A New Initiative Empowering Young Female Head Porters
A new initiative is providing young female head porters, known locally as kayayei, with a route into safer and more sustainable work.
Empowering Women Through Vocational Training
The program, called Mabilgu, offers vocational training and small business support to help these women transition into roles within Ghana’s growing fashion and circular economy sectors.
Creating Opportunities for Economic Empowerment
Many kayayei migrate from northern Ghana to urban centers seeking work, often facing difficult and risky conditions. This project aims to reduce their physical hardship and economic vulnerability by connecting them to opportunities that fairly value their skills and labor.
The Or Foundation describes the effort as a practical approach to both poverty reduction and building more gender-equitable local economies.
Building Resilient Futures
By supporting these women to start small businesses or access stable jobs, the initiative helps create more resilient futures while strengthening entire community value chains. To date, The Or Foundation’s Mabilgu program has supported over 250 women.
