About Us.
SWOPA was founded in 1997 by Madame Melanie Kasise, daughter of a Sirigu woman who used her skills in pottery to pay for her education. Madame Kasise now has become a true success story – having appeared at the UN to talk on women's issues, accommodating former UN Secretary Kofi Anan and heading an organisation that spearheads the fight for rights in the local community. It became Madame Kasise's vision to get more women involved in the artisan crafts that her mother had used to educate her, to educate and employ them. SWOPA now boasts a membership of approximately 400 local women, all trained for free by the organisation who make the incredible arts and crafts you can find in the gallery, here at SWOPA. Since then SWOPA has evolved and provides the one place in Sirigu you can stay, eat, learn and soak in the local culture. Sirigu, the village we are located in, boasts the most unique wall paintings you can find in the region, and arguably the country. SWOPA is keeping arts and crafts alive, and you can come and be a part of that by staying at SWOPA, taking a lesson and making a pot, weaving a basket or painting a work of art yourself – or by taking home a piece of traditional, authentic local culture.
Take a Look at Some of Our Beautiful and Unique Wall Paintings!
