On Jan. 2, Kantamanto, the largest secondhand market in the world, was hit by a devastating fire, impacting hundreds of vendors. The market, situated in the heart of Accra, Ghana, is a bustling place of business for thousands of people who work there reselling and upcycling clothing shipped in from around the world.
The market is often posited as the epicenter of fashion’s waste crisis because of the sheer amount of discarded clothing that ends up in the country. Secondhand clothing that is not sold in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom (at charity shops or donation centers like Goodwill, often because of the condition of the garments) is sent to cities in the Global South like Accra. Secondhand markets like Kantamanto are a community-based solution to deal with the overload of clothing. Still, much of the clothing that ends up there is still not sold pollutes the city’s beaches, water, and neighborhoods.
According to the AFP, officials claim the fire could have been caused by faulty electric wiring throughout the market, though they have not ruled out arson. The OR Foundation, a nonprofit that works with vendors, said on Instagram that “market leadership estimates that 8,000 people have been impacted (we expect this to grow), reporting that at least 10 of the 13 market sections sustained catastrophic damage. Upon surveying the market, we believe that over 60% of the retailer side of Kantamanto is destroyed.”
Despite the devastation, the cleanup efforts are already underway. In a live video shared by The Revival Ghana on Jan 3, hundreds of people are seen cleaning up debris and already beginning to rebuild. In a separate post by Natalija Gormalova, the Accra-based artist shared a note about rebuilding. “Amid the devastation, young people expressed a fragile optimism, hoping the market would be rebuilt again. But for many sellers, who lost everything to the fire, hope was harder to grasp,” they shared.
In December, Ghana voted former President John Mahama back into office. Throughout local media, many community leaders are urging the incoming president to step in, help the people in Kantamanto, and prevent this from happening again.
The OR Foundation
What Can You Do to Help?
The OR Foundation, a non-profit that works with vendors in Kantamanto, has committed to donating $1 million dollars to the effort. They have also set up a fund for donations that will go directly to those impacted. You can donate here.
