A Ban Against Neglect

2015 Annual Report

The Fabric of Change

Dear friends,

ABAN has always prided itself on being an act of transformation. Transforming plastic waste into beautiful products. Transforming the lives of neglected young women into hopeful futures. Transforming the landscape of Ghana into empowered communities.

Forty-three women successfully graduated our women’s empowerment program! Some of these women went back to high school. Some are working in hotels. Some are pursuing a career in sewing or hair dressing. Some have dreams of becoming teachers! Thirty-seven babies came through the doors of our preschool and received a jump start on their education. All their mothers saved money while participating in our program to pay for their future school fees.

Fourteen seamstresses and tailors in our community have been given employment through our sewing center. They recycled over half a million plastic bags into useful products sold in Ghana, the UK, and the United States! Ten of our surrounding communities now collect the plastic bags instead of discarding them on the street.

We are now facing our biggest transformation yet. We are shifting all managerial and programmatic decision making to our capable staff in Ghana. With that shift, comes the shutting down of ABAN’s US operations. We are confident and excited to see where our leadership in Ghana takes ABAN through this next transformation.

We could not have accomplished all that we did in the last five years without your support. We value the selfless contributions you have made to transforming the lives and communities in Ghana. While our program activities are suspended, we will not accept donations in order to ensure the integrity of your gift. We hope you will be open to receiving program updates in the future! Also, please let us know if you would like a call from one of us to discuss these changes further! We are happy to answer any questions you may have!

Thanks for all your support!

Callie and Becca

residentialClass of 6, Class of 8ABAN began as a residential center for homeless young women living on the street. Young women lived at ABAN for two years while receiving services in health, education, livelihood, and psycho-social skills.Fourteen young women graduated from our residential program.

2011 - 2013

entrepreneurship focusClass of 18The women in our entrepreneurship focused programs were given a basic education in a variety of business skills. They could apply these skills to a variety of jobs and even start their own businesses. Eighteen young women graduated from our entrepreneurship program.

2014 - 2015

2013 - 2014 apprenticeship basedClass of 11ABAN transformed in 2013 to provide specific vocational skills to the women in our program. Instead of providing in-house education, the women now chose a specific career path and participated in apprenticeship programs in the community. Eleven young women graduated from our apprenticeship program.

Women Empowerment Programs

43 women graduated

baby careIn 2011, we opened a nursery for the young children of the women in our program. The mothers could focus on their studies knowing their children were well taken care of.

2011 - 2013

preschoolAs the kids in our nursery grew up, we provided a jump start to their education through developing a preschool curriculum. The children in our care learned basic songs, letters, and had books for their mothers to read to them.

2014 - 2015

2013 - 2014 day careAs our campus expanded to include a sewing center, we opened up our nursery to include daycare for the children of our artisans. Now the children of our staff and beneficiaries could be together during the day, learning and growing.

Preschool

37 children in preschool

women sewingFor the first two years, the beneficiaries in our program sewed all the products we sold in the United States. This provided the young women an income and also taught them a valuable vocational skill.

2011 - 2012

fully operationalWithin a year we had a fully functional sewing center. Each of our artisans was paid a fair, living wage and had safe working conditions. In 2015 we joined the Fair Trade Federation to further uphold our commitment to treating our artisans fairly.

2013 - 2015

2012 sewing center creationIn 2012, the demand for ABAN products outstripped our ability to produce, so we built a sewing center. We hired artisans from our local community as well as some of our graduates.

ABAN Community Employment

15 seamstresses and tailors employed

full plasticOur first ABAN products were made completely out of recycled plastic. This plastic was collected off the streets and recycled into purses and other wallets.

2011

full batikIn 2014, we transitioned to using batik on all our products and making the recycled plastic a lining. Instead of seeing the plastic, all products prominently featured the batik fabrics to keep up with current fashion trends.

2014 - 2015

2012 - 2014 half / halfWe began adding traditional batik fabrics in 2012. This batik is a white cloth stamped with wax and dyed into different colors. We integrated the batik fabrics into all ABAN products to add a bright, beautiful flair.

Products

550,000 water sachets recycled

jim kitchen’s officeOur first US office was generously furnished by Jim Kitchen. His coveted space on East Franklin Street was just across the street from UNC’s campus, which allowed our amazing UNC student interns to commute to our office easily each day. We shared the space with Community Empowerment Fund and Nourish International, and we can’t think of two better UNC-born social impact organizations to have worked alongside in our early days.

2011 - 2012

carrboro officeIn 2014, ABAN moved to Carrboro, just down the road from Chapel Hill and UNC. For the first time, we had our own cozy, dog-friendly office! The Carrboro community welcomed us with open arms, and we participated in lots of local events like the Carrboro Bazaar, the Carrboro Music Festival, and the Art Walk.

2014 - 2015

2012 - 2014 launch chapel hillABAN US was delighted to be part of Launch Chapel Hill’s first incubator class. Being a member of Launch afforded us convenient office space in Chapel Hill, valuable mentorship from entrepreneurs in residence and other local professionals, and the opportunity of working alongsideother inspiring start-ups and Chapel Hill’s greater entrepreneurship community.

ABAN United States

54 interns and 7 staff members

Aaron and Jennifer SmitheyAbbey Wells (c)Alice BrandtAlison ZinkAllison Lee WorthyAmanda KeyAmy BramsonAmy Chambless & Jason D. SmithAnita WolfendenAnne & Neal ChristiansenAscension Lutheran Church & SchoolBernice WhiteBeta Delta of Alpha Delta KappaBeth AndersonBill & Susie CatchingsBradley & Josephine PhillipsBrian BaconBrittany DarstCarl & Susan BaumannCarolyn CallCarolyn KarpinosCarolyn WhiteCathy BrysonCathy VedderCheri DennisChristy Foote-DizdarevicColby & Ann GottertCourtney JoynerCresandra HueningDalton BeamanDanielle Knapp-SmithDavid & Cathy DalimonteDavid A. HardyDawn BrauelDayheem NaderiDelta Sigma Theta SororityDiane & Richard TinkerDrew LittlewoodDudley and Elis Olsson

Elisa ProsperettiElizabeth GagnonElizabeth Hamilton & Peter FasanoElizabeth Lee, LLCFlorentine MillerFrances BurgdorfGale BammannGeorge & Kim VincentGloria EarnestHannah WaddellHans TammelingHeather CronHolly EdingtonIndiradevi Ghanta Living TrustInez DavisJames & Emily MortimerJames & Florence PeacockJeanne StrubbeJeffrey LuomaJennifer TarryJim and Sue BersonJohn KileyJon WallnerJoseph & Elaine NanneyKaren RischKathryn Pepper & Eric MillerKay WeatherspoonKeeva KaseKelly O’RourkeKent & Kathy SplaingardKris A DoyleKristen Sherman CervatiKristine BaconKwesi AcquahLansdale Semiconductor, Inc.Laura MorrisonLaura Price & T. Dirk ClineLaurence SebastianLeigh & William Kempf

Linda Marie VarblowLinda PaceLynne WrightLynette WrightMadeleine CorsonMaggie LentzMaia & Mark DerewiczMarcia Angle & Mark TrustinMartha WallaceMary Elizabeth MillerMary Lou CaseMaryanne Krueger Vocal StudioMelita Elmore & Andrew FitzgeraldMichael & Ginger PocketteMichael and Christl SpearsMt. Calvary Evangelical Lutheran ChurchNancy SpencerNatalie Huening CameronNew Global CitizensOur Savior’s Lutheran SchoolPamela ParkerPatricia & John WilhelmPaul and Susan BrandtPaul HueningPenny WilliamsPerry DoubtPeter & Catherine GuildPhillip BeaneRae FangmeierRebecca BrandtRenee NieuwsmaRoland HoksbergenRotary Club of North ConwayRoxanne BarrettSaint Paul Lutheran Church of Olive CASandra Gass

Sandra GriffinScott WellsShow Woo GaddyStuart JeckelSusan & Clyde KendzierskiSusan MercierSylvia BlackTerri & Stephen FrenkelTerrie J. SebastianThe Hoerger Family Philanthropy FundThe J & S Berson Blessing FundTheresa SeiduleThomas & Carol Stapinski, DBA Peach’s RestaurantThomas & Leanne McGirtThomas Kenan IIITom CawleyTom HueningTracy GrindleUnited Methodist Women of Univ UMCUnited Way of the Greater TriangleVincent HueningWesley DrummWhitney ZinnerWilliam & Elizabeth HamiltonWinifred BergWinter On My HeadWomen Helping Women

In-Kind DonorsShipedgeDavid PrinsJafar FallahiNathan HueningNassim Zaagoub

GrantorNourish International

Donors 2015

Matthew WuolletMarlene FrancoJoan HammondDouglas B. MacMillan Jr.Sarah GonzalezJean ObarrKimberly LoontjerJudith FortsonAnita WingChris and Sharon BarkulisBill and Sherri BiesemeyerJordan HillSusan GavelDominique KandelerAlison ChaputDennis HardyLisa EylerMichael and Lisa KidwellMartha GlassAnna RomanoRuhiyyih GreenJohn FroehlichJessica KotMatthew ReganYuen Shing LauKate KinderMayumi MatsonSeleste BautistaLynette GarlandTove BoKarin WardenEllen KernKarin HolmgrenVeronica da CruzMarie EllisAmy ChewWoody BinnickerJanet DeanFrank PaceSarah DeMarkSydney JohnsonSita Sanders

Reza EskandaryMegan PittmanDan MercoriDaniel BuckmanDiane ScottMcKenzie BakkeCesare MaglioniMarta RabanalEmily PiffOmaly DarciaNola EugeneAdam KeirDorothy KlemmDudley & Elis OlssonLisa CriderGordon StuckertGregory OsteenLori FisherHunter & Alice BostMarcella Vander EemsMary WiegertMilton DavisMorgan CanninoNadia DawishaRichard SmithStephanie TurnerSteve HopkinsSteven TurnerTammi DulaneyWilliam SmithLaurie StrayhornAmanda OlmsteadBen GrantChris J BamatChristina PleizierSandra R HerreNatalia LeelavetchabutrKathie PottsJamie ScottiKaren McElroyJean SelleMaryanne & Lonnie Krueger

Don and Gail AmensonPhyllis PeshkinKris A. & Shawn DoyleGale BammannDiane & Richard TinkerRichard BiersRobyn BergquistJosephine PhillipsKelly and Brian O’RourkePatti and David ConradShari and Brad GreeneCindy and Wayne HeusPeggy SeiferthMadelyn KosovacKathy & Mark VieBernice WhiteBarbara & Jon VeselyAnthony & Jordan YoungJim & Sue BersonTara SmithAlan & Kristine BaconAaron & Jennifer SmitheyDale and Marilyn LillardMarion ChaneyKate BakkumTammy DalyBill and Lois Jeanne JohnsonChristy Foote-DizdarevicTom & Dixie WolkosAlison RiddifordLogan MauneyPhilippe SawadogoGinger CarneyEllen MortimerMichael BerglerRachel & Mark KlitzingKurt KruegerAlison DorseyThomas KileyLarry & Terrie SebastianMichael Chasnow & Geetika Agrawal

Gordon & Lois PeacockJudy KingSean MurphyAmy BramsonKim VioletteLynette WrightTom HueningClyde & Susan KendzierskiStephan and Terri FrenkelJeffrey BeaversDebra DreierGladys KamrathCatherine StandridgeLinda GardinerElizabeth LinzerGary EdenfieldGlen and Karen WorthingtonElizabeth SweenyAmy M WilliamsJohn & Courtney (Van Laar) MansellSharalee JorgensenSarah MillerCatherine PackerKathryn ZevenbergenJeffrey & Beth (Morse) LuomaAnne Marie GuglielmoJessica EmelanderErin ClancySwarna GhantaMariana MouzinhoJulie LuxJane MerrimanDonesha DardyTara Joyner HausslerMargaret MillerPaul and Susan BrandtDavid & Marge StueckemannPerry DoubtJohanna LindemerAnida Bauer

Donors 2010 - 2014

Cliff & Joyce MeissnerInez DavisShana BlackJessica QunellJeanne StrubbeAndrew SteeleDrs. Kent & Kathy SplaingardJocelyn LutzRichard Alexander RossRandy & Zoe Ann BergstedtTom & Mary AtonMarvin & Alice BrandtKamala BhavarajuKenneth & Carolyn CallHannah GaschottMatthew and Molly PhillipsAndrew BensonFagan HarrisJocelyn PostFrancie DaltonElana HoopesJill RossLisa Mollo-BlumPam OlmsteadKathryn ShibelskiPenny WilliamsChristine FreelandDavid and Holly EdingtonMadeleine CorsonSarah TessierDarrel FieldRachael KoschmannGeorge FranklinRoland HoksbergenRenee NieuwsmaCarrie FieldJohn and Sue BrandtJames & Wendy MeissnerSusan HewittStephen StoutKevin EwingMichael & Ruth Flynn

Linda and Terry GreiweLinda FunkeCheryl LailWilliam & Shirley Call FosterKang LeeKatya WesolowskiMarcia RobertsJoel SutherlandIndiradevi GhantaKathy WeisfeldMary Lynne AlexanderJoanna CardwellSusan Beamon WellsBlake & Dell StrayhornKavanah AndersonDillon ManlyMerrill & Cindy MasonElissa HillJohn & Laura KileyCathy & David DalimonteJulie McAllisterBrandon HoeMichael Minozzi IIIMarcia A. AngleJohn T. & Grace VaughnJohn-Paul & Jane SmithRoy O. Carlton and Susan WilliamsTrudy SmithHerbet & Virginia CarltonMartha RidingsRebecca BrandtLaney OaksElizabeth & John MerrittJeff SekelskyRobert BlumSuki (Susan) and James NewtonRosemary WaldorfPeter & Kathie GuildMichelle LewisCavett French

Patrick VernonChristopher GergenAndrew WenigerRae & Tim FangmeierIrene BriggamanElizabeth BrittClaire DavisJay DawkinsDean Broz & Elizabeth (Beth) CarltonHarry McLeanFlorence PeacockAllison WorthyVirginia CarsonJudith ConeLynn AinsworthNiklaus and Lucy SteinerAndrew Conover BurnsDruscilla FrenchThomas Kenan, IIIMaceo SloanSylvia BlackGene PeaseSusan and Tom HoergerLaura FennRif RiddickBetty KenanNicholas ThomasNancy OatesDerek & Louise WinstanlyPerry ColwellEdward & Patricia FishburneKelly Leonhardt PhoenixKaren CurtinAlison ZinkKiya SabetCarl & Susan BaumannJosh SommerDaniel BooneKaren DobrogoszPhil PhillipsJim and Susan Kitchen

Dana and Esteban McMahanJames StarlingDixie StaffordNancy & Don SpencerKay Weatherspoon (Massey)Fancy HoganBill & Dale FlexnerKay SpiveyTimothy and Denise HillAnne HogewoodGertrude SmithCharlotte DunganLeanna JoynerKathy de CanoDaniel and Cindy BarbourAmy BarkerTravis HinmanCarolyn & Ralph KarpinosMichael & Sue GoloboySteven RutenbergLinda Marie VarblowSuzanna (Show Woo) GaddyRoger StancilLarry ChavisMaggie LentzFlorentine MillerKeeva & Lauren KaseCraig & Faith AshtonDon & Carmen YeeBeth AndersonCheri DennisMelvin ScalesSteve & Beth DarstDalton BeamanPamela ParkerJoseph VicarsScott and Patty WellsRhonda KottVictoria TreadwellAnthony & Theodora BrownLinda Dew GarrouJennifer Tarry

Donors 2010 - 2014

Gloria ErnestTom & Debbie KinertJennifer WalkerMarsha KeeKathryn PepperKeith & Kathy JacksonDoug & Laurie BowersLee MoavenzadehLinda Chamiec-CaseLynn BarclayJason KranackMary Kathryne HuttonCurt & Nancy HuttonSteven HallTom & Michelle CawleyWhitney ZinnerAnn Fleming TempleCathy BrysonBill & Jennifer CauseyJanice BraunJessica LoontjerThomas CherryDawn BrauelRobert HickeyJim & Diane BilottaBill KennedyTimothy ScottElizabeth GagnonBarbara HagmanLinda DeweyBarbara BeaudoinJackson Community ChurchLindsey MaihosStacey PhilpotLeslie HelgeAmy GilesMiriam CukierRoxanne BarrettAmy RichardsonJody MalordyConnor ReganBeverly Gallagher

Christine PreisingerSteve & Lynn LeondisNoreen HannonMatt & Maureen O’ConnorJulie ChaseJason EckertRenee PsiakisGeoffrey and Kim GollKim and George VincentMary StuckertJohn & Cathy VedderGrace StapperDonna DupontJoel ThomasPaul CohenDavid WellsAlison BellavanceAdena PotokEileen WattsHillary FrenchMary MillerOlenda JohnsonMatthew and Jill CzajkowskiAnne & Neal ChristiansenTony & Linda PaceJohn & Patricia WilhelmHannah WaddellSuzanne RuediElizabeth PrestonEmily DavisMargaret NapierAndrew & Sara BenscoterJay EllwangerTim BauerCresandra HueningAmanda KeySandra GassAndrea WisniewskiRichard KauzlarichMichael & Chris (Christl) SpearsKimberly Reedy

James & Joelle ClarkEric HoergerFrances BurgdorfBetsey WilliamsChristine WhippJerry Tystad

GrantorsWheatridge MinistriesGlobal Fund for ChildrenBurt’s Bees Greater Good FoundationNourish InternationalEileen FisherNorth American Women’s Association (NAWA)

Donors 2010 - 2014

A Ban Against Neglect © 2015