By Saddath Asiamah
Beads making is one of the occupations of the people of Yilo Krobo in the eastern region. Most traders who engage in the sales actually produce the beads themselves which they then sell across the country. Rite FM did a follow up to find out about the progress or otherwise of the beads business in Somanya.
In an interview with Antie Maggie, a beads maker and seller based in Somanya, she revealed that bead-making is a very tedious and stressful but lucrative business. According to her, she uses louver blades and a type of powder known as susor and a very hot and powerful heat (fire).
Taking me through the process of making the beads, Auntie Maggie said she first grinds the louver blades after which she mixes it with the powder. They then craft or mould them it into the desired shapes and sizes before applying the heat to it to form the beads.
It is not all rosy. Auntie Maggie says the process of making the beads is quite dangerous if not done with extreme care. Inhaling the dust over a period of time according to her is also a sure recipe for acquiring cancer while the ‘man-power’ used in grinding the louver blades is tedious and stressful for her.
But at the end of it all, comes a smile to Auntie Maggie. Aside all the problems, she told of how lucrative and profitable her business is. She said she did not need any huge capital to start her business and that a minimum of Gh c 200.00 was enough to start a bead making business. She added that one is sure to recoup their investment within a space of two weeks.
The prices for her products vary as well as their names. Different names such as powa, apasa, wazee, come in handy while the most expensive brand is the powa beads. She noted that the original beads are those inherited from their great grandparents which are expensive and difficult to get or buy. This is because those who own them regard them as special treasures which they won’t let go under any circumstance or money.
She urged the youth to consider going into bead making as a source of income since it is a profitable venture.
source: ritefmonline.org
