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Kwame Kandavi

"I was born in April, 1973 at Aburi in the Eastern Region of Ghana. I ended my education at a school level. My father who was out of the country was not sending the family any remittances whatsoever and my mother, a petty trader at the market, couldn't afford the cost involved.

"During my school days, I used to visit a carver friend, who was working on his own and needed an assistant. I took it upon myself to be of help to him as well as taking the opportunity to study woodcarving. Later in the year, I took up apprenticeship training under Edward Osei, who was into traditional woodcarving. It took me three years to complete the training. I had no option other than to work for my trainer for a year, which helped me to practice my acquired skill in earnest. The excellence with which I carved earned me a lot of praise from my mates and family alike. This encouraged me. Right after school, I decided to design and carve my own products. This actually propelled me into the limelight and into the profession. I got orders from colleagues and church members, to mention but a few.

"I'm currently operating a workshop. The basic material I use is sese wood. This is obtained from some parts of the eastern region. The rest of the materials are dark tan, Kiwi black polish, brown polish and mansion polish. As regards the process involved, the wood is first and foremost carved and sandpapered to the required shape. It is then dried and polished for a smooth and quality product. Sometimes, I carve an image for the apprentices to copy.

"I've been on my own for four years. I have trained four people who have now established their own shops. At present, I have two apprentices. The relationship between my apprentices and me is formal and cordial. All in all, life has been good."