Ghanaian television and radio broadcast journalist, women’s rights activist, blogger, marriage counselor, and actress, Akumaa Mama Zimbi also known professionally as Dr. Joyce Akumaa Dongotey-Padi has stated that her foundation caters for over 8000 widows.
The host of ‘Odo Ahomaso’ on Adom TV and Adom FM, Akumaa Mama Zimbi made this known on Citi TV’s Upside Down Show on Sunday, May 16, 2021.
Widows are a big focus of her work. She also stated that her desire to work with widows stemmed from meeting a woman who was wrongfully accused of murdering her husband.
“I was escorting my grandmother to the station when I came across a scene where people were heckling a lady so I approached them and asked what happened but no one was responding so I managed to rescue her and send her to the police station but because she was still sobbing one of the officers advised me to find a place for her to stay and talk to her the next day.”
“So we found out the next day that she found her husband dead after getting home from the hospital and was being wrongly accused of his death so I took her in and that is how I started gathering the widows I work with. Mama Zimbi Foundation will be 13 years in June and I work with over 8000 and more widows,” she added.
Through her Mama Zimbi Foundation, Akumaa launched the Widows Alliance Network (WANE) in 2007. Aimed at strengthening widows’ economic standing, WANE has already organized more than 300 programs covering everything from career training and agriculture to reproductive health, sewing, and beekeeping.
Watch the full interview below
By: Daisy Palinwinde Jacobs| Ghana Weekend
