Empowerment: From Seamstress to Business Owner
Today we share the story of Ama a courageous single mother from rural Ghana and how, through our skills-training and micro-finance programme, she stepped from survival into entrepreneurship, from dependence into independence.
Empowerment: From Seamstress to Business Owner
At the heart of the Domhene Foundation's work is a simple conviction: when given the right tools, people can transform their lives. This is the story of Ama — a courageous single mother from rural Ghana — and how, through our skills training and microfinance programme, she moved from surviving day-to-day to owning a thriving fashion business.
A Life of Challenge
When Ama first came to us she carried more than fabric and needles; she carried the weight of responsibility for her children, the uncertainty of irregular income, and the daily struggle of finding reliable work as an informal seamstress. Limited access to capital, few market connections, and little knowledge of business basics kept her trapped in a cycle of “making do” rather than planning for growth.
A New Opportunity with Domhene Foundation
The Domhene Foundation offers an integrated approach: vocational skills training paired with targeted microfinance and mentorship. Ama enrolled in our tailoring programme and took classes in pricing, basic bookkeeping, customer service, and marketing. Through a small micro-loan she accessed after training, Ama could invest in tools and materials that transformed her work.
From Training to Transformation
Over the course of several months Ama's progress became clear:
Learning & Growth: She improved stitch quality, learned new garment styles, and gained confidence in fittings and finishing.
Access to Capital: The micro-loan allowed her to buy a reliable sewing machine, purchase fabric in bulk, and set up a small dedicated workspace.
Building Confidence: As positive client feedback grew, Ama began actively marketing her services, setting fair prices, and offering added services like alterations.
Sustainable Enterprise: Today Ama runs a small tailoring business with a workshop-like space, employs an apprentice, saves regularly, and ensures her children attend school.
The Wider Impact
Ama’s story demonstrates the ripple effects of economic empowerment:
Economic stability: Skills plus finance help women move from irregular earnings to predictable income — enabling better access to education and healthcare.
Breaking cycles of poverty: When a mother becomes financially secure, her children gain new opportunities and aspirations.
Community strengthening: Empowered entrepreneurs create local networks, hire apprentices, and contribute to a more resilient local economy.
Why We Do What We Do
The Domhene Foundation’s mission is to empower underserved communities so individuals can chart their own paths. Our model—training, access to capital, and ongoing mentorship—builds capacity, confidence, and sustainable livelihoods. Ama’s progress is one example of how that model turns possibility into real change.
How You Can Help
Stories like Ama’s are only possible because people and partners choose to support them. If you want to help empower more women and strengthen communities, here are a few ways to get involved:
Donate: Funds help run training workshops, provide seed loans, and support mentorship programmes.
Partner: Businesses, educators, and community leaders can collaborate with us to expand impact.
Share: Help spread the story so more participants, supporters, and partners discover what’s possible.
Final Thoughts
From a struggling seamstress to a confident business owner, Ama’s journey is a testament to the power of targeted support. Her sewing machine is more than a tool — it’s a symbol of possibility. At Domhene Foundation we measure success by the new futures that begin when someone is given a chance. Let’s keep building those futures—together.
Learn more about our programmes or get involved at domhenefoundation.org.
