Tamika Jackson Designer & Production Coordinator [Philadelphia, PA]
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	Waking at 6 a.m. after a night in the Kakum rain forest treehouse.
		Description: (Cape Coast, Ghana. Jan - Apr 2004) Women in Progress facilitates the production of products for export among many women entrepreneurs in Ghana. Global Mamas is the brand that WIP uses to sell the products made by women in Ghana with all proceeds going back to the women entrepreneurs and other nonprofit business development programs. As WIP was getting ready to increase the scale of production in order to launch the new Global Mamas eCommerce site, Tamika assisted in narrowing the product line and establishing quality control processes. Achievements: Tamika played a huge role is getting Global Mamas off the ground: Created a size chart for the Global Mamas brand and put in place a system for assuring clothing is made to this standard. Designed cloth to be sewn into garments that will suit the target market. Provided on-the-spot solutions for quality control issues. Gave general consultation on retail sales and marketing (drafting a sales kit, helping with product pricing, defining our social message). Highlights: Tamika was successful at establishing productive working relationships with many of the women. Considering the vast difference in backgrounds, she was skeptical at first that it would be possible. However, she learned a lot from them about their skills and how their businesses are run and also hopes that they learned from her. Tamika's highlight in Ghana was immersing herself within a culture much different than her own and being able to not only be comfortable within it, but also incorporate it into her own personality while establishing genuine friendships. Tamika's Ghana experience has helped her to become a more open person and more appreciative for the things she has. "When you see an African woman smile it's not because she is ignorant to the complexities of life, but because she knows them, has lived through them and is conquering them as she speaks." close window