Constance Swaniker is one of the 18 international delegates joining us in London this month for this year's Design Connections programme. Find out more about her and her thoughts on design in Africa.

Please tell us about yourself, your work or organization.

My name is Constance Elizabeth Swaniker and I am the founder of The Design & Technology Institute (DTI) in Ghana. I am deeply passionate about championing the crusade for skills development in Africa. DTI seeks to train a new generation of creative and talented individuals for the continent’s socio-economic growth.

After 17 years of practical experience in the metal and craft industry, as a sculptor and founder of Ghana’s premier wrought iron and wood company Accents and Art, I established DIT to share my skills and experience.

What are you working on at the moment?

At the moment, I am working on a collection of sculpture pieces for an exhibition slated for 25th November 2017 in Lagos, Nigeria.

What are the hot topics in design in your country at the moment? What are the challenges that design or designers are facing in your country at the moment?

The hot design topics in Ghana at the moment are fashion design and product design. Most designers in Ghana are facing the challenges of securing start-up capital, lack of knowledge and key skills, irregular income and constraints in finding a suitable working space.

Tell us about a designer to watch from your country at the moment and why we should know about their work?

The name of the designer to watch from Ghana is Araba Sama Fletcher. A master of textiles, designer Sama touts this skill in all her work. Her most recent collection combined crepe, neoprene and faux leather. Sama studied fashion design at Radford University College in Accra before launching her youthful eponymous brand.

What excites you about UK design? What are you looking forward to seeing at the London Design Festival?

I am excited about the unique events and opportunities the festival presents. I look forward to celebrating design in its broadest scope and meeting like-minded individuals to collaborate with on different projects.

Each year during London Design Festival (LDF) we invite key design industry figures from around the world to join us for our Design Connections programme. The delegation will take a unique curated tour of the festival, meeting leading UK designers, curators, design organisations as well as discovering new work and gaining new relationships. Find out more about Design Connections here.