Accra's busiest secondhand clothing market swapped bales for trainers last week. Hiplife legend Reggie Rockstone joined The Or Foundation to lead a four-kilometre health walk for traders at Kantamanto Market.
The walk took place on Sunday, October 18, 2026. It was part of activities marking the fifth anniversary of the Obroni Wawu October (OWO) Festival, which celebrates secondhand fashion, creativity and sustainability.
Fitness first
The aim was to encourage physical activity, healthy lifestyles and preventive healthcare among people who spend long days in the market. Traders, especially women, turned out alongside fashion lovers and members of the public.
Reggie Rockstone, this year's official festival ambassador, said the exercise was also about unity. He added that it was a chance to highlight how much the secondhand clothing industry contributes to Ghana's economy.
The President of the Kantamanto Women's Association praised the foundation. She said the walk gave market women a chance to put their health first while building community.
A glimpse of a safer market
The route ended at an 80-stall demonstration site built by The Or Foundation. It shows a proposed model for better infrastructure and working conditions at Kantamanto.
Designed by Ghanaian architect Nana Ayensua Amonoo of Unapparant, the site uses repurposed shipping containers on land entrusted to the project by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
It features fire-resistant materials, wider aisles for carts carrying heavy bales, a solar-powered upcycling centre and waste-management facilities. The design also aims to cut the strain of carrying heavy loads on the head.
The bigger picture
The foundation stressed that the site covers less than one per cent of the market. It is meant as a demonstration, not a full redevelopment plan.
It estimates that extending the model across the whole market could cost more than US$70 million. Proposed funding routes include producer responsibility schemes, government levies, public fundraising and private philanthropy.
The walk came ahead of the main OWO Festival on October 25 at Untamed Empire in Accra. The message was clear: the people who keep Kantamanto running deserve to stay healthy and safe.
