Past Awardees List

Nella Kumafo is from Ghana and holds a First degree, Masters’ degree, and a trained teachers’ certificate. She has been able to establish a business called Sanel Designs. She is a professional artist who creates and produces works of art from waste plastic that has been indiscriminately disposed of and is a health hazard. She has also been able to use plastics for graphic works and fountains. She makes beads which have been put into different decorative products and textile products such as footwear, dresses and curtains of different designs. The recent call to help rid the cities, towns and communities of waste is what motivated Nella to help in the re-using and recycling of waste. The myriad problems associated with indiscriminate disposal of waste include health, sanitation and environmental impact. Nella converts waste into aesthetic art works with philosophical, theological and proverbial meanings. Through research, criticism and advice, Nella has been able to solve a lot of the problems and difficulties encountered in the project. Nella’s product was developed to solve an environmental and health problem which includes making the environment clean and reducing health problems. There will no longer be water that collects in waste plastic bags and containers which will reduce mosquito breeding. She has also helped in eradicating poverty by employing people to collect and wash plastics. Nella has made her art work cheaper, lighter, durable, easy to mend and to transport. Nella also has plans for training young people in waste art production and has also moved a step ahead to design and produce pavement blocks and wall tiles. For this outstanding and innovative idea Nella was honoured PAWII 2005 overall winner. As well as the recognition for her achievements to date, Nella Kumafo will receive technical assistance from the IFC to further develop her business.