Mama Zimbi to host 6th National Widows Alliance Conference this June

Ace actress, broadcaster and multiple international award winner Akumaa Mama Zimbi, real name Joyce Akumaa Dongotey-Padi, has disclosed that the Widows Alliance Network (WANE) project for sustainable economic development of widows in Ghana, which is one of the projects undertaken by the Mama Zimbi Foundation (MZF), will hold its 6th National Widows Alliance Conference (NAWAC-2014) on Saturday, June 21st, 2014 at the Ghana International Trade Fair Centre, La with the theme “Empowering women through education”. This conference is also to celebrate the United Nations International Widows Day.

Through WANE, over 400 widow groupings have been formed in Ghana, with membership swelling to over 8,000 nationwide. The annual national Widows Alliance Conference for advocacy and national widows cohesion 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.

Mama Zimbi added that this annual event brings together all widows in Ghana under one roof to foster strength and a sense of purpose and also encourage widows to learn to grow in self confidence, to develop new skills as well as new friendships. She also stated that the Conference is also an appropriate forum to advocate against injustices faced by widows in certain cultures on the national level. This advocacy is done by raising awareness about widows’ plight in order to increase its profile and obtain commitments from governments, policy makers and donors for its needed attention. These widows as usual will also be given free medical examination, messages from important personalities, engage in a Mini-Trade Fair, receive gifts, sing, dance and have plenty to eat and drink as well.

Sponsors of NAWAC-2014 include Unibank – Caring for you, Gewah Hospital, Indomie Instant Noodles, 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.