To mark its 10th year milestone, the Ghanaian Women’s Association of Georgia (GWAG) will be hosting a gala on Saturday, December 16, 2017 from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at the Atrium, Atlanta City Hall.

Among the distinguished guests that will be attending are: Emmy-nominated journalist and 11Alive News Anchor – Faith Abubey (Guest of Honour), C. Jack Ellis, former Mayor of Macon Georgia, and Dr. William Oduro – an Obstetrician-Gynecologist at North Metro Women’s Healthcare, in Lawrenceville, Georgia. The evening’s line-up of activities includes cultural performances, an awards ceremony, and the swearing in of new officers.

The organization which was incorporated in May 2007 with a dozen members has since expanded its base to over forty (40).

As its core mission, GWAG promotes entrepreneurship and developmental initiatives for women. In the years since its inception, the organization has undergone many changes, made leaps and bounds of progress, and has evolved into one that focuses on supporting education for girls as well as bettering the maternity experience for countless women living in Ghana.

“We set off with an abundance of passion and verve to solve the world’s problems. There was a shared commitment and genuine willingness to give of our resources to uplift the less fortunate in our communities. But then we quickly realized that our objective was too broad and that for us to make an impact we had to narrow our focus to specific areas”, said GWAG president Agnes Hayfron Barnor. “Years later we have evolved into an organization that supports maternity care and education for women. We chose maternity as an area of focus because anything we do to enhance the delivery of care impacts not just the mother but also the babies and families in general.”

Between 2016-2017, the organization has raised over $50,000 to undertake maternity adoption projects. In 2016, GWAG adopted the Elmina Urban Health Center and furnished it with beds, incubators, and medical consumables to help build its capacity and enable it to meet the needs of the local community and beyond. Additionally, Yendi, Oda, and Korle-bu hospitals received supplies for their maternity units. This year, the organization has added a second hospital to its adoption list – Oda Government Hospital will benefit from additional supplies to help bring it to acceptable standards.

The successful implementation of the project was a result of a collaboration forged with the Rotary Clubs of Accra, Accra Airport City, and Cape Coast to oversee the distribution of supplies to the beneficiary hospitals and provide monitoring and evaluation services.

Donor organizations that contributed significantly towards the fundraising effort include: Silver Cross Hospital (New Lenox, Illinois), North Metro Women’s Healthcare (Lawrenceville, Georgia), Voltex Associates (Atlanta, Georgia), and Margins Group Limited (Ghana). Other corporate donors include Amina Baobab International LLC and Discovery Point day-care.

Today, what still makes the work of GWAG possible is the people. From its members, who are committed to promoting the causes the organization stands for, to sponsors without whose resources none of the work would be accomplished. GWAG seeks to further propel its fundraising capabilities in Ghana by partnering with corporate institutions whose philanthropic objectives align with women’s healthcare and education. In March 2017, the association successfully registered a chapter in Ghana and is poised to leverage its non-profit status to enlist more support locally. This will serve as a major boost to its fundraising efforts. To mark a decade of service to the community, the organization is also launching an annual scholarship fund to support Ghanaian female students in Georgia to pursue higher education. Two winners of the scholarship will be presented with their awards at the December gala.

About Ghanaian Women’s Association of Georgia

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the Ghanaian Women’s Association of Georgia is a 501(c)(3) organization that supports maternity healthcare and educational initiatives for women in under-served regions in Ghana.