Students sell masks with goal to alleviate poverty

A 2-month-old business that started at Utah State University has recently launched its first product – handsewn masks from an entrepreneur in Ghana.

The business, Maranga, was founded by USU students Brynn Bennion and Paige Koch.

Bennion and Koch started Maranga with the goal of alleviating poverty and supporting small international businesses.

They also provide an online channel for entrepreneurs to sell their goods globally.

Hayford Nanakofi, a 27-year-old entrepreneur from Ghana, has partnered with the company. Nanakofi, who owns his own fashion company in Ghana, ships handsewn masks in bulk to Maranga, which is then able to sell the products through its website.

“I started a business out of necessity. My family was so poor I was not able to attend high school,” Nanakofi said.

Bennion and Koch connected with Nanakofi through USU’s Small Enterprise Education and Development program and Mentor’s International.

Both of these programs work with small business owners in developing countries such as Ghana.

Maranga takes the revenue that it receives from selling products on their website and shares a percentage with its partners.

“The impact of COVID-19 was very hard on my business until Maranga came to my aid,” Nanakofi said. “They help me a lot because the masks I send them are sold for four, almost five times the local prices.”

“Hayford is really accommodating and will even wake up in the middle of the night to meet with us,” Koch said about Nanakofi.

“He is the best,” Bennion said. “He’s a hard-worker and will do anything for his business and his family.”

The company has plans to sell more of Nanakofi’s products as well as work with other entrepreneurs to sell additional products and expand their network.

*This article was submitted as part of a class project.

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