On Saturday 21st June, ace actress,
cultural icon and multiple
international award winner Akumaa
Mama Zimbi, known privately as Mrs.
Joyce Akumaa Dongotey-Padi, hosted
over 2,000 widows again from across
all corners of Ghana.
Widows from places like Wenchi,
Twifo Praso, Upper Denkyira, Tema,
Bawku, Hikpo, Techiman, Sampa,
Accra, Ketekrachie, just to mention a
few gathered at Pavilion B, Ghana
International Trade Fair Centre, Accra
for the 6th National Widows Alliance
Conference (NAWAC).
This is an initiative by Mama Zimbi
Foundation (MZF) through its Widows
Alliance Network (WANE) project for
sustainable socio-economic
development of widows in Ghana.
Activities at the conference included
singing and dancing by widow
groups, mini trade fair and song
ministrations by Nhyira Betty.
Her Excellency Dr. Nana Konadu
Agyeman Rawlings (former first lady
of the Republic of Ghana) who was
the Keynote Speaker also encouraged
and motivated the widows and gave
them practical solutions on how they
can move out of their shells and live
their lives fully as God purposed.
Other prominent speakers at the
conference included Nanahemaa
Adwoa Awindor (President, African
Queens and Women Cultural Leaders
Network – AQWCLN), Hon. Beatrice
Bernice Boateng (Former Member of
Parliament for New Juaben South),
Rev Gabriel Ansah (Chancellor,
Nasem University) and Mrs. Amy
Appiah Frimpong (Ag. Executive
Director of National Theater).
At the conference, Mama Zimbi stated
that, widowhood which is not by
choice or curse is just like any
natural phenomenon that is ordained
by God. And widows especially, have
not been treated fairly traditionally
and even in modern times in Ghana.
According to her, though it has
proven quiet difficult to get rid of
some bad widowhood rites because
many people still have strong
attachment to all sorts of
superstitious beliefs, education
through advocacy and the provision
of employable skills as what Mama
Zimbi Foundation (MZF) is doing
through its Widows Alliance Network
(WANE), should be the most
appreciable long-term solution to
these problems plaguing our society.
She added that Mama Zimbi
Foundation (MZF) is currently striving
to set up an ultra modern ‘Center for
Technical, Vocational and
Entrepreneurship Training’ (CTVET) as
a permanent place to provide
vocational training, human rights
education, reproductive health and
social integration programs for
women and girls.
She concluded that, widowhood
brings a lot of challenges like
economic burden, single parenthood
and loneliness, so Ghana needs to
help its widows and widowers grow
in self confidence and lead a normal
life as every other human being.
The conference, in its Sixth year, is
organized on a large scale as the
grand occasion where all of Ghana
and Africa are made to appreciate the
roles widows are playing as
ambassadors of change in their
communities. It also serves as the
ideal dialogue platform for the
advocacy of a comprehensive policy
and legal direction for elevating the
standards of widows in Ghana. It is
also to celebrate the United Nations
International Widows Day.
Sponsors of NAWAC-2014 include
Unibank - Caring for you, Bedita
Pharmacy, Gewah Hospital, Indomie
Instant Noodles, Herbal Technology,
Ice Cool Purified Water, Mobile
Engineering Services and Fru Telli.
Others include Bake Shop Classics,
Danny’s Décor, Last Hour Catering
Services,and Ghana International
Trade Fair Center. The media partners
are Multi TV, Capital TV, Citi FM,
Adom FM, Media Fanbern, Websoft
Solutions and DDP.
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