IN PROFILE: Armah-Mos Ventures, Ghana

In Ghana, one enterprise is demonstrating how bamboo can be integrated with a wide range of plastic products.

Armah-Mos Craft Ventures is a sole proprietorship business registered in Ghana in 2019 and owned by Armah. The enterprise is located in Suhum, in the eastern region of the country, and primarily uses bamboo as its raw material to create a variety of handcrafted products.

Armah started the business alone but has since trained and employed individuals from the local community, including those with disabilities, to help expand the venture. His driving mission is to be a beacon of sustainable creativity, transforming bamboo into timeless works of art that inspire awe and respect for nature. Armah-Mos contributes to reducing plastic pollution and addressing climate change by using plastic products in conjunction with bamboo, while also providing employment and empowerment opportunities for the local youth and rural communities. In the following interview, Armah shares more about his entrepreneurial journey and the impact of his bamboo-based enterprise.

Tell us more about Armah-Mos Ventures!

Hello! The name of my business is Armah-Mos Ventures. It is a sole proprietorship business registered under Ghana Office of the Registrar of Companies. The business is located at Suhum under the Suhum Municipal in the Eastern region of Ghana. Our enterprise uses bamboo mainly as the primary or raw material in all of its operations. I started this enterprise alone, and as the business progressed, I trained some individuals to join me to expand the business. The business undertakes direct and indirect sales. The business’ motivation is creating passion and jobs to satisfy the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

What is your driving mission?

To be a beacon of sustainable creativity, transforming bamboo into timeless works of art that inspire awe and respect for nature. I envision a world where our bamboo crafts seamlessly blend aesthetic beauty with environmental responsibility, leaving a lasting legacy of innovation and eco-conscious craftsmanship.

What would you like our partners to know about?

To know about my enterprise and products, as well as attracting greater international recognition to enhance opportunities.

In what ways does Armah-Mos Ventures contribute to the goals of the Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic Initiative, that is, in reducing plastic pollution and/or addressing climate change?

Armah-Mos Ventures’ current objectives are to create bamboo alternatives to common plastic products, especially plastic weaving bags with bamboo. This is to help reduce plastic waste after plastic products are used and disposed of.

How does the work of Armah-Mos Ventures benefit or impact the socio-economic livelihoods of local communities to support sustainable development?

• Community job creation by employing 80 percent of his employees from the Suhum community, especially individuals with disabilities through growth opportunities.
• Armah-Mos Ventures’ social mission is to support the growth and empowerment of the youth in rural communities of Ghana through social enterprise ventures, breaking the cycle of poverty.
• Armah-Mos Ventures has made hundreds of sustainable woven bamboo products. Besides using a raw material that is not as environmentally harmful as plastics, woven bamboo products are more biodegradable, durable and higher quality. These products are not only environmentally sustainable, but also contribute to the economic and social well-being of local communities, employing and training youth from rural areas and paying community farmers for harvesting bamboo from their lands.

Can you tell us about a time where Armah-Mos Ventures overcame an obstacle?

Armah-Mos Ventures experienced a severe downturn following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, causing low or even no sales, unemployment, alongside an exponential rise in poverty and desperation among the youth and women it seeks to engage. With COVID-19 subsiding, there is a gradual increase in interest in woven bamboo products. Most of the youth who had to be laid off are now seeing revived interest.

In the future, what course of development do you expect for your company?

To effectively market woven bamboo crafts by identifying the target audience, emphasizing the sustainability and artisanship behind bamboo products to replace plastics. We will establish an online presence through a website and social media platforms for displaying a diverse portfolio of high-quality images and engaging content. We also will seek to utilize e-commerce platforms to facilitate direct sales to customers, while also exploring collaborations with local businesses and participation in markets and fairs to expand reach and solicit feedback. Finally, we will encourage more customer reviews to build trust and credibility, continuously refining marketing strategies and bamboo products based on data and industry trends to ensure sustained success in promoting bamboo weaving crafts.