About Textile Art Ghana

A Little Background

In 2009 Dr. Sam Adjorlolo, the inspiring Atorkor village Chief and Chair of the Atorkor Development Foundation (ADF) met Peta Hall, resident of Prince Edward County, Ontario, a Canadian artist originally from Zimbabwe and a volunteer for ADF. They discussed the unemployment and poverty in the Atorkor area the desperate lack of skills training.

With ADF’s support Atorkor Vocational Training Institute, designed by a Canadian architect, was established in 2011 with major funding from a private Canadian family foundation, and support from hundreds Prince Edward County residents.

Atorkor Vocational Training Institute

Dressmaking Trainees

Atorkor Vocational Training Institute (AVTI) now has 500 students enrolled in 7 programs Catering, Dressmaking, Textile Decoration, General Electrical, Computer Studies, Masonry Construction, and Welding with core subjects of English, Mathematics, Entrepreneurship and Integrated Science.

In 2012 the Ghanaian government funded the second wing of the school. A private donor, international corporations, Ontario Rotary clubs along with many individuals assisted with purchasing equipment. Peta Hall was the first director of the school from its inception until the Ghanaian government absorbed it in 2013.

In the nearby village of Dzita, Dream Big Ghana, a non-governmental organisation, has become a vital part of the community. Its projects include building compost toilets in the village, which also enriches the sandy soil, and sponsoring health courses for young girls.

Dream Big Ghana

Adult Education

Learning Centre

Village Compost Toilet

Girls Health Education

Dream Big Ghana meets needs of AVTI Graduates and other local dressmakers

As the graduates left AVTI, Hall realised the need for postgraduate assistance. Dream Big Ghana agreed to host the first of these programs, and in 2020 TEXTILE ART GHANA (TAG) was born. Prince Edward County quilt guilds and the local community donated equipment and funding.

Women at Work

Fabrics in the Workshop

Both AVTI and Dream Big Ghana provide vital resources so all members of the community can acquire knowledge to enhance their potential to earn a living.

Peta Hall is the founder and manager of TAG, she lives in Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada. Originally from Zimbabwe she came to Canada in 1974. Hall is an entrepreneurial artist who is passionate about the arts/education/women’s empowerment and Africa which explains her numerous creative projects in PEC as well as her work in Africa over the last twenty years.

A Little Geography

TEXTILE ART GHANA resides in a small coastal village, Dzita on the Gulf of Guinea between the Volta River and the Togo border. Many village houses have no power, running water or sanitation.

Fisherman’s House

The land is hot, (250 kms. north of the equator) flat and sandy making crops or animal husbandry a difficult endeavour. The main occupation used to be ocean fishing but the fishing industry has collapsed due to offshore factory fishing vessels.

Wash Day

Fisherman with No Catches

The local fisherman use 12-man canoes to set their nets and hand-haul them back to shore with ever-diminishing catches. The local women have few fish to process, smoke, dry or sell at the market.

Hand hauling the boat to shore

Women waiting to buy fish on the beach

Selling produce in the market

The Creators

A talented group of women create joyful, colourful textile art with donated sewing machines and supplies. The work blends their expert sewing skills from ATVI and their intuitive colour and design from a lifetime of living under the African sun.

The Women plus one

There are currently eight women in the TEXTILE ART GHANA co-operative ranging in age from 22 to 39 years old. They are single women, mothers and soccer players. Our youngest ”participant,” 9-month-old Jessica learned how to walk in 2020 while her mother worked, accompanied by the ever-active 2-year-old Philipena (Phili) who many believe is destined to be the future President of Ghana! The women share a passion for learning, devouring new techniques and skills, which will enable them to provide a sustainable income and enhance their ability to provide for their children, their parents and continue to improve their education. The proceeds of the sale of the artwork go directly to the maker with no administration charges deducted. Donations received support the Textile Art Ghana project and will allow more women to participate in the program.

The TAG Team

Happy Workspace

Helping in the Workshop

View/Purchase the Artwork

All proceeds from the sale of each piece of textile art goes directly to the artist who created it.

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Support Textile Art Ghana

Donations received support the Textile Art Ghana program and will allow more women to participate in the program.