By jiminy, I love bicycle baskets.
Photo by Jill 111 via Pixabay
Now, that’s farmgirl romance.
There’s just something special about the artistry of a beautiful basket hanging from handlebars, weaving whimsy with function (a bushel of flowers adds an extra dose of fabulous, to be sure).
Poetically speaking, a bicycle basket represents that divine intersection where pretty meets practical, and the two fall madly in love.
Photo by Friedrich Haag via Wikimedia Commons
So, imagine my delight when I discovered a line of bicycle baskets that incorporates yet another strand of sublimity into the weave: humanitarianism.
Trifecta, baby.
True to its name, House of Talents is a marketplace designed to employ and empower talented people who are living in poverty in Ghana, West Africa. One of these artisans’ finest lines, as I mentioned, is bicycle baskets. Here is one of their creations, modeled by the lovely Atlanta Bicycle Chic:
Photo by Cameron Adams via Flickr
Launched by Ghana-born Kate Herzog in 2009, House of Talents is Kate’s way of giving back. Kate, whose family struggled with poverty, pulled herself up by her proverbial bootstraps. She taught herself to read at age 10, earning a degree in Economics from the University of Ghana Legon, and pursued a career in consulting and luxury resort management (read more of Kate’s inspiring story here). According to the House of Talents website, “Kate has always had the desire to give back to her community in Ghana, and after completing her MBA at the University of St. Thomas, was finally able begin bringing this dream to reality by founding House of Talents. Kate hopes that through this work, her journey will come full-circle and those she helps will lend a hand to others they encounter.”
House of Talents connects artisan groups in developing countries with consumer markets worldwide to promote self-development through economic and social advancement in rural communities and cities.
You can help by treating yourself to a bicycle basket (what better way to kick of the summer cycling season?). These beauties are handcrafted by master weaver Joseph and his community in northern Ghana. The only real challenge will be deciding which shape and color will best complement your bike …
A great story of a woman entrepreneur! What a journey Kate has made and her business is a sign of her gratitude and fortitude that poverty could not hold her back. The woven bicycle baskets are beautiful and useful. I agree with you that a bicycle needs a basket to help provide necessary storage. Not to mention, a basket, like these shown here, give the bicycle a bit of artistic flair. In a few weeks, I will be in Amsterdam which is the home of something like 50,000 bikes! I am going to look closely to see if any of these woven baskets have made their way up to this land of the bicycle.
Bicycle baskets are so unique to own. You can use them for might near everything. I have one with flowers in it. Just hanging up in my garage to add some beauty to my walls.
Wonderful, even though now I’ve got “da da da da duh da” running through my head along with the vision of Miss Gulch bicycling through the Kansas air…
Oh Karlyne you made me chuckle!
It’s so wonderful to hear when companies are giving back and helping people of poverty get a chance at success. I love hearing that bicycle baskets are what’s making the difference. These bicycle baskets are absolutely beautiful with super bright colors. My favorite was the purple and blue baskets.
fabulous give back to where you were sprung from. I am in awe of Kate’s mission to help those from her native country in such a positive way.
This is another wonderful resource for when you need to buy something but want to feel positive about doing it. It’s kind of like a take on the “renew” in the renew, reuse, recycle philosophy, where you are renewing the human spirit. Thanks for another great heads up, Mary Jane!