Empower Marginalized Young Women in Ghana

Dear Friends,

We have some exciting news! Rose got a promotion!

Now, don’t get me wrong, we get excited when ANYONE gets promoted at ACE, but Rose deserves a little special recognition.

We had thought we lost Rose when she abruptly left the ABAN program a mere five months prior to her graduation back in 2012. But it turned out to be a mere hiccup on her journey. As our teenaged selves can relate, Rose felt a little lost and soon fell into the peer pressure of bad company. After some months back on the street Rose attended her peer’s ABAN graduation and as we celebrated their achievement she humbly asked for a second chance.

Rose became the first beneficiary employed by ABAN. Now an excelling seamstress at our sewing center, ACE, Rose uses her natural creative talent to sew ABAN products that contribute to the ABAN mission and pay her salary. And hard work rarely goes unnoticed at ACE.

Our head tailor, Papa, has a keen eye for ACE workers who go above and beyond what is required of them.

First thing you should know about Rose: She is a natural leader.

Rose is respected not only by ACE (even as the youngest of the seamstresses and tailors), but by all the current ABAN “Queens” in our program.

Her loyalty and trustworthiness are evident by how many ABAN girls and ACE employees go to her seeking help.

Her boisterous personality can sometimes be misconstrued as being stand-offish, but spend more than a few hours with her, and her true nature shines through brighter than the smile she’ll flash at you after cracking a joke.

Next thing you should know about Rose: She is creative. Rose thinks outside the box. She challenges the way something is being done if she notices a problem.

As we continuously try to design and develop new products, Rose is always the first to take on the challenge of trying to sew the prototype.

Papa increasingly turns to Rose to aid in his new product development endeavors as he recognizes her gift for coming up with fresh, new ideas.

The most important thing you should know about Rose: She is a servant.

When lunch is ready, Rose serves out portions to the rest of ACE. When everyone is closing from work, Rose sweeps the center. When someone needs an errand to be run, Rose is always willing.

Being a leader and being a servant seem contrary to one another in today’s society. And yet it’s exactly the type of leader that I believe has the most impact on others.

Ask Rose. She’ll tell you. 

While her path may not have been conventional, it surely has been transformational.

Thank you for your continued support in helping us empower women like Rose!