The “Liberia’s Hope” Quilting Initiative

 

About CEO:

 

The Corporation for Economic Opportunity (CEO) is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization, which helps disadvantaged communities and individuals reach their economic potential.  CEO operates a variety of projects in the US and Africa.  See www.prosperityforall.org .

 

In the spring of 2007, CEO began to help a group of predominantly women quilters in Liberia, West Africa, by providing materials and helping to develop markets for their wonderful, hand-made work in the US and elsewhere, under the trademarked name of “Liberia’s Hope”.  

 

CEO has provided similar assistance to artisanal gold and diamond miners, in West Africa.  In all of its endeavors, CEO promotes and carries out “Fair-Trade” principals, as a member of Co-op America’s Fair Trade Alliance.

 

About Quageh:

 

In 2004, a group of women, who had fled the earlier civil crisis in Liberia, and now live in and around Caldwell Township, near the country’s capital city, Monrovia, came together to begin making quilts, in order to help provide for the basic needs of their families.  

 

They named their group Quageh, which comes from the Kpelle language and means "We can make it". Quageh’s leader, Maude Coker-Davis says, “We hope to see every Liberian woman do something, like quilt making, to help their family.”

 

In a country, which recently emerged from civil war and suffers from an 80% unemployment rate, the Quageh women learned this handiwork from the elder women in their communities, who made and sold quilts as a means of helping support their families.

 

It is believed that the elder women may have learned quilting skills, directly or indirectly, from women, who were among the freed slaves, brought to Liberia, after the U.S. Civil War.

 

Quageh currently has ten (10) quilters, including four of Maude’s children, two women from nearby Bentol, and three other women who were taught the skill by Quageh. They do excellent, very artistic work.  Quageh is also happy to have trained four other persons, who now do work on their own.

 

An Historical Note:

 

There is a wonderful book, entitled Martha Ann’s Quilt for Queen Victoria, which provides an account of a freed slave  from Tennessee, living in Liberia in the 1800’s, who made a quilt for Queen Victoria, as thanks for her abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.  See www.blackthreads.com , for more information.  CEO is encouraging Quageh to make a replica of that quilt to present to Queen Elizabeth, as part of a celebration of the 200th anniversary of the abolition. 

 

The Next Generation:

 

Maude, a proud mother, who has also taught her sons the art of quilting says, “My two sons have learned the work. I can say that my elder son is a perfect quilt maker. Each of the quilts he has made, have been greatly admired by people.  He has just graduated from college and quilt making sent him through college. He even made a special quilt, called "Master the Bed", to commemorate his graduation.  My other son is about to enter college.”

 

Presidential Interest:

 

Liberia’s President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, has made the uplifting of Liberia’s women a high priority of her Administration.  The President was pleased to learn about the Liberia’s Hope Quilting Initiative, when she was briefed about it, in May of 2007. 

 

Quageh’s and CEO’s Gratitude:

 

Speaking for her group, Maude expresses their gratitude, as follows: “Quilt making has helped us so much. We have been able to cater to our home affairs and even educate our children through selling the quilts that we make. We say thanks to our many buyers who have supported and inspired us through the purchase of our quilts. This is why we work so hard to satisfy them with good designs and durable quilts.  And, to the Corporation for Economic Opportunity, we say thanks for helping and promoting us.”

 

CEO’s motto is “Prosperity for all” and the Liberia’s Hope Quilting Initiative is beginning to make the motto real for Quageh’s quilting group.  True to their name, they are not only “making” great quilts, they are “making” it in life. 

 

We thank the many new customers and supporters for their patronage and help.  Feel free to contact us at (803) 462-0153.