First female shoemaker in Ghana, Sandra Ozwald says women are more respected when they venture into male-dominated professions.
On Happy FM’s ‘Ayekoo’ after drive show, the host DJ Advicer asked if she gets women approaching her to learn the shoemaking.
“I would say I got some calls from women but they were not in the Brong Ahafo region where the factory is. Most of the ones who show interest in learning the trade are all in Accra and some are also in the Eastern Region,” she said.
She blamed this on parents who discourage their children from venturing into male-dominated professions.
“Mostly some of the parents do not want their female children to learn the shoemaking because they don’t see the importance. Some of the parents were willing to push their daughters into what I’m doing when I started coming on TV, but I’m hoping that the push will be more,” she stated.
“People think it’s a man’s job but I also feel that if you a woman is doing something that is male-dominated, you get more respect. Now the kind of respect people have for me and the kind of treatment I’m given when I go to some places is too much,” she added.
She gave little advice to women.
“If you are a woman out there, don’t think it is for men, because if you do it and you do it well, you will be more respected than the men.
When you go abroad shoemakers are few and most of them are family businesses and it’s very respected. The amount of money you make as a shoemaker outside is a whole lot and shoemakers are valued a lot out there,” she advised.
By: Susan Amoako Agyemang