Ho: Group supports 120 widows, calls for end to dehumanising traditional rites

One hundred and twenty widows from communities within the Ho Municipality in the Volta Region have received packages containing half a piece of Holland wax cloth, kitchen napkins, perfume spray and an undisclosed amount of cash from the Three Sisters Angels Foundation.

The items were presented at a reception organised by the Ho-based humanitarian organisation to support widows facing financial and social challenges following the loss of their husbands.

The initiative seeks to help the women rebuild their lives as they struggle to provide for themselves and their children.

The Founder and President of the Foundation, Pearl Anyonam Abrompah-Cudjoe, told 3news at the event that the organisation remained committed to supporting widows and helping them regain their footing.

She said widows in some parts of Ghana, including the Volta Region, faced difficult circumstances, including neglect by their late husbands’ families and accusations of being responsible for their husbands’ deaths.

Madam Abrompah-Cudjoe said some widows were subjected to dehumanising traditional rites, including being forced to drink substances believed to have come from the bodies of their deceased husbands to prove their innocence.

She added that in some communities, widows were isolated from others and made to eat alone for several months, sometimes for nearly a year. Some were also forced out of their late husbands’ families for refusing to comply with such practices.

She said the Foundation, motivated by humanitarian concerns and a desire to support women in difficult circumstances, had committed to organising an annual reception for identified widows in the Ho Municipality and providing financial assistance to bring them relief.

Madam Abrompah-Cudjoe appealed to traditional authorities to adopt more humane ways of handling women who had lost their husbands through circumstances beyond their control.

She stressed that losing a husband should never justify subjecting a woman to degrading or inhumane treatment.

A member of the Three Sisters Angels Foundation, Lydia Mulengi, who is also a widow, commended the beneficiaries for attending the reception.

She said the gathering was not merely an opportunity to eat and drink but also a chance for the women to socialise with friends, both familiar and new, and relieve stress.

Madam Mulengi encouraged the widows to form an association or other organised group to attract support from public-spirited individuals and organisations.

She said such assistance, particularly in the form of start-up capital, could help the women establish businesses and become economically active.

She added that she would not wish widowhood on any woman, particularly young women who found themselves in the situation through no fault of their own.

She prayed for God’s continued protection and guidance for the widows throughout their lives.

Beneficiary expresses gratitude

One of the beneficiaries, Victoria Adegah, expressed gratitude to the Foundation’s Founder and President, Pearl Abrompah-Cudjoe, for the support.

She said she had not experienced such joy since the death of her husband, describing the opportunity to share a meal with others and receive the items and cash as a memorable experience.

Madam Adegah pledged to inform other widows in her community who were unaware of the Foundation’s activities so they could also benefit from its support.