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Louisa Dadzie has worked as an apprentice at Eli-Emma Batik.

Louisa Dadzie has worked as an apprentice at Eli-Emma Batik.

Louisa "Esi" Dadzie, Batiker
Batiking & Sewing Center (Cape Coast)

By nine in the morning, Louisa Esi Dadzie is already feeling the heat as she washes out wax from cloth by dousing it in boiling water. Louisa has been working with Global Mamas as a batiker since January of 2007. She started learning the technique while she was still at school, when she was taken on attachment as a junior at Eli-Emma Batik workshop. Every day she came to the beachfront workshop to spend a couple of hours learning the basics. Now she works full-time with Eli-Emma Batik but she's also started branching out on her own, using Eli-Emma's premises for free. After she's paid for materials, she saves every penny she can towards getting her own workshop.


Since she's now one of the most experienced workers at Eli-Emma's Batik, Louisa has been given responsibility for opening up the workshop at around 7.30am. On a busy day, the 6 women at the workshop can make up to 100 yards of batik cloth and Louisa will keep on going until 7 o'clock at night. Evenings are spent quietly relaxing with her mother after a tiring day. Lousia likes to keep her hands busy and learn new skills, and has taught herself how to crochet so she can make tablecloths to sell as a sideline. Her favorite time of year is September when Cape Coast holds the Oguaa Fetu Afatiye festival. For an entire week the streets are buzzing with music, ceremonies and parades with tribal kings and priests in traditional dress celebrating customs dating back hundreds of years. Although she's one of the youngest members of the Global Mamas co-operative, Louisa is quietly ambitious and dreams of being a fashion designer.


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