Akumaa Mama Zimbi (middle) being welcomed on her arrival
Ace actress, broadcaster and cultural icon, Akumaa Mama Zimbi, last Saturday hosted over 2,000 widows from across all corners of Ghana.
Widows from places like Twifo Praso, Dunkwa-on-Offin, Tema, Bawku, Hikpo, Techiman, Sampa, Accra, Kete-Krachie, Elmina and many other parts of the country gathered at Pavilion B of the Ghana International Trade Fair Centre, Accra for the 6th National Widows Alliance Conference (NAWAC).
The conference, in its sixth year, is organised 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.
MAWAC is also to celebrate the United Nations International Widows Day.
It 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, drumming and dancing by widow groups, mini trade fair and song ministrations by one of Ghana’s enterprising gospel musicians, 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 could 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 (MP) for New Juaben South, Rev Gabriel Ansah, Chancellor, Nasem University and Mrs Amy Appiah Frimpong, acting Executive Director of the National Theatre.
Speaking at the conference, Mama Zimbi stated that ‘widows especially have not been treated fairly traditionally and even in modern times in Ghana. Widowhood brings a lot of challenges like economic burden, single parenthood and loneliness, so Ghana needs to help its widows and widowers to grow with self-confidence and lead a normal life as every other human being.’
Sponsors of NAWAC-2014 included Unibank, Bedita Pharmacy, Gewah Hospital, Indomie Instant Noodles, Herbal Technology, Ice Cool Purified Water, Mobile Engineering Services and Fru Telli.
Others were Bake Shop Classics, Danny’s Décor, Last Hour Catering Services, and Ghana International Trade Fair Centre.
The media partners were Multi TV, Capital TV, Citi FM, Adom FM, Media Fanbern, Websoft Solutions and DDP.
This article has 0 comment, leave your comment.