ABOUT US
Soul of Somanya was co-founded in tandem by Melody MacDuffee of Mobile, Alabama and Arkuh Bernard Tettey of Somanya-Krobo, Ghana. However, for legal purposes, it was established as two separate organizations--one on either side of the Atlantic.
Soul of Somanya, Inc. is headquartered in the U.S., in Mel's home town of Mobile--in fact, it shares an apartment with Mel and her dog Hannah.
Soul of Somanya Ghana, is located in Somanya-Krobo, which is in the Eastern Region of Ghana. He, too, has Soul of Somanya as a roommate.
HOW IT STARTED
It all began when Mel received an email invitation to come and teach a group of Krobo artisans her jewelry-making skills. The writer of the email had found her email address in the June 2007 issue of Bead & Button Magazine, in which Mel had an original earring design. Six months later, lugging six suitcases filled mostly with jewelry-making tools and supplies, Melody and her niece Megan were on their way to Ghana. (Read all about their 5-week visit living with a Somanya family on Mel's bog at http://soulofsomanya.blogspot.com).
Over the course of the next eight months, a concept evolved that would define Soul of Somanya’s purpose. Mel and Bernard, whom she had met on her first trip, worked closely together to make the concept a reality. In June of 2008, Soul of Somanya Ghana hired its first group of talented young people. Mel came back over to train the group and to help get things up and running. Soul of Somanya Ghana, was born. Shortly after her return from that second trip, Mel incorporated Soul of Somanya as an non-profit organization in the state of Alabama, and then filed for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. In April of 2009, it was granted.
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