When Reusable Bags GH partnered with three Ashesi University students for an Applied Capstone Project, Avis Adjacodjoe, Co-Founder and Director of Strategy, Communication, and Social Impact, saw it as an opportunity to gain a fresh perspective on some of the business’s most pressing challenges.
Working closely with Bismark Osiakwa, Project Lead for Reusable Bags GH, Ewuradwoa Akyereh Ayesu ’26, Elorm Peggy Ameyibor ’26, and Nana Afia Pokua Ofori-Asante ’26 conducted interviews, reviewed company data, and analyzed industry trends. Together, they identified three core challenges: limited access to financing, inadequate storage and production space, and inconsistent access to raw materials.
To address financing constraints, the students developed a Development Finance Institution (DFI) Access Model. The tool included a curated database of funding institutions such as the Ghana Export-Import Bank, Development Bank Ghana, and the National Investment Bank, along with eligibility requirements, application guidance, key contacts, and a grant proposal template designed to strengthen funding applications.
“For many SMEs like us, loans are not the first option, so having a strong grant template is very relevant,” Adjacodjoe shared.
To improve storage and production efficiency, the students proposed a phased storage model. This included partnering with nearby businesses that have unused space, allowing Reusable Bags GH to rent affordable storage while helping host businesses offset costs. The team also recommended reorganizing the company’s existing workspace to improve flow, including creating a makeshift pre-production area for cutting and patterning. In addition, they made recommendations to refine the company’s operational dashboard to better track workflow and storage capacity
“The dashboard gave us a clear picture of our storage limits. After reorganizing our layout, we’ve cut clutter and improved workflow,” Adjacodjoe shared.
To strengthen raw material sourcing, the students designed an Institutional Collection Program to gather reusable fabric from university campuses. A pilot program involving 50 participants collected 49 kilograms of usable fabric, demonstrating the concept’s potential.
Apart from the technical recommendations, Adjacodjoe noted the professionalism and the quality of the student team’s documentation.
“I like all the templates and the documented guidelines they provided for every solution,” she said. “Three years from now, a new administrator can go into that folder and understand exactly what was done and how to move forward.”
“The entire capstone experience has been iterative,” Ayesu, on behalf of the team, shared. “We learned that constant revision, no matter how uncomfortable, was an opportunity to learn and produce higher-quality work.”
Although Reusable Bags GH is still evaluating which recommendations to implement next, Adjacodjoe believes the partnership has already delivered meaningful value.
“It’s been very insightful and rewarding,” she shared.
