aklala du Togo

Support Growth in the World

2010-05-06T06:37:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all of you who have followed my work with Chantal over the two years while I was in Togo with her and the women of aklala. With a dream and a vision, her and I were able to start a successful business and connect her to others who can work towards sustaining her development. Though I believe the ground-work we laid has made her independently successful and with that I feel that her and aklala stand as one.

While I make the transition to DC I will be working on promoting her work stateside. If you have any interest in her products as a buyer please let me know and I can send you the current catalog. New products will be added shortly and uploaded to this blog so check back soon!

New branding logo placement on bags currently for sale at "The Evergreen" in Ludington, MI

Sac du Soiree Clutch with hand dyed batik and tropical handles

Ak bey ka ka looo!

aklala hits the big apple!

2010-01-13T19:59:00.000-08:00

Come Join us at the New York International Gift Fair!!

January 30th through February 4th

Booth #2483 Jacob K. Javits Center

aklala batik will be presented as part of the AfricaNow! booth supported by

Coming Soon!!

Visit our marketplace and purchase aklala's products online

www.aklala.com

aklala builds a nest in the US

2009-10-20T17:17:00.000-07:00

Please take a moment to visit Chantal's profile on Nest's page of loan recipients. Early this summer, Chantal was awarded a $2,000 loan through Nest to aid in the expansion and promotion of her business. Nest placed an order of three styles of bags along with the credit and will continue to support them as they repay the loan in installments of bags and accessories. They plan to continue to facilitate the added revenue by placing purchase orders on top of the merchandise repayments. Now, how's that for sustainability and support. While they continue to update their site to reflect the products available to the US market, please continue to visit. In due time you could have the opportunity to adorn yourself with the vibrant colors of Togo.

http://www.buildanest.com/lrdetail2.asp?loanrecipientid=101

"Nest is a nonprofit organization dedicated to changing the lives of women in developing countries. The mission of Nest is to support women artists and artisans in the developing world by helping them create sustainable entrepreneurial businesses. To do this, Nest provides micro-credit loans to be used for the purchase of the supplies and materials necessary to begin and/or maintain art or craft-based businesses."

Come and Shop!

2009-07-05T09:27:00.001-07:00

Hey there!
As we begin to market aklala stateside here is a tase of what we have to offer!
Feel free to mingle and dance around in the colors of Africa!

aklala 2009 catalog ~sacs~

aklala 2009 catalog ~autres~

Why settle for just one color. aklala patches together many patterns to offer a rainbow of colors available in a cute new hobo bag. Get your groove on!

Chantal discussing an order with a client from France who's mother's business purchased the remaining inventory at the end of the FESPACO international trade show in March to market in France.

Business is Blooming Colors

2009-07-05T08:49:00.001-07:00

So things are moving along well in the progression of aklala batik. Chantal and the women have never ceased to amaze me as I get ready to leave Togo at the end of my 2 year service facilitating her creation and growth. Not only do I feel as if I have accomplished what I came here to achieve, I have also aided in encouraging the capacity now found in Chantal and the others who work alongside her.

Etonam and Beatrice start the production for an order placed by Nest in the US, a nonprofit organization dedicated to changing the lives of women in developing countries. The mission of Nest is to support women artists and artisans in the developing world by helping them create sustainable entrepreneurial businesses. www.buildanest.com I was forwarded their site by a friend and have since been in contact with Rebecca Kousky, the founder of Nest, to facilitate aklala's application for a micro-credit to aid in their desire to seek revenue to add to the construction of a batik workshop that will offer free apprenticeships to those in her town who are in need of learning a trade and have no means to pay the inscription fees for learning them. Thanks Nest!

Etonam sews together pieces of batiked cloth to form the patchwork fabric to make into bright and cheerful bags.

Chantal's son Eli, the "smallest tailor" strikes a pose for me as I photograph their newest investment, an embroidery machine made possible by increased revenue. Chantal felt that it would be wise to offer more services locally while having the capacity to create new products from it's use. She employed the local embroiderer to run the machine where she used to order the service for her clients. Now others come to her for the same needs.

Chantal works on the terrace of her new workshop and boutique which has helped bring in additional profits during the tourist season.

Growth is on the Horizon

2009-06-06T07:11:00.000-07:00

She waits for no one.

Chantal walks to one of the many buildings she will construct in her hopes to create a large batik workshop that will offer jobs in local trades and stimulate the economy through the marketing and sale of aklala's products. Her company, aklala batik, is only just over a year old but she has the wind in her sails and never ceases to move forward. With my help and her motivation we have witnessed the opportunities of growth. She has already contributed to her own development financially from the revenue collected from the sale of her products.

This is the first building on the future site where aklala batik will install its operations and open it's doors to a host of possibilities for the future of Togo and the inhabitants of Kpalime. I worked with Chantal on the budget detailing her plans to expand and allow her newly successful enterprise to assist others locally by creating a space to house and employ orphans and young women and men interested in learning the trades of sculpture, batik and tailoring. This opportunity will provide them the skills to work within Togo's trade economy.

I wrote the proposal this past January. Since I was too close to the finish of my service here as a Peace Corps Volunteer, I took a pause to reflect on other ways to assist her before she took on such a grand scale development. I also had a desire to return to the needs of my assigned post and implement a few community wide projects. I wanted her to reflect upon her goals and the mission of the project before launching the proposal in search of funding. Here is a summary of her goals within the development of aklala.

Project Goals

Construction of a workshop, training center, storefront, and housing to aid in the education and employment of orphans and underprivileged individuals from Kpalime and surrounding villages.
Promotion of batik artistry and tourism through organized, short-term classes.
Creation of jobs in Kpalime.
Expansion of Aklala Batik's capacity through trained staff and sustainable business structure.

Populations Directly Benefiting

Orphans and underprivileged children and adults who have no means of support living in and around the Kpalime region.
Local entrepreneurs who seek partners in order to access more of the market.
Local youth who are interested in learning a skilled trade at a low cost, through weekly formations or year-long programs.
Tourists can benefit from taking classes in the traditional crafts of the region and learning the skilled trades of the country allowing more cross-cultural experiences and collaboration.
Community development through the promotion of skilled trades, allowing for increased revenue from tourism.
Current Community Contribution on the part of Aklala Batik and others
Plot of land purchased for the construction of the center
Professional artists and skilled trainers available to teach others valuable trades at little or no cost.
Labor to aid in the construction of the center.
Responsibility for paying all utilities associated with the operation and upkeep of the center and lodging facilities through revenue of product sales, training sessions, and tourist lodging fees.
Batik equipment, sewing machines and supplies, as well as furnishings currently used by Aklala Batik to aid in the completion of the workroom.

Since my work began with her in March of 2008, we have created an enterprise, a successful brand of marketable handbags and accessories, and opened up possibilities to touching a world market from attending international trade shows in the promotion of aklala batik du Togo. She had all the skills and creative drive, all it took was a bit of counseling from me and some guidance from the 4 years I spent in my past career as a product designer in Chicago. Through it all I have discovered that the satisfaction I feel in my service has come from her rapid growth and development, mostly through watching her confidence rise. This was what I wanted to do during my service, help international artists promote themselves through guided development and marketing practices. I could not have felt more fulfilled. Helping her and others in this manner has increased my confidence in my own success as an entrepreneur. Though the largest benefit comes from getting that "feel good feeling," knowing that you just made the life of someone a bit better by showing them the way to grow.

Maybe someday I'll be in Chantals place and sell my own products created by my own two hands, but for now there are many more talented people out there that just need the little bit of guidance and promotion to help themselves do the same. I will continue to promote these talented individuals by assisting in their marketing and development by finding fair trade outlets and distribution possibilities to allow for people worldwide to experience the creations of cultures far and wide.

Like the Chinese Proverb states:

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

In my work with Chantal this proverb has been proved as I have seen her take responsibility for her own affairs and grow little by little, using her own capital. Since I have seen her bring herself this far, I know a little bit of financial assistance can take her further to helping others pull themselves up and remove their dependence on others. In my time here working in development I have never believed in the system of handing out money, knowing that it only creates dependence. I've seen it here in a country where a lack of organizational development by way of the government has forced many Togolese to demand support from other countries, stating that the local means have been long exhausted.

so...What's New?

2009-06-05T12:40:00.000-07:00

Here's a brief glimpse at the latest goods from the creative spirits of aklala batik...

stacks of batik patterns

pagne pagne pagne...batik fabrics is a rainbow of colors

Sac kangol with it's many pouches

Sac arc-en-ciel clutch with tropical hardwood rod handles

all of the many styles and colors of aklala

a selection of bright and funky accessories handmade from dye to construction all here in Togo

It’s Official! Open for Business!

2009-04-04T15:18:00.000-07:00

Chantal in her new retail location and workroom

Chantal and the women of aklala batik have moved out of their cramped one room workshop in the living room of Chantals home and are now professionally established in their own atelier. This move will allow her to open up her business to numerous other visitors as well as market her products in a public location. The space is neatly tucked between her home and the plot of land where she intends to build the large center. This will allow her and the other women to occupy the children and at the same time have some space to work free of distractions. It will also allow her to advertise her affairs and be available for formations in batik and design given to tourists. All in time for the first high tourist season in Togo, Easter Holiday when many French tourists arrive on their spring break.
It’s location is just off one of the main roads in Kpalime that leads to the Artisinal Center as well as many favorite restaurants (Chez Lazare, Macumba, Au Fermier) and hotels (Hotel Geyser). Finally, those who have heard of her work will now know where to go to get a hold of the latest styles. The first day they opened the space there were already new clients who arrived interested in her affaires. It is amazing the rate at which her enterprise has grown in the short year I have been working with her.

Batik cloth decorates the walls of the workshop.

At ease and comfortable in the new space.

All is good..when it comes to development.

Not only has she established herself in a proper work location, she has also organized the opening of a boutique on the other side of town with other local artists who have formed an association through their combined participation in numerous trade shows. The group is composed of Master Carpenter, Fo. NoNo; Experienced Sculptor, Tsevie; Skilled Batiker, Yao Kokoroko, and Chantal of aklala batik. They have formed a strong team of individual artists who collaborate by contracting each other’s skills, sharing exhibition fees, and offering creative and business consulting to one another. The work ethic and integrity of the group will allow them to touch external markets in the near future. This much… I am sure of.

The gang and I in front of thier boutique location

Batik Paintings by Yao amongst aklala's bags and Tsevie's sculptures.

Aklala Case Study

2009-03-22T03:44:00.000-07:00

Learn all about Aklala du Togo from our new Case Study in Artisanal Entrepreneurial Development.

FESPACO 2009

2009-03-16T08:27:00.000-07:00

Billboard detailing the events of FESPACO located in the gallery of artists.

So we are back from the second trade show where aklala batik has participated in their promotion. It was a great time for us both and I have new hopes and aspirations for their development. There, aklala batik saw a 15% return on thier investments through sales and interest in their products. I see a world of oportunities opening up for them.

Chantal and I flashing our pearly whites

FESPACO, (the huge pan-African international film festival) was in it's 40th year. This celebration brought in many Africans as well as Foreigners from the coast of West Africa to Europe. There was also a large concentration of American Peace Corps volunteers who were posted in many of these areas. It was a great way to fully engage in exploring all the cultures represented in West Africa.
The trade show (Galerie Marchande) was held at the Maison du Peuple grounds located in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. This space is devoted to the promotion of musical events and artisan activities amongst other community venues. Its location was just a short walk from many FESPACO sites holding cinematography events including Cine Burkina, where the majority of the films were shown. Artisans, agricultural producers, and business men and women alike all gathered to try to cash out on the flux of tourist activity that FESPACO brought in.
I spent 3 days with Chantal in aklala's stand and was able to fully examine the scope of possibilities available to her through the incurred interest in their products. We pretty much bonded through the event and time spent together. There were many of my PCV friends from Togo there, and even though I did get a chance to catch an evening flick, I focused my involvement on her affairs. I was also excited to meet many new artisan friends as well as reacquaint myself with those I had previously met at SIAO in November. I am confident that aklala will continue to be a success in the future and hope to continue my work with her and many other amazingly talented artists of West Africa and beyond.

Here are some pics from the event...

An overview of the trade fair grounds

aklala's booth at FESPACO

aklala batik, well represented through the development of sewn in logo tags, labels, and marketing materials.

After a lesson in jewelry making, Chantal whipped out new merchandise to sell alongside the batik.

aklalas spring line

Bag details and new styles

sharing ideas with an interested buyer

Growth..one brick at a time...

2009-02-28T02:12:00.000-08:00

Chantal on her plot of land of which she dreams to build aklala batik workroom and boutique

The brick marking her plot of land

So many of you are aware of aklala batik's progress through creating a line of marketable hand bags and accessories out of the traditional batiked fabric of West Africa. In her development she still lacks the capital to expand her operations to a adequate workspace to house all the talented individuals who assist in the production. Currently, she works out of her two room space in a housing compound with 4 other families. There is a large amount of interested individuals that ask to work with her but the space is limited. With an emerging interest in her products both locally and in the US, she is searching out possible donors available to finance her expansion efforts.

Last year in March she had purchased a plot of land for the construction of a workshop and boutique located in her town. Centered around the expansion, is a plan to offer training in batik and sewing to those who are unable to pay the high inscriptions fees for an apprenticeship, particularly young orphaned women and men. In turn, she would have the assistance to meet the current demands of her customers. A portion of the revenue from the sales of aklala's products would help finance the housing and training for these orphans and underprivileged persons while at the same time offering free training to aid in their independence and development. Once they have completed the training they would be offered paid positions with aklala batik that would allow them to support themselves, allowing for a new flux of individuals interesting in learning and practicing a skilled trade to arrive.

I am in the process of helping her construct a plan for this expansion, including a business plan detailing her mission and vision statement. I will be submitting this proposal through the Peace Corps Partnership Program in an effort to generate financial support from family and friends stateside. Please keep checking this site if you are interested in supporting her efforts. Here is a

brief summary of the proposal...

Background
Kpalime, situated in the Plateau Region of Togo, serves as one of Togo's top tourist destinations and hosts a rich community of artisans. The artistic community plays a large role in the development of the town bringing in large amounts of tourists during the summer and holiday months. Yet, with a growing population of over 65,000 and a weak economy, Kpalime continues to struggle with unemployment, corruption and poverty.
There is a large population of orphans living in and around Kpalime. Many children are taken in by willing households but still receive little financial support for their education and development. They are most often found working for the family who was kind enough to give them a place to live, staying at the home doing a wide variety of chores. They will live a life destined to remain dependent on others and will have very little opportunity to succeed in a skilled trade or profession.
With a concentration of artisans, Kpalime offers apprenticeships in a wide range of crafts at private and public training centers. However, these training programs are expensive, costing 200,000 CFA or more (approximately $100). When the average family supports itself on $2 a day, such an investment is outside the reach of many young men and women—especially for orphans who were lucky enough to have found a home. Aklala Batik's technical training center and workshop would grant free apprenticeships to orphans and give them an opportunity to learn a trade and support themselves.

Project Goals
Construction of a workshop, training center, storefront, and housing to aid in the education and employment of orphans and underprivileged individuals from Kpalime and surrounding villages.

Promotion of batik artistry and tourism through organized, short-term classes.
Creation of jobs in Kpalime.

Expansion of Aklala Batik's capacity through trained staff and sustainable business structure.

Populations Directly Benefiting
Orphans and underprivileged children and adults who have no means of support living in and around the Kpalime region.

Local entrepreneurs who seek partners in order to access more of the market.

Local youth who are interested in learning a skilled trade at a low cost, through weekly formations or year-long programs.

Tourists can benefit from taking classes in the traditional crafts of the region and learning the skilled trades of the country allowing more cross-cultural experiences and collaboration.

Community development through the promotion of skilled trades, allowing for increased revenue from tourism.

Here are some images of Chantal on the future site of her workshop. She is making plans to start the construction little by little through the revenue generated by local sales, but searches support in getting the construction into full swing.

The site

and a pile of bricks..to build the center

Chantal and business partner No-no researching the site of a potential temporary exhibition hall.

Burkina Faso part deux!

2009-02-28T01:50:00.000-08:00

Just months after her first debut at an international trade show in Burkina Faso last year, Chantal and aklala batik du Togo is back and better than ever. She will be exposing her new line of products in Ouagadougou at an organized artisinal show in conjunction witht he huge Pan-African film festival FESPACO. Through granted permission of my PC director, I will be there there on the side lines watching her progression and assisting in the facilitation. I am so proud of the efforts made by her and the other talented and motivated people of Kpalime she works with.

Felicitations aklala !

This season's newest products...from books to shoes...everything gets covered in batik!

hardcover notebooks in all different sizes, the notebooks are handmade in Ghana then covered in aklala batiks colorful fabrics

New logos on sewn in labels adorne all the products. Important to brand your products!

A cute cap perfect for a dame or gent

aklala's shoe boutique. Hand tailored sandals in numerous styles for men and women

New! sac su soiree for those evening rendevous

Aklala's debut at SIAO

2008-11-28T10:50:00.000-08:00

SIAO 2008, Salon International de l'Artisinat de Ouagadougou~ Burkina Faso

Chantal at aklala batik's debut SIAO, Burkina Faso 2008

Me (Megan Rhodes PCV Togo 2007-2009) at SIAO talking with an Artisan from Mail.

read all about aklala batik in the following publications

Home décor and fashion accessory producers, buyers prepare for SIAO
by Julianna White ~ Tradewinds (USAID's WATH publication) english

Les producteurs et les acheteurs de décorations et d’accessoires de mode se préparent pour SIAO
par Julianna White ~ Tradewinds (USAID"S West African Trade Hub publication)french

SIAO 2008: Connecting producers and buyers is key Tradewinds ~ By Joe Lamport

SIAO 2008 : Mettre en rapport les producteurs et les acheteurs est essentiel Tradewinds ~ par Joe Lamport

Read the full story here...
A Case Study in Artisanal Entrepreneurial Development
Megan Rhodes PCV
Small Enterprise Development 2007-2009
Togo, West Africa

“In my afternoon walk I would fain forget all my morning occupations, and my obligation to society. But it sometimes happens that I cannot easily shake off the village. The thought of some work will run in my head, and I am not where my body is; I am out of my senses.”

- Henry David Thoreau

Brochures and Catalogs

2008-10-19T05:33:00.000-07:00

Publications in English

Case Study

Brochures and Flyers

Order Form

Publications en Français

Rapports et brochure

On y va a SIAO

2008-10-18T10:54:00.000-07:00

Here are some marketing materials from the debut of Chantal and the women batikers of Kpalime, Togo. Aklala Batik du Togo makes it's first appearence at SIAO, www.siao.bf in Ouagadoudou Burkina Faso this fall.

How it's done

2008-09-10T10:29:00.000-07:00

Here is a little photo journey through the processes of batiking. Chantale and the other women will spend multiple days just dyeing the cloth to prepare it to be sewn into bags and clothes. Most of the tools they use are quite primitive since there is a lack of advanced technology. This lack, in turn helps preserve the handcrafted quality of a tradition that has been passed down through generations.
Chantale has learned these techniques through an apprenticage (as many artisans here follow). Now, she has taught the women who assist her the same skills. It is her hope that she can move the production to a more proper location by constructing and opening a shop in her town. Since she works from home, she has little space to make a large production. This also presents difficulties in tending to the wandering hands of the small children, to prevent them from harming themselves. She has prepared a budget for the work of building a shop and boutique, and hopes to find sources for funding along the way. Her dream is to have a place to employ other villagers as well as orphans, teaching them skills to aid in their support.

She is also in the process of creating goods to debut at the Salon International de l'artisanat de Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso this November. This will be the first time she will have opened her product out to international buyers. She still has a long way to go in creating a name for herself and the other women who work alongside her, but she has the guts and drive to make it happen.

So here's how it's done .....in Togo

well at least for now...here's a snapshot...full slideshow to come later...

Powdered dyes are hand mixed to create bright and beautiful colors

Wax and hot water is heated over wood and coal cookstoves to be used in the process.

Chemical reactives are added to make the color fix to the cotton. Some are also used to create a variety of color tones.

The cloth is then stamped with wax using a wooden or foam stamp to preserve the underlaying color. A single cloth can go through numerous color baths, using wax to save each color in the layer.

The cloth is then laid on the ground to dry between colorings.

Some prints are entirely coated in wax to then be dunked in a reactive color that will give the tissue a marbelized look as the colors mix between the cracked wax.

Once the color is set, the fabric is then dunked in a hot bath with a solvent that will help release the wax from the tissue.

After the bath, the cloth is shaken and snapped to remove any leftover wax and then hung on the line to dry in the hot African sun.

Once the fabric is dyed, dried and pressed it is then sewn using a foot-pedal machine into bags, clothes and accessories. All stages of the process are hand controlled and time intensive.

Le Produit

2008-09-08T08:19:00.000-07:00

Colorful mixed cloth and wooden details enhance each bag

Comfortable baby sling with hardwood buckle

Cute little boat shaped handbag for a night out

Patchworked tote for market or beach trips

Cute reversible day tote with wooden rings.

Cosmetic Accesory pouches perfect for little somethings or to use as a wristlette

Hobo Styled shoulder bag with harwood rings

perfect for weekend trips

Great shoulder bag for trips to class or the office.

Histoire (Her story)

2008-09-08T07:09:00.000-07:00

Chantale Dovide, founder of aklala du Togo has been creating handmade batiked cloth using traditional wax techniques of West Africa for many years. Residing in Kpalime,home to one of the largest concentration of Togolese Artisans, she has begun to create a name for herself amongst the artisan community. Her carefully crafted cloth bags and accessories have been appreciated and demanded by many local tourists and volunteers from other countries. Her attention to current trends and styles while still preserving the traditional process of wax dying have begun to give her the leading edge in attracting new markets.
Due to the current economic climate of Togo, artists like Chantale continue to have problems expanding their enterprises at the rate seen in other developed countries. Hardships brought on by lack of financing, internal spending and family support have stifled the development of many artisan markets. They rely heavily on tourism to bring in outside monetary gain.
All of the products are created using time honored handcrafted techniques of fabric dying from Ghana, Togo and Benin. Working from her home with the help of five other women, they create all the beautiful prints from scratch. They mix the color, stamp or paint the cotton with wax then plunge the fabric into numerous dye baths to create vivid color combinations. The fabric is then laid on the ground to rest. After the color has set it goes through a hot wash to remove the wax then hung on the line to dry in the sun. Once dry, it is ironed to remove any leftover wax, then cut and sewn into bags, apparel and other creations. All steps of the process are done by hand, from heating the wax over coals to using a foot pedal sewing machine.
Due to methods which are labor intensive, the amount of product created is, at the moment, only sold locally. It is Chantale's hope that in the future she will be able to find the sources to meet the demands of an export market by way of time saving equipment and financial capital to buy materials in bulk for production. She would also like to open her own store front to showcase her products and attract more clients. Currently everything is done from her home, and occasionally showcased at local artisan centers and NGO offices.
At the moment, with the help of donor support she is purchasing raw materials to make product to debut at the Burkina Faso Artisinal Exposition this fall in Ougadougou, Burkina Faso www.siao.bf

Batik in Progress

2008-03-21T04:27:00.000-07:00

Weizo-lo !

This blog is the future site of my promotion and support for the women who I have been working with in a village in the small country of Togo, West Africa. These women create beautiful batik in the traditional styles of West Africa. I am a Peace Corps Volunteer working in the sector of Small Enterprise Development and have been working with them to help them promote and develop goods to sell in both local and international markets.

Soon to follow...history, tutorials, and tons of photos of available product....so stay tuned...