The Or Foundation

TEAM

She/Her | Co-Founder & Executive Director

Liz is an educator, designer and strategist. Working within the industry as a designer and stylist, Liz witnessed the toxicity of fashion’s disposable culture firsthand and has since been dedicated to transforming the industry. She holds a Masters in Education from Harvard University. She has taught as both full-time faculty and as a guest lecturer in K-12 classrooms and in universities. Her upcycled garments have appeared in international magazines, film and TV. And her work as a researcher and advocate for a Justice-Led Circular Economy has been published widely.

She/Her | Senior Operations Manager

Chloe is a designer, researcher and humanitarian. She studied fashion design at Ghana’s Radford University. She has seen the negative impact of fast fashion and wants to do something about it. She does this by starting where she is, holding herself accountable in the part she plays in a vicious and wasteful cycle, and calling on others creators to do the same. Chloe is a Gucci Design Fellow Finalist and an active member of the Board of Fashion Ghana.

He/Him | Co-Founder & Executive Producer

Branson is an educator, farmer, urban planner and musician. He has led small and large-scale organic farming operations and supply chains, open-source coding initiatives, a fair trade fashion cooperative, cross-border educational collaborations, documentary projects and music videos. He studied Globalization of Public Health and Societies at NYU Gallatin, where he was a Reynolds Scholar for Social Entrepreneurship. He also holds a Masters of Community Planning degree from the University of Cincinnati.

He/Him | Senior Community Engagement Manager

Sammy is a trained fashion designer based in Accra who has been repurposing secondhand pieces for over a decade. Within his work he is keen on making a socio-political statement, exploring issues of neo-colonialism, sexuality and gender fluidity. He is a Gucci Design Fellowship Finalist. Prior to joining our team Sammy led a research project on secondhand clothing consumer behavior in Accra. Sammy has spoken about the impact of the secondhand clothing trade in Accra across an array of media.

She/Her | Kantamanto Community Outreach Coordinator

Abena worked as a retailer in Kantamanto Accra for nine years selling Obroni Wawu ladies’ blouses in bulk and smaller quantities, gaining many skills and a deep knowledge of the secondhand market. Abena loves to socialize, listen to music and help others in need, and she uses these interests to build strong community relations across diverse backgrounds

He/Him | Community Engagement Specialist

Al is a designer and photographer from the Northern Region of Ghana, living in Accra. He has worked as a retailer and upcycler in Kantamanto and as a community story teller in the Old Fadama area of Accra, bringing new perspectives and truths to the fore.

He/Him | Special Projects And Logistics Manager

Enoch is a Land Economist, photographer and drone pilot. His passion for photography coupled with his desire to make an impact with his work drive his involvement in projects that support the circular economy and that bring Justice to vulnerable communities. Kantamanto Secondhand Clothing Market has always been a part of his story as his mum sold in the market for years. He strongly believes that with the right systems in place Kantamanto can be a flagship for circularity and that fashion’s waste crisis can be a thing of the past.

She/Her | Design Researcher-in-Residence

Clémence is a designer and researcher from France, who studied at the Design Academy Eindhoven in the Netherlands. Her graduation projects led her to The Or Foundation, with research on the Dutch and Ghanaian perspectives on clothing waste, exploring possible futures for clothes waste management through material, system and social design. She believes in the power of people and places to bring about fair, circular and ecological innovation.

He/Him | Communications Manager

Edwin’s skillset spans a range of creative disciplines, melding together design, music and art, contributing to and creating otherworldly work that pushes against the African grain. Having graduated with a degree in graphic design, Edwin has worked across a range of multidisciplinary projects, each time with the purpose of stretching the boundaries of and communicating what’s possible.

She/Her | Collectofus 2.0 Coordinator

Erika is a designer working at the intersection of fashion and sustainability. She has worked with a broad range of fashion companies and has experienced the causes and effects of overproduction and overconsumption first hand throughout her career. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Sustainability and Development at the University of Michigan, where she investigates the complex ways to challenge the current fashion system on a local and global scale through a perspective founded in design. Connecting the systemic and interpersonal, Erika’s work prioritizes justice, community, and care.

He/Him | Remanufacturing Specialist

A designer and an entrepreneur, Nabi studied fashion design and textiles at the Accra Technical University. He has worked with various apparel companies in Ghana, including through his own production business. He is a creative person, a lover of nature, music and art.

She/Her | Programs Assistant

Huzeima works as a program assistant at The Or Foundation, helping to expand the Mabilgu programs, from which she is a graduate. She also works in our No More Fast Fashion Lab, developing upcycling techniques for transforming discarded secondhand garments into beautiful new materials. She’s a senior high school graduate who formerly worked as a kayayo in Kantamanto market and is driven by a desire to help her sisters who are still headcarrying there.

He/Him | Fabrication Coordinator

Jamal was born and raised in Accra. Prior to joining The Or, he worked at Galloway Metal Market salvaging, servicing and selling electric motors for more than seven years. He now works on the Material Research and Development team as the Fabrication Coordinator, helping develop systems for transforming textile waste into outputs suitable for useful applications such as building materials, furniture, and more. He hopes that the work he does serves to help improve his community.

He/Him | Ecological Research Manager

Joe is an integral community member at the Accra Arts Centre, where he has a shop selling works from across West Africa’s arts and crafts industry, including many of his own creations. Joe is an artist and a drumming and dancing instructor, teaching individuals, schools and organizations traditional movements and rhythms. He majored in science in his secondary school days and studied the fundamentals of medical laboratory technology at Accra Technical University. He manages The Or Foundation’s team of citizen scientists in beach monitoring efforts, sample collection and analysis.

He/Him | Community Facilities Manager

Joshua is from Labadi, Accra. He is a photographer, moviemaker, skateboarder and coach who founded Skate Nation Ghana. He is a founding team member, working with The OR Foundation since 2009 to lead classes and support research through his technical expertise and people-oriented approach. As a skateboarder and community builder, he has been featured in numerous international magazines and documentaries.

He/Him | Digital Producer

Julius is a self-taught photographer and filmmaker. He’s worked on projects for Twitter, iD Magazine and major international TV stations. He has been an instrumental part of the growing creative scene in Accra, as a regular contributor in amplifying the stories of other artists and brands ranging from music to fashion. Through The Or Foundation he aims to transform and amplify the amazing work that the Kantamanto community does and continues to perform every day.

She/Her | Research Fellow

Kat is a creative, philomath and researcher. She studies Fashion Design and Education for Environmental Sustainability at The University of Cincinnati, where she challenges the traditional perception of consumption and production and is involved in The Sustainable Fashion Initiative. Passionate about the healing factors of being outdoors, her creative work centers around reconnecting Black individuals with the wilderness; making it more accessible, welcoming and educating on the non-disruptive, symbiotic relationships that many communities have with the wilderness.

She/Her | Product Development Coordinator

Kennie is a mechanical engineer who is passionate about contributing to waste management solutions and hopes to positively affect lives and the environment through her work. She has a love for design and everything DIY. Kennie is a writer and editor and has contributed to two anthologies on climate change and gender-based violence.

She/Her | Arts Engagement Coordinator

Linda is a creative, artistic and operational think-tank with a background in fashion design and textiles from Artez in Arnhem. As a 'Material Teller' she explores how 'things' mediate and travel between conceptual worlds in diverse cultural, geographic and temporal contexts, and how they embody this mediation and movement in their form. Over the past 10 years she worked in Asia and Africa as a researcher and teacher for several fashion brands and art academies focusing on transforming the role of fashion in relation to specific social issues.

She/Her | Kayayei Programs Assistant

Mambaru is a professional advocate for change with a background in development education. She is passionate about gender equality and related issues, with an aim to level the playing field. Proclivity for nature and animals. Before beginning work with The Or Foundation, she was a researcher for private and governmental projects across (and beyond) the three northern regions in Ghana.

She/Her | Material Technician

Mary is an educator from the northern region of Ghana, though she grew up in Accra. Mary began her work with The Or as an apprentice in our No More Fast Fashion Lab supporting material transformation and serving as a translator. She loves learning and is especially passionate about finding creative solutions to tricky problems. Prior to joining our team, she studied education at the University of Education, Winneba and taught for 6 years. She speaks 6 languages.

She/Her | Kayayei Outreach Manager

Nabia is an entrepreneur, researcher and translator. She studied development education and engaged in participatory research along developmental projects with rural communities in Northern Ghana. Nabia understands the push and pull factors that impact kayayei migration and labor conditions. She is passionate about having a positive impact on society with a current focus on transforming the lives of girls and women working as kayayei.

She/Her | Community Business Incubator Manager

Nirvana’s love for nature, thrifting, and Ghana led her to The Or Foundation. Her background in psychology and experience showcasing the talent of traditional African artisans in formal spaces drives her to bring to her role as Incubator Manager an intentional practice of honoring the human behind the work. She aims to contribute toward restoring justice for the land and Ghanaian people most impacted by the global north’s dumping of waste on Ghana.

She/Her | Designer-in-Residence

Nutifafa is a creative multi-hyphenate working as a stylist and an upcycler. Her approach to fashion is unique, with Kantamanto being the bedrock for her process. She proudly states that most of her clothes are thrifted from the market. “Kantamanto is the place to help you find your sense of style," she says. Now, though Kantamanto is an asset to her creative process, not all is rosy, and she worries about the environmental impact of the tonnes of clothes coming in weekly. In hopes of combating this, she pushes for recycling and repurposing of clothes through her brand Upcycled Thrift Ghana.

He/Him | Kantamanto Community Engagement Assistant

Patrick is a communications professional with a BA in Communications Studies from the Ghana Institute of Journalism with a focus on Development Communications. He’s keen on leveraging his skill set and expertise to promote a more participatory form of development that includes all stakeholders of the development process regardless of their status in society. Patrick has provided communication and community support for various not-for-profit projects in Ghana. He believes the only way to address challenges is by directly involving the most impacted people in creating the solutions.

He/Him | Material Research & Development Manager

Paul is a designer and researcher who aims to translate the often abstracted values of sustainability into tangible systems and objects that help people build deeper, experiential understandings of issues related to consumerism. Since graduating from the University of Cincinnati with a B.S. in Industrial Design, he has worked on a variety of educational material transformation projects in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. Prior to joining our team he worked with Precious Plastic in the Netherlands.

She/Her | Laboratory and Research Assistant

Priscilla is a research assistant who has worked with the Organization for Women and Science for the Developing World (OSWD). She completed an MPhil in Marine Science at the University of Ghana and previously supported citizen science ecosystem monitoring projects. Her love for the conservation of marine life and the environment led her to work with the The Or Foundation.

She/Her | Programs Assistant

As the Secretary of the Kayayei Youth Association in Old Fadama in Accra for eight years, Rukaya represents the KYA in programs and events, helping educate her peers on sexually transmitted diseases and self-care. Empowering women is the thing that she loves to do. Rukaya works with The Or Foundation through a training program to build capacity for the KYA and strengthen the organizational partnership.

He/Him | Material Designer-in-Residence

Sam is an artist, designer, and self taught tradesman working in wood, metal, clay, and print. His work focuses on material histories, locality, and connecting the past to the present. Prior to working for The Or Foundation, Sam has worked on projects ranging from custom furniture and contract museum work to event design and education initiatives. A love for nature and sense of responsibility towards the environment drew him to where he currently is.

She/Her | Kayayei Programs Assistant

Samiha is a social development and policy professional with an M.A. in Social Policy from the University of Ghana. She has over eight years of working experience with rural women and underprivileged girls. Before joining The Or Foundation she worked as a Program Assistant in the UNFPA/UNICEF Joint Program on FGM. She is interested in how behavioral science can influence social work in developing and implementing people-oriented interventions.

She/Her | Executive Administrator

Tenika is a Ghanaian creative with a B.S of Psychology from Loyola University Chicago. She is highly inspired by the concept of a circular economy and the environment of Kantamanto as key models in shaping the reformation of current world systems. She believes these frameworks will be integral in order to provoke ownership of personal agency for our global society. She aims to utilise her understanding of human behaviour and our external stimuli to help individuals recognise their unique agency in shaping their realities, liberating from oppressive systems and fostering more love holistically.

She/Her | Finance Manager

Yvonne is passionate about environmental sustainability and social equity. She aims to contribute to empowering the underserved in the fashion supply chain through education.
She holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Ashesi University and is an ACCA finalist.

He/Him | Public Relations

George MacPherson is a communications specialist in sustainably minded fashion brands and climate-focused, mission driven nonprofit organizations; and a sound meditation facilitator. He is based in Brooklyn New York and from the North of England by origin. He has worked closely with and helped build internationally acclaimed organizations, with a client base that has operated all over the world, from India, Ghana, New Zealand, UK, and both coasts of the US. Working deeply, as a partner with organizations that are seeking to make the world a better place, either through products, principles or practices.

She/Her | Board Member

Yvette Tetteh is an entrepreneur, creative, and writer with a passion for nourishing the mind and body. She believes strongly in engaging agribusiness as an important means of creating positive social impact and promoting personal wellbeing. A Stanford University graduate, Yvette brings analytical thinking and academic rigor to team leadership and business development. She has also raised over US$120k in various personal and business awards and grants for the company she co-founded in 2018, Pure and Just Co. Born and raised internationally, Yvette moved to her native Ghana in 2015.

He/Him | Board Member

Mawuli is an entrepreneur, maker, stylist, storyteller, and the founder of DeFortyFive lifestyle space and Finders Frames. He is an expert at rehabilitating and upcycling accessories from Kantamanto, especially hats and eyewear. He also works with craftspeople throughout Ghana to create objects that tell stories and that explore sustainability from a West African perspective. Mawuli has a deep knowledge of Kantamanto Market as well as traditional Ghanaian dress and is committed to engaging the Ghanaian creative industry in a deep dialogue with fashion.

She/Her | Board Member

Annie Gullingsrud works at the intersection of fashion, sustainability and technology to democratize sustainable practices to maintain our planet’s ecological balance and enable people to flourish. Annie has recently served as Chief Strategy Officer of technology company Eon and led Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute’s fashion sector working to facilitate and operationalize cross-industry impact and solutions for scale. Annie is author of Fashion Fibers: Designing for Sustainability (2017, Bloomsbury, New York) and has degrees in both sustainable fashion design and marketing communications.

He/Him | Board Member

Jake is a creative entrepreneur working at the intersection of climate and culture. He is the cofounder and publisher of Atmos–a biannual magazine and digital platform covering the climate crisis and social justice through a design lens. He has experience working with start-ups and non-profits across fashion, material innovation, publishing, and planetary health. He believes storytelling is a pathway to inspiring transformative change, and that traditional knowledge and thoughtful technological innovation can shape a more just and regenerative world.