“I am now on my own. I am independent. You can call me Madame.”
In a church in central Accra, over 30 women sat and listened to Amama Ibrahim speak at their graduation ceremony. Opportunity’s Kayayei Graduation Project has come to its final convening—but for months, these women have come together to share their experiences, learn new crafts and business skills, and find their own pathways to success.
Amama, a former graduate of the program, was glowing as she shared with the group what their futures could look like.
“I am proud of myself. I am unique, and you can now call me Madame.”
Kayayei are head porters who carry heavy loads for merchants, often hauling things like food, toiletries, and other items. You can see many of these women supporting business owners in the open-air markets across town. The profession can be exhausting, and the small incomes they earn don’t often pay for the essentials for their families. To help make ends meet, they often purchase some of the items themselves to sell on busy streets and highways during the rush hour.
Many are mothers who carry their children with them while they work. They often struggle to find stable housing, resorting to makeshift shelters in the markets where they work. Despite the many challenges, the life of a kayayei is often their only option.
But for women like Amama, the training and support she’s received from Opportunity have given her the skills and resources necessary to take control of her own future.
“My life as a porter was very stressful. You have to fight to survive every day,” said Amama, “This program was not easy, but it was worth the struggle to be where I am today.”
In the program, Amama and other women take classes that build new skills, like bookkeeping and sales—and receive training for new expertise like making soap and baking. Opportunity then provides them with startup kits and capital to help them build their own businesses.
The combined trainings establish a sound footing for the next steps of their lives. Amama’s new skills enabled her to develop her own shower gels and soaps—allowing her to cut through any commercial middlemen and develop her own brand.
“I used to carry for other people, and many try to buy at prices that you cannot afford. We go through many indignities as street porters,” Amama said. “But now I can make soap and take control of my work.”
Amama’s child now attends school every day while she works her own shop. Amama and her child are secure in knowing where they rest her head at night, an apartment she could call her own. And, with great pride, Amama shared that she has been able to find a home for her own mother, whose rent she helps pay every month.
Today, Amama rests easy knowing that her hard work and determination was supporting other women seeking to transform their lives. She has stepped into a role as leader and mentor in her community, training other women in the program to equip them with the same skills she received—paying it forward for dozens of other women.
“Now, I have a roof over my head,” she said. “I have my own business. I have control. You can call me Madame.”
