fraudster,” she said.

Discouraged and depleted, she managed to restart on a very small scale. But in 2013,  with support and empowerment from Partners Worldwide's local partner Hopeline Institute, she has fashioned a successful business selling her pieces.

Partners Worldwide is a denominationally related agency recommended for support by the Christian Reformed Church.

“I have seen a tremendous increase in my business as a result of Hopeline Institute Microfinance,” said the woodcarver. “I have significantly improved my profits since acquiring my first loan in 2013.”

Hopeline Institute Microfinance provided the “reset button” Jackson needed.  She received basic business training alongside other business owners and was able to invest in her business with a loan from Hopeline.

The woodcarver paid off that first loan in three months and is currently repaying her second loan.

Just as her first customer represented a breakthrough for her business, so the loans and training from Hopeline have been a leap forward, she said.

She has been able to pay for new materials, and therefore create new works for sale, she said.

“I am now producing carvings on the same scale as I was before I was defrauded,” she said.

Not only does Hopeline support Jackson through access to loans to grow her business, but she receives  regular visits from Hopeline staff and even the Executive Director, Fanny Atta-Peters.

"Janet is very creative and comes up with different products all the time. It is a delight to see a female excel in this male dominated industry,"  says Atta-Peters.

These personal relationships give Janet great joy and are a vital part of how Hopeline serves clients so well. “Hopeline has really shown that they care about my business,” she said.

Despite a setback that would have whittled the heart out of most entrepreneurs, Janet continues to build a business with support and loans from Hopeline Institute. Her work gives her the ability to support herself and her family with dignity and joy.