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Esther Darkoa

"I am Esther Darkoa Okai and I was born in Accra. My parents are both from Asafo Akim, in the Eastern Region of Ghana, and I have four siblings, two brothers and two sisters. I was born into a royal family, where beads were part of the regalia used for different occasions. I became interested in beaded jewelry after learning the craft from constant use in the family.

"Coincidentally, I worked as a sales girl in a large beads shop. My constant handling of beads, coupled with my past experience, further enhanced my interest in them.

"I worked with an elderly woman who encouraged me to take up bead-making as a profession. We went to several exhibitions together, and then I began to work on my own, designing my own collections and exhibiting them. I specialize in glass and recycled glass bead jewelry.

"My dream is to work hard to be successful in the arena of beaded jewelry."