Featured Story: On the continent of Africa, a group of enterprising women in Ghana are busy sewing a unique line of clothing and accessories for international markets. They are members of “Global Mamas,” a non-profit organization helping small women-led enterprises in Africa. This cooperative assists the individually-owned businesses in finding export markets for their unique and high quality products, and with management training. It was founded by Women in Progress a non-profit organization.

The Global Mamas’ mission is to enhance the international marketplace with unique, high quality, handmade apparel, and at the same time provide sustainable livelihoods for women and girls in Africa.

Global Mamas reduces the economic inequality of women by significantly increasing the revenues and profits of woman-owned businesses in Africa. This in turn increases employee wages, generates new jobs and improves the standard of living. They believe that helping women gain economic independence is the most effective way to reduce dependence on foreign aid and steadily create a prosperous society.

They have been accepted into the Fair Trade Federation (FTF) in the USA, an association of fair trade wholesalers, retailers, and producers whose members are committed to providing fair wages and good employment opportunities to economically disadvantaged artisans and farmers worldwide.