The Ecobank-JoyBusiness SME Fair 2026 has offered visitors more than an opportunity to shop for food, fashion, skincare products and crafts.
It has also opened up conversations about culture, beauty, love and relationships.
One stall that attracted huge attention at the Ghud Park, Accra Mall, is that of Hetty’s Beads, where its Chief Executive Officer, Henrietta Fosuah, introduced patrons to what she describes as the language of romantic bead communication.
For her, waist beads are not simply fashion accessories worn to enhance a woman’s appearance. They can also convey affection, express emotions and add a touch of creativity to relationships and marriages.
It is a silent conversation. No shouting. No long text messages. Just beads speaking.
At the exhibition, Ms Fosuah explained how women could customise their beads with the names of their partners or short romantic messages to communicate feelings without necessarily saying a word.
“You can write your husband’s name on the beads. So, that will communicate to your husband,” she said.
A message such as “I love you, baby”, she explained, could be written on the beads and worn during a romantic date or intimate moment.
A woman could also use the beads to send an apology or seek forgiveness after offending her partner.
Others could carry messages such as “Will you marry me?” by turning the accessory into an unusual way of proposing.
For Ms Fosuah, the idea is to make communication between couples more personal and thoughtful.
More than an accessory
The Hetty’s Beads collection includes designs with names such as Odo Toffee, Sikapa, Agudie, Sikakokoo, Ahwene Pa Nkasa, Gyeawariye and Odo Pa Nsa.
Ms Fosuah said the designs, colours and number of strands could be used to convey different messages, depending on the meaning attached to them by the wearer.
She pointed to a black-and-gold design called Sikakokoo, explaining that the combination was intended to appeal to men and give the wearer an elegant appearance.
“We have the black ones with a touch of gold. We’ve designed it in a way that attracts men. We have a certain bead which is called Sikakokoo (Gold),” she said.
She added that the gold stood out particularly well against dark skin.
The number of strands worn around the waist can also carry a message, according to her.
“If your new date wears three ropes of beads, she is telling him that she has a true love for him. If the woman wears four ropes, she is warning the man against cheating. Three ropes mean love. Four ropes mean warning,” she explained.
She also introduced visitors to glow-in-the-dark designs, including what she calls moonlight beads, which illuminate in darkness.
“That one glows at night, like the way the moon glows at night,” she said, adding that the designs were intended to bring another element of attraction to the collection.
Adding romance to relationships
For women entering new relationships, Ms Fosuah recommended designs such as Sikapa and Odo Pa Nsada, which she said carry the message that true love never ends.
She also encouraged women to change their beads from time to time, particularly those seeking to introduce something new into their marriages or relationships.
According to her, a fresh design can attract a partner’s attention and create an opportunity for conversation, even after years of wearing waist beads.
She said a woman could wear a particular set for as long as a year, but changing the design could help keep the experience interesting.
A husband who notices a new set, she suggested, might ask his wife where she got it, providing an opportunity for the couple to reconnect, even if they are at loggerheads.
Ms Fosuah also spoke about the aesthetic appeal of waist beads, saying they accentuate the waistline and enhance a woman’s appearance.
For Valentine’s Day, she recommended red designs, which she described as sparkling and particularly attractive.
An invitation to men
Ms Fosuah urged men, especially those unfamiliar with the meanings and uses of waist beads, to visit the Hetty’s Beads stand at the fair.
She said many women wore beads with particular messages in mind and that understanding the designs could help men appreciate the thought behind them.
“When they come, I will explain it to them very well to understand the purpose of bead-wearing by women,” she said.
Visitors can also take advantage of discounts on purchases during the exhibition, she added.
Day 2 of the Ecobank-JoyBusiness SME Fair is taking place on Saturday, November 14, with exciting offers, huge discounts and networking opportunities.
Day 2 is expected to hit a notch higher after remarkable sales on the opening day.
Visit the fair to enjoy huge discounts for your Christmas shopping needs.