A remarkable display of sustainable fashion by a student at the Afienya Technical Institute has captivated Ghanaians online, spotlighting the creative potential of technical and vocational education during National TVET Week 2026.
Agbeti Vicentia Enyonam, a student in the Fashion Department at Afienya Technical Institute, turned heads after showcasing a collection of runway outfits and accessories crafted entirely from recycled sachet plastics, discarded denim, onion sacks, and natural plantain stem fibres.
Explaining the inspiration behind her collection, titled “From Waste to Wear” and “Nature’s Rewoven,” Enyonam demonstrated how everyday items often discarded as trash can be transformed into high-fashion garments, raincoats, corset tops, and summer dresses.
“These designs are all made from natural and recycled materials,” Enyonam explained while presenting her collection. “To prevent our environment from becoming dirty, we have processed these materials into wearable pieces. The pieces left over after sewing in our fashion department have been processed into a skirt to go with a corset top under our ‘Rebirth of Scraps’ concept.”
Her creations included raincoats spun from recycled plastic sachets, hand-woven handbags made from plantain stems, dyed dresses created from agricultural sacks, and tailored denim pieces built from discarded jeans.
National TVET Week 2026 Spotlights Skilled Youth
The viral reaction comes as Ghana celebrates National TVET Week 2026, held from October 12 to 16 across the country. The weeklong event, organised by the Ghana TVET Service, aims to highlight the practical competencies and creative innovations of TVET learners while reshaping public perception around vocational education.
Enyonam’s sustainable fashion collection joins a growing wave of local student inventions attracting national attention. Young Ghanaians are increasingly using classroom skills to develop practical solutions to real-world problems, including environmental challenges and healthcare needs.
Launching the official celebration for TVET Week, the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, emphasised that technical and vocational training remains a fundamental pillar for national development and youth empowerment.
“TVET must be recognized as a strategic investment in Ghana’s future,” Minister Iddrisu stated. “Our young people must have access to quality training that equips them with the skills to secure employment, establish enterprises, and contribute meaningfully to national development.”
National TVET Week features policy dialogues, career guidance sessions, industry exhibitions, and hands-on skill demonstrations across manufacturing, agriculture, digital technology, and the creative arts. The initiative seeks to position TVET not as a secondary option, but as a primary pathway to entrepreneurship and economic self-reliance.
Ghanaians Call for Patent Protection and Commercial Scaling
Enyonam’s presentation drew widespread praise across social media platforms, with many commentators urging government agencies, event organisers, and investors to support and scale her work.
Some readers highlighted the commercial potential of her recycled raincoats and hand-woven bags, while others called on major national platforms, such as the Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA) red carpet, to showcase sustainable fashion from local technical students.
“She is a national asset that has to be protected at all costs,” noted one commenter on X (formerly Twitter). Another added: “Her work needs to be patented… The bags and raincoats, if carefully considered, will make a big business.”
As National TVET Week 2026 continues, demonstrations like Enyonam’s reinforce the crucial role technical education plays in addressing local environmental challenges through innovation.
