Creating opportunities today for a brighter tomorrow.

At the heart of our business is a simple mission: to create beautiful, handcrafted products while generating sustainable opportunities for rural communities in Ghana. By working closely with a family network of skilled weavers, we are helping to preserve traditional craftsmanship while introducing modern designs, colours and styles that appeal to today's customers here in the UK.

Every piece we create supports livelihoods, celebrates heritage, and contributes to a brighter future for the communities behind our products.

The idea for the brand began with a chance conversation. Roger, our master maker, and I met unexpectedly in Europe and spoke about his work, his family and the weaving traditions of Ghana. At the time, I didn't think much more about it. However, several months later, an opportunity arose to exhibit at one of the largest events in the equestrian calendar. Seeing a clear gap in the market for contemporary woven products, my thoughts immediately returned to that conversation. I realised that if the business succeeded, it could create meaningful opportunities for the communities Roger had described. With that in mind, I bought a domain, dug out Roger's number from our meeting earlier in the year & booked a flight to Accra to learn more.

Today, the brand works alongside Roger and his extensive family network of weavers. During my visit to Ghana, Roger welcomed me into his world, showing me his workshop and the weaving process, from the preparation of the straw used to create each piece to the finished product. I witnessed first-hand the skill & patience required, with every basket taking considerable time and care to complete. Roger explained that he comes from a large family of weavers in northern Ghana, where weaving has been passed down through generations. He began learning the craft at just four years old under the guidance of his father, who was widely regarded as one of the country's most respected weavers. Today, Roger works closely with his mother, brothers, sisters, cousins, uncles and wider family members across both northern Ghana and Accra, helping to support and sustain this remarkable tradition.

One of the highlights of my visit was meeting Roger's young daughter, who was just five years old at the time and had already started learning how to weave. It was a wonderful reminder of how deeply rooted this craft is within the family. Roger explained that while he doesn't expect or require her to pursue weaving as a career, he believes it is important that she learns the skill, just as he did as a child.

For him, weaving is more than a livelihood, it is a heritage and a connection to previous generations that deserves to be preserved and passed on to the next.

So, about me, my name is Emma Richardson, and I am the founder of Leo Kesho. Having previously established a business in Uganda, I have spent time working in Africa and have seen first-hand the positive impact that small businesses and ethical trade can have on families and communities, as well as the opportunities that can be created when artisans are connected to new markets.

When I met Roger and learned about his family's weaving heritage, I saw the potential to create something meaningful together. Leo Kesho was founded with a simple goal, to celebrate craftsmanship while creating opportunities for the people behind each piece. Through sustainable partnerships and a commitment to preserving traditional skills, I hope to build a business that not only offers beautiful products but also contributes to a brighter future for the families and communities we work with.

A quick confession before we finish.. I am the first to admit I have little patience, and once I have an idea I want everything done yesterday.. so within an afternoon, I had the idea, and set about putting it all into action.. 

Having spent a lot of time working in East Africa, Swahili was a language I had become familiar with. I came up with the name Leo Kesho, which means "today and tomorrow".. It seemed both relevant and apt, creating opportunities today for a brighter tomorrow..

I bought the domain and set about getting this little business off the ground..

It was only later that I realised my rather obvious oversight.. Swahili isn't spoken in West Africa! By then, however I had committed.. so although, admittedly the language is incorrect, the meaning remains at the heart of everything we do.