Many congratulations to Amelia Amemate (Dela), PhD in Multi-disciplinary Gender Studies, for winning the First Prize in the Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS) 2025 PhD Fieldwork Photography Competition for her photograph Threads of Survival.
Caption: In the swampy village of Kpordui in Ghana’s Volta Region, women craft aba mats from the resilient ketsi plant — an age-old livelihood tethered to land, tradition, and survival. The process is painstaking: harvesting in wetlands, drying under sun, and weaving with precision between wooden frames. These mats are more than products — they’re currency, sustenance, and a form of agency for women supporting their families. Yet, this heritage faces quiet erosion. Colonial histories and the influx of cheap synthetic imports threaten to eclipse aba, branding it as outdated in urban eyes. Still, in moments like a host pausing her labour to offer water, the Anlo custom of welcoming guests, a deeper fabric emerges — of hospitality woven through hardship, and tradition enduring in an uneasy present.
Her photo will also be seen displayed in room 138 in the Alison Richard Building as well in the Centre for Development Studies.