Diamond Motif Printed Cotton Handle Handbag from Ghana, "Kente Diamonds"

"I'm Agnes Amoah and I create handbags and apparel with contemporary Ghanaian style. I was born in 1985 in Accra. My friends say I'm an honest, humble and hardworking person.

"A friend introduced me to her mum, who had a designing school, and this is how I became interested in handbag design. The finishing aspect also attracted me.

"I signed up for classes in a fashion design school in Accra. I had to study this craft for three years. Afterward, I worked to earn money to buy materials and tools for my work.

"I love the combination of the colors in the fabrics and choosing the materials to work on a design. It can sometimes be difficult to find the same materials to repeat a popular design. My inspirations come from my West African culture.

"When I began working on my own, I struggled to find a place to work. I decided to sell it among friends until I got a place of my own. "When I was attending design school, life was tough for me. To make ends meet, I always walked to school, and buying materials for my projects was very difficult.

"Unfortunately, my mum — who was the breadwinner for the family — had a car accident and this made life unbearable for a while. I'm glad we were able to overcome all of that and am now a fashion designer.

"My dream for the future is to become a great artisan and develop my abilities. My hope is to transform the lives of the poor and needy people in remote areas of Ghana."