Dr Okai-Mensah spearheading attainment of SDG 12 in Ghana

It has long been the passion of Dr Mrs Christiana Konamah Okai-Men­sah to contribute meaningfully to national development, particularly through Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

This goal emphasises the importance of efficient resource use, waste reduc­tion, and the promotion of sustainable practices.

Inspired by a heartfelt birthday message from Rev. David Aboagye Danquah, a Presbyterian Minister, Dr Okai-Mensah, was further encouraged to turn her vision into action—trans­forming textile waste into valuable products to benefit society and the environment.

The beginning of a vision

Dr Okai-Mensah’s journey began with a simple but impactful initiative at Accra Technical Universi­ty (ATU), where she works as a lec­tur­er.

She founded a student club that focused on incorpo­rating waste textiles into fashion projects. This laid the foundation for what would become the Reclaim Tex­tile Network (RTN) Ghana, a non-gov­ernmental organisation dedicated to combating textile waste through upcy­cling, sustainable fashion education, and inclusive community innovation.

In an interview with The Specta­tor, Dr Okai-Mensah said with over 92 million tons of textile waste generated globally each year, much of it is off­loaded onto developing nations.

She said Ghana, and its cities, par­ticularly Accra, has become a major dumping ground for discarded sec­ond-hand clothing—putting immense pressure on landfills sites and govern­ments as a whole.

The Reclaim Textile

Network (RTN)

Established as a response to this growing crisis, she said RTN Ghana aims to divert textile waste from landfills and instead channel it into creative reuse programmes.

According to her the organisa­tion empowers youth, artisans, students, women, and underserved communities to transform fabric cut-offs into eco-conscious products with both social and economic value.

Dr Okai-Mensah who is a lecturer at Accra Technical University said RTN’s objective was to showcase up-cycled products, highlight stu­dent creations, launch the Textile Waste-to- Product challenge, and promote commu­nity training and advocacy

“In just one year, RTN has reached over 1,500 stu­dents across 11 institu­tions, including five senior high schools, tertiary insti­tutions, two churches, and a rehabilitation centre,” she said.

These engage­ments, she said have built practical skills and raised awareness about sustainable practices.

Challenges and call for support Despite the significant impact RTN has made, Dr Okai-Mensah notes that the organisa­tion faces serious challenges, primarily due to limited resources.

Currently, RTN operates with only one full-time staff member and three part-time assistants, with fabric waste collected manually using her private vehicle.

“So far, funding has come entire­ly from my personal resources, with support from my husband, Mr Kwasi Okai-Mensah,” she revealed. “We need stakeholders to come on board to scale this impact.”

Dr Okai-Mensah advocates the inte­gration of textile upcycling into school curricula, citing its affordability and environmental benefits. She calls on the government, private sector, and corporate organisations to support RTN’s initiatives.

Academic and

Professional contributions

Dr Okai-Mensah is a distinguished ac­ademic and leader in textiles and fash­ion design technology. Her research spans sustainable textile practices, design innovation, and the technolog­ical advancement of Ghana’s textile and fashion industry.

She has published extensively and participated in numerous international conferences.

Educational Background

Dr Okai-Mensah has an MPhil in Art Education, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), 2013–2015, MA in Adult Education, University of Ghana, Legon, 2011–2012, BA in Art (Textiles), KNUST, 1996–2000, Teacher’s Certificate A, 1989–1992

Global recognition

In 2007, she proudly represented Ghana in the Thread Project – One World, One Cloth (Lienzo Luminoso – Cloth of Light), a global initiative promoting unity through textiles.

Her leadership and experience continue to earn her recognition as a valuable advisor and thought leader in sustainability and education.

Personal Life

Born in Berekum in the Bono Region, Dr. Okai-Mensah is married to Mr Kwesi Okai-Mensah and blessed with three sons. Her hobbies include singing and mentoring young minds. Her favourite dish is fufu with chicken light soup.

By Linda Abrefi Wadie