How We Came To Be

A United Link empowers women in  Ghana, West Africa, inner city Los Angeles, and inner city North Charleston, South Carolina to change their lives. We are linking women globally to find a common thread that fosters well-being for their children and children in their community.
 
In Ghana, West Africa, women at Rhion’s sewing centre in the village of Okurase are hand crafting recycled market (designed by artist Rhion Magee from Los Angeles) and diaper bags (designed by Jodi Lee from Los Angeles). The proceeds go to build a school, job training program, and medical centre (www.projectokurase.org).
 
In North Charleston, South Carolina, African American women quilters are donating their handcrafted quilts to the village of Okurase for orphaned and vulnerable children who have no place to sleep and young pregnant women to help with care of their babies. Children in their South Carolina community are involved in raising funds to build a school in Okurase.
 
A United Link promotes fair trade practices and economic development and mentoring for women and girls who are in high risk situations. We provide training and a fair price for handcrafted items.
 
You can join us in empowering women globally by purchasing these strong bags made with care and hope. You can be centrally involved in changing the situations for girls and women and in saving lives.

 
Why We Came to Be

A United Link grew out of job training programs in Project OKURASE, the mother project in Ghana. This project is the vision of a Ghanaian man called Powerful and developed from the ideas of Ghanaian people as a solution to the AIDS crisis and for the many orphans and vulnerable children in Ghana. The internships with women in inner city Los Angeles was a natural fit with the work of designers Jodi Lee and Rhion Magee. The overarching purpose is to economically empower vulnerable women to change and save lives. What started as a project in Ghana has now crossed the ocean.
 
What We Have Accomplished

In Ghana we have opened Rhion’s sewing centre and are training women to make a living through this skill.
In Los Angeles Jodi Lee has designed a line of children’s clothing being sewed from Ghanaian fabric

In Los Angeles  the design team of Rhion Magee and Laura Pursell have designed two sizes of recycled African Market Bags made from Ghanaian flour and rice bags. These are being sewed in Ghana, as well as product development including mudcloth clutches, belts and cuffs.

In Ghana we have trained women in compressed earth brick making. Over 60,000 bricks have been made and these will be used to build a school

In North Charleston women quilters are providing quilts to vulnerable youth in Ghana on an ongoing basis.

In Ghana, a women’s fruit drying business is in the development stages.
 
We are honoured to be bringing the work of Ghanaian women to markets in the U.S. and other countries. We are honoured to be linking Los Angeles and North Charleston women with women in Ghana. A common thread and a common link are bringing empowerment, strength, and hope.

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