The sheltered workshop
Suppose you are 16 years old, mentally handicapped and you have just finished your education at the Shalom Special School. Now what? Fortunately, since the summer of 2004, you can start working at the sheltered workshop of the Hand in Hand Community. Here jewelry with beads (mostly necklaces and bracelets) are being made. You can learn how to weave or make glass-beads yourself from recycled old bottles. And you learn how to locale dye cotton materials with the traditional tie-dye technique. In this way you can spend your day in a sociable and also useful way and you learn practical vocational training.
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| Posing together in front of the sheltered workshop! |
Today there are almost twenty young adults, 16 years and up, from town and the surrounding villages, who are working in the sheltered workshop. Some are students who have graduated from the special school while others are mentally handicapped persons from the neighboring villages. Then there are almost another twenty participants of the sheltered workshop who are residents of the Hand in Hand community. While they work the participants earn a small pocket money which is saved for them. Some of the youngsters from the surrounding villages may be able to ‘graduate’ after four years and start their own ‘business’ at home. Instead of money, they get beads and needles to take with them when they leave the sheltered workshop.
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| Dela is completely focused on his work in the sheltered workshop |
All jewelry made is sold in Ghana and in the Netherlands. In Ghana, the jewelry can be bought in the workshop. In the Netherlands, there are eighteen stores where the jewelry is sold, for example in fair trade shops, fashion shops and shops of institutions for handicapped people. The generated income goes to the Hand in Hand community.
Suzie wearing tie and dye bags on her head
The Dutch embassy in Ghana financed the construction of the sheltered workshop. Ellen Seldenthuis, a volunteer from the Netherlands, has set up the workshop and selected the early workers and students. Today the workshop is run by Angela, a Ghanaian woman, who receives the assistance of Geordie, a Peace Corps volunteer. There are seven caregivers working with the children at the workshop and a volunteer or two is always appreciated.
For more information: Workshop leader
For information on products sold in the Netherlands contact Jelle Postma sieraden@operationhandinhand.nl
Nieske van der Meer nieskemeer@wanadoo.nl
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