The Team Helping Kayayei (Head Porters) Transition to Sustainable Jobs | Mabilgu 2023 In Review

Hello! We are overjoyed to introduce you to our Mabilgu team. The Mabilgu program is the heart of our operation and the team is never short of surprises or inspiration:

“To promote a sense of togetherness, the team decided to encourage communal cooking by providing raw ingredients. Cooking together has also reduced our electricity consumption, aligning with The Or Foundation’s commitment to environmental sustainability by avoiding the use of charcoal. Ever since we have relocated to the Mabilgu House, it has felt like we’re back home in the North where we originally hail from. As you may be aware, Northern women have a habit of growng their own food, tending to farms, enjoying the fruits of their own labor. Similarly, we’ve adopted this practice at the Mabilgu House where we have a backyard farm — we grow and harvest our own food which is healthier and nutritious.” - Soabida

Mabilgu means “sisterhood” in Dagbani, the dominant language of the women who work as kayayei in Kantamanto, head-carrying clothing bales throughout the narrow alleyways of the market. The program got its name from the women themselves who helped us understand that while they may migrate to Accra and end up working as kayayei for a multitude of different reasons, they survive because of the sisterhood formed through their shared experience in the markets.

Evolving from our year long Chiropractic Research and Treatment program with @drnaa_novawellness and @novawellnesscenter, the Mabilgu team has successfully cultivated an ecosystem of paid apprenticeship and educational pathways, providing alternative jobs to over 100 women while also providing wraparound care such as self defense class, housing and healthcare. Mabilgu also touches every other facet of our work with many apprentices employed by our other departments.

Please listen as the Mabilgu team reflects on their accomplishments, challenges and personal growth over the last year. And thank you to all of our Mabilgu apprentices, trainers, teachers, mentors and collaborators 💞

Photos by @_faizasalman, Mabilgu Apprentice

Originally posted to Instagram