A former student of a school in Tenby has set up a charity project helping to empower women from Ghana.

The project run by Elizabeth Flowers called 'The Afawi clothing co-operative' sells clothes in the UK made by women in Ghana from poor backgrounds.

"The project is not about giving aid, or making women feel proud, it is about empowering them in a dignified and participatory manner through a competitive wage, literacy training and work skills," explained Elizabeth, a former pupil of Greenhill School.

Elizabeth, who does all this while juggling her last year of university where she is studying for a degree in politics and international relations, initially went to Ghana in the summer to volunteer for a small charity called the Alliance for African Women initiative.

"Whilst there I became fascinated with the local area, and despite Ghana's colourful and exuberant appearance, beneath are many people who are trapped in poverty," she said.

"For many women this is especially the case as, despite their overwhelming work ethic and thirst for life, a consistent income and education are hard to obtain.

"Employment is often low skilled, competition high and wages are meagre. As a result, women struggle to alleviate themselves and their families from the hardships of poverty, living a life of necessity opposed to a life of choice.

"This is what inspired me to create the AFAWI Clothing Co-operative which is a small community-based initiative that seeks to empower local women through creative and ethical employment," she said.

In the company, local women work together to create unique, handmade garments which are retailed in the UK. All products are made from traditional Ghanaian fabrics which are handpicked in the markets of Accra to promote Ghana's rich history of traditional cloth-making. They represent a true collaboration of classic British style and Ghanaian exuberance.

"The woman can leave the co-operative with an array of skills that enable them to progress in future life because many jobs that women do in Ghana are very low skilled," continued Elizabeth, who lives in Whitehill, near Cresswell Quay.

"Many girls are forced to leave school, so they don't have an education, so the project tries to compensate for this.

"I am returning to Ghana this Christmas to hopefully open a workshop which will become the hub of creativity and design for the AFAWI Clothing Co-operative.

"I can then begin to employ more women, offer more women an education and offer them the resources to better the quality of life for themselves and their families.

"I firmly believe that by working together and sharing our expertise, we can make something positive, sustainable and lasting," she added.

You can find more information about the project on the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/AFAWIClothingCooperative">www.facebook.com/AFAWIClothingCooperative where you can also purchase the clothes and donate to the project.