Change a Life

ABAN breaks the cycle of poverty among the unreached and underserved population of women and children in Ghana and empowers them to restore themselves, their communities and their environment

Watch the Video
ABAN in a Nutshell

ABAN is a non-profit dedicated to empowering young mothers in Ghana by selling unique, handmade products from recycled materials

ABAN Community
Employment (ACE)

Skilled local tailors & seamstresses sew our products by hand

Bags, Purses,
& Totes — Oh My!

We recycle plastic bags & glass bottles to make our fun, colorful bags & jewelry

ABAN Women's
Empowerment

Proceeds fund entrepreneurship & vocational training programs for young mothers

The FaBric of Change

What began as a class project to start a non-profit recycling plastic street waste became a symbol of hope for young mothers in Ghana

Letter from the Founders

Dear friends,

ABAN has always prided itself on being an act of transformation. Transforming plastic waste into beautiful products. Transforming the lives of neglected young women into hopeful futures. Transforming the landscape of Ghana into empowered communities.

Forty-three women successfully graduated our women’s empowerment program! Some of these women went back to high school. Some are working in hotels. Some are pursuing a career in sewing or hair dressing. Some have dreams of becoming teachers! Thirty-seven babies came through the doors of our preschool and received a jump start on their education. All their mothers saved money while participating in our program to pay for their future school fees.

Fourteen seamstresses and tailors in our community have been given employment through our sewing center. They recycled over half a million plastic bags into useful products sold in Ghana, the UK, and the United States! Ten of our surrounding communities now collect the plastic bags instead of discarding them on the street.

We are now facing our biggest transformation yet. We are shifting all managerial and programmatic decision making to our capable staff in Ghana, Darkwah and Gabriel Tettey, longtime friends of the founders and partners of the program since inception. Together along with the Ghana Board, they are expanding ABAN’s original mission to include new programs grounded their community’s needs. Read more about them and the board on the Leadership Team page.

We are confident and excited to see where our leadership in Ghana takes ABAN through this next transformation!

Callie and Becca, March 2016