Supporing the needy widows
Caring Widows
Mama Helen Teni children Foundation
SUPPORT OUR CAUSE FOR CARING WIDOWS
Thirdly, so many women are faced with barriers to maternal health and reproductive issues that affects their development. Menstruation greatly affects woman’s educational opportunities due to lack of supplies and sanitary facilities. Many stay home because of unavailable of sanitary pads and end up missing school. Women become sexual active at a younger age due to a coercion by a man or economy necessity. Thus, women have a great risk of HIV infection according to reports northern Ghana has the highest mortality rate in the Ghana. Currently maternal mortality rate is high. Better access to family planning could prevent maternity death. It is possible to receive antenatal care and post Natal from Skill health care professionals in the same way. Teenagers age 10 – 19years are most likely to become pregnant and have complications during pregnancy at a rate that is five times higher than that of adult women. Therefore, teenage mothers are more likely to experience other negative outcomes.
Women face a lot of challenges from teenage age to adult. Especially those living in developing countries like Ghana in West Africa, more precisely Wiaga in the northern region of Ghana. The major changes to women are discrimination, gender roles, reproductive and maternal health, marriage and divorce and violence. Supporting women empowerment programs and fighting domestic violence is Mama Helen Foundation’s aim. Below are some of the challenges faced by women.
Discrimination of Women
In Wiaga in the northern Ghana women have a lower social status than men, let’s say in decision-making, acquiring education and finding a lucrative job, women have fewer powers.. In the past women’s rights have been violated from time to time, including the right to own land and the right to marry. Although women make up nearly half of the labor force, they are paid far less than men. As one is calling for a ceasefire or imposing sanctions. Thus limiting women’s empowerment.
Marriage and divorce limit the empowerment of women. Secondly, many countries are still following cultural norms and beliefs. I am not saying that we should not recognize our cultures but some laws no longer apply in 21st century. To begin with, so many women are forced into marriage as long as the partner can pay a bride price. In addition, parents still trade their daughters for a small bride price, so opening the door for domestic violence in marriage. In the case of divorce, a girl is supposed to return the bride price that was paid as she was entering the marriage. The parents will force the girl to stay there since they cannot return the bride price despite what she may be going through in the marriage. When it comes to inheritance, a widow in some families will be forced to get married to a male relative (brother to the husband) so that his property will stay within his family. Many windows don’t have a say in the husband’s property.
Productive And Maternal Health
“Mama Helen Teni children Foundation” is supporing the needy widows with their basic needs like food, mosquito net, clean water and enpowering them to break the bondage of poverty.
I was inspired by one widow I met during one of my visits to the Upper East of Ghana. She had an old rag and a needle and she was stitching up a toto/bag. She visited the lady I was lodging with to see if she could have something to eat. I learnt that she has no one to look after her. At times she collapses on her way. She was an elderly woman, and in that part of Ghana,
when you lose your husband, children think the widow is a witch and they treat such women as inhuman.
Since I am a fashion designer, it is easier to make handmade stuff, it is easier to teach widows/the needy and train them to make bags so that we can sell them online to support widows and help them start up a business and empower them to care for their children and break the cycle of poverty. To get our bags and other things, visit www.godowe.org, Facebook, Esty, Instagram. And craft work to sell. We want to have a premises in England to keep the donations of clothing sent to us to be shipped to Ghana. Some of the clothing will be given to widows/orphans and the needy, and some clothing will be sold towards our building, and part to support our work.
As a fashion designer, I find it easier to make hand-made items. I want to teach widows and other needy individuals how to make bags so that we can sell them online. This will not only support the widows in starting their businesses but will also empower them to care for their children and break the cycle of poverty. You can find our bags and other handmade items on our website, Facebook, Etsy, Instagram, and other craft work. (Should this be here? It seems like a repetition of ‘other handmade items’.) Additionally, we are looking for premises in England where we can keep clothing donations sent to us which will be shipped to Ghana. Some clothing will be given to orphans, widows and needy people, while the rest will be sold to support our work.
