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The glass beads are made by a tribe in Ghana called the “Krobo”. The Krobo were almost 120 years ago forced off the Krobo mountains by the "Obroni's" (means: white people), because they refused to pay taxes. Since then the Krobo live a few miles from their sacred mountain. Te Krobo mountain remained uninhabited ever since and has been a reserve since 1999.

The craft of making the glass beads exists in Africa for hundreds of years is has been passed on from generation to generation. The glass beads are made of molted glass powder, to which pigment has been added. The glass powder is made of empty bottles and car windshields. Many beads are hand painted.

Shop in Ghana buys the beads from traditional Krobo bead makers at the Agomanya market situated between Somanya and Kpong. We also visit other bead markets in Ghana for beads from other African regions.

By purchasing at these African markets we stimulate the local economy and give the opportunity to the people to earn money with their 'own' traditional product. The necklaces and bracelets made of Ghanaian glass beads are also bought by the Africans themselves. Many Africans wear often exuberant sets of necklaces and bracelets together or jewelry with a great variety of beads during celebrations and festivities.

After the beads have been bought by our Ghanaian purchasers, the beads are shipped to the Netherlands, where the beads will be washed and sorted. Finally the African beads will be offered and sold in The Netherlands, Europe, Australia and the United States.

The African glass beads are different than usual and popular jewellery and beads. Sometimes the African glass beads are used to draw attention, the so called 'eye-catcher' or used in combination with 'natural' material like wood, stone, bone and seeds or nuts. Because of its unique appearance the beads are bought by various artists from all around the world at Shop in Ghana.