The Or Foundation Commits $1 Million USD to Kantamanto Market Emergency Relief Efforts Following Catastrophic Fire

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Environmental justice organization is calling for support from the fashion industry to revitalize the world's largest secondhand market

ACCRA, Ghana, Jan. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the devastating fire that decimated Kantamanto Market, the largest secondhand clothing market in the world and a vital hub for reuse and repair, The Or Foundation has committed $1 million USD to immediate emergency relief efforts. As Kantamanto sits at the end of the linear economy, The Or Foundation is requesting support from the fashion industry in this crucial time of need.

15 million secondhand garments arrive from the Global North in Kantamanto Market every week, and the community of more than 30,000 people working in Kantamanto Market is responsible for recirculating 25 million pieces of secondhand clothing every month through resale, reuse, repair, and remanufacturing. It's a vibrant hub of creativity and a necessary alternative to fast fashion. The fire, which occurred on January 1, has left many families in distress following catastrophic losses for retailers, upcyclers and other market members, as merchandise, shops, tools, and equipment have been destroyed.

Funds are immediately being dispersed to haul debris as part of the community cleanup effort, and The Or Foundation is offering immediate assistance to anyone who was injured or ill as a result of the fire. The organization is working directly with market leaders and other members of the community to mobilize funds to rebuild the market, and provide direct financial assistance to impacted community members, including retailers, upcyclers and women working as kayayei (head porters), over the coming days. The Or Foundation has also notified the Ghana Used Clothing Dealers Association (GUCDA) and Accra Metropolitan Assembly of its work and invited them to collaborate on relief efforts as vital stakeholders in the community.

This commitment builds upon The Or Foundation's broader Secondhand Solidarity Fund (SSF), which since 2020 has distributed over $500,000 USD in direct grants to more than 1,500 members of the Kantamanto Market community. Disbursements through the SSF include emergency food supplies to women working as kayayei during COVID-19 lockdowns, and direct financial relief to over 1,000 secondhand clothing retailers and upcyclers after smaller market fires in 2020 and 2022. This is in addition to The Or Foundation's ongoing, monthly, disbursements to community members in service of alleviating debt, supporting healthcare costs and funding business and infrastructural improvements, such as a new sewing machine or new roofing for a section of the market.

The Or Foundation will share regular updates on social media (@theorispresent) as relief efforts progress, and as the investigation into the fire continues. Donations can be made here: https://donorbox.org/kantamanto-fire-relief-2025/

Images courtesy of The Or Foundation: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/2rx0703ijuo1xcmla5c18/ABFSk0DsLci1ys8CNerBwdU?rlkey=2y73zhzn7k262a4kgon72xskm&e=3&st=bik71u4e&dl=0

About The Or Foundation
The Or Foundation (pronounced "or") is a not-for-profit organization working to develop solutions to fashion's global waste crisis and the communities that are most impacted by it. Based on the ground in Accra, Ghana, home to Kantamanto Market — the world's largest secondhand clothing market and leading hub for reuse, repair, upcycling, and remanufacturing — The Or Foundation has leveraged its insights and firsthand knowledge to identify and implement innovative solutions, advocate for meaningful international policy change and brand accountability, lead science-backed research initiatives, and provide education and programming. To learn more, visit www.theor.org.

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