A Look into Stitching Talents’ Impact
Article Author: Gerard Lapuente
Stitching Talents Interviewee: Emmanuela "Ella" Oppong — Founder
In a collaborative effort to spotlight impactful nonprofit work, the Raices Foundation is thrilled to present an interview with Emmanuela “Ella” Oppong, Founder of Stitching Talents. This dedicated organization provides vocational training to orphaned students in Ghana, fostering self-sufficiency and entrepreneurial spirit.
Background and Inspiration
The story behind Stitching Talents is one of inspiration, dedication, and a deep desire to make a difference. As an undergraduate student at Union College, Ella learned about the Davis Projects for Peace, an initiative offering students the chance to work on projects promoting peace. Seizing this opportunity, Ella explored various ways to give back to her community in Ghana. She connected with diverse organizations supporting orphaned students, eventually partnering with the Egyam Children’s Home. Conversations with these organizations revealed a pressing need for vocational training, leading to Stitching Talents’ creation—a free, student-led vocational school intending to empower these students and their community.
“The inspiration for Stitching Talents came from learning about the challenges faced by orphans and the specific needs of the Egyam Children's Home,” says Emmanuela "Ella" Oppong, Founder of Stitching Talents. “Our vision was driven by the hope of making a lasting impact through social innovation and entrepreneurship.”
Programming
Stitching Talents focuses on equipping students with practical and entrepreneurial skills. The program offers training in:
Tailoring: Both women’s and men’s clothing-making.
Entrepreneurial skills: Courses on business marketing, sustainability models, value propositions, setting SMART goals, personal and business finance, and management techniques.
Feminine health: Courses addressing vital health issues.
These skills were chosen to help students generate income and support themselves, their families, and their communities. Through this training, Stitching Talents aims to foster self-sufficiency and entrepreneurial spirit among its students.
“We aspire to equip students with hands-on and entrepreneurial skills that they can utilize once they graduate,” explains Ella. “In addition to learning about clothing making, our students learn about making value propositions, setting SMART goals, and various management techniques that can help them run successful small businesses.”
Impact and Outcomes
Since its conception, Stitching Talents has achieved remarkable success. In 2022, the program graduated four students who have since created small businesses within the community. The organization is also developing a school community space—a kiosk—where graduates can access resources to support their ventures, including saving towards opening their kiosks.
“We are proud of our graduates and their accomplishments,” Ella shares. “They are already making a positive impact in their communities, and we are committed to providing ongoing support to help them succeed.”
How to Support and Get Involved
Stitching Talents offers several ways for people to support and get involved:
Join the movie night club, where the community gathers once a month to watch a movie, with proceeds supporting ST students
Donate to help graduates establish their kiosks
Sponsor a student in the second cohort
Join the team to support various efforts
Stay connected through the organization's website and social media platforms
Collaborating for Greater Impact
Raices Foundation and Stitching Talents will collaborate on a Fall project with Project YAGE in Togo in an exciting development. This collaboration aims to extend the impact of vocational training and support to more communities. Astrid Vargas, COO of Raices Foundation, met the heads of these organizations during her time as an undergraduate student at Union College, forging a strong bond that has led to this meaningful partnership. Together, they will work to empower more individuals through education and entrepreneurial opportunities.
For more information on this development, visit Stitching Talents, Raices Foundation, and Project YAGE.
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