At Kantamanto Market, where second-hand clothes arrive by the millions each week, a new partnership is helping traders and tailors work in a cleaner, more sustainable way.
The Revival Earth, a local non-profit that trains young people to turn textile waste into new products, has teamed up with Kofa, Africa’s battery-swapping network, to bring reliable power to the market.
A Kofa battery station has been set up inside Kantamanto to run sewing machines, lighting, and workshops. Instead of depending on noisy, polluting generators, traders now have access to clean energy that keeps their work going. The station will be managed by The Revival Earth, making sure the skills and benefits stay within the community.
During the launch, The Revival Earth opened its new Showroom & Atelier, powered entirely by Kofa batteries, where visitors saw live demonstrations and the launch of the Upcycling Club, a space for designers, tailors, and traders to share skills and ideas.
“Waste is not the end of the story. It can be turned into something useful,” said Yayra David Agbofah, founder of The Revival Earth. “With Kofa’s support, we can power our training and workshops in a way that is sustainable.”
Kofa’s CEO, Erik Nygard, added, “Everyone deserves access to safe and reliable energy. This project shows how clean power can support the creativity and hard work already happening in Kantamanto.”
The partnership will continue over the next year, with more training programs and community workshops planned, backed by the energy needed to keep them running.