Artisan Work & Training

The MFI Foundation operates an upcycling studio in Greater Accra, Ghana. Our upcycling studio aims to generate living wages in the creative economy through work and training positions for artisans. We primarily work with artisans who are women, persons with disabilities, and/or parents of children with disabilities. As of 2023, we work with approximately 10 artisans in short or long-term positions at a time.

  • The MFI Foundation artisan work program provides full-time positions with living wages to skilled artisans who specialize in sewing and tailoring. The position allows for artisans to receive benefits such as social security and support for housing relocation, health care, and transportation. Artisans are employed on a long-term basis. However, many of the artisans in this program aspire to operate their own sewing studios and shops after gaining sufficient experience through the organization.

  • The MFI Foundation apprenticeship program trains artisans in sewing, tailoring, and fashion design over a period of two to four years. Participants earn a living wage stipend each month for the duration of their apprenticeship. By comparison, most apprentices in Ghana are required to pay for their apprenticeship training, which presents a barrier. Apprentices are paired with other experienced apprentices. As full-time workers, apprentices earn benefits including social security and support for housing relocation, health care, and transportation.

    We also offer a short-term option of providing six-months of job training and a start-up grant to artisans with interest in establishing their own business. Employees in this program receive a monthly stipend and a start-up grant to establish their own independent business (typically in tie-dye cloth-making) following successful completion of the program.

  • The MFI Foundation work-from-home program provides work-from-home positions for artisans and apprentices. The program is designed for people for whom work-from-home is more convenient or better meets their access needs. Artisans receive training in bead-making and other skills. Matilda and other MFI Foundation team members visit artisans in their homes on a monthly basis to provide them with materials and supervise production tasks. Artisans in the work-from-home program start out with a period in which they receive training, develop strategies to overcome any challenges, and demonstrate progress on their craft. After the trial period, those who remain interested in the work can be hired as full-time employees. MFI Foundation’s beads are currently used for creating necklaces and other accessories. MFI Foundation strives for the work-from-home program to be supported by local sales to allow the artisans to transition into independent business owners if they desire.

  • The MFI Foundation is well-known in the community and has partnerships with local disability advocacy groups, the local social welfare governmental office, and local churches. Each of these groups make referrals to the organization. At this time, the MFI Foundation has a substantial waitlist of persons interested in its job training positions that it cannot fully serve at its current scale.

    We seek inquiries from any persons that may be able to provide funding or partnerships that would allow us to expand our upcycling studio and grow the impact of our programs.

News Spotlight of the MFI Foundation:

 
 

Photos from Our Upcycling Studio:

(Use the arrows, or wait for the gallery to automatically advance)