Zong Tiimah is a 30-year-old widow from the Nkunzeisi community in the Nabdam District. She has three children—two boys and a girl. Tiimah lost her husband about many years ago in Gaare, a community in the Talensi District. After his passing, life became extremely difficult for her and her children, especially in securing food. Her husband’s family was unable to perform the final funeral rites, leaving her with little support.
When the situation became unbearable, Tiimah left Gaare and returned to her father’s house in Nkunzeisi. However, finding a stable place to stay was a challenge, and she struggled to rebuild her life. To survive, she frequently traveled to Kumasi, where she worked washing dishes to earn money. Through hard work and perseverance, she managed to save enough over the years to build a small room on a portion of land given to her by a kind landowner. Fortunately, last year, her husband’s funeral rites were finally performed, giving her a sense of closure.
Struggles to Make Ends Meet
Despite her efforts, Tiimah continued to struggle financially. She attempted petty trading but lost her capital due to the high costs of food and medical care. Last farming season, she pleaded with a landowner, who granted her a small portion of land to cultivate crops. However, the yield was poor due to infertile soil and the destruction of crops by roaming livestock. She considered returning to Kumasi to work, but the thought of leaving her children behind made it impossible.
A Turning Point: The 11th Hour Project & WOM Support
When the 11th Hour Project was introduced to her community through the Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM) women’s group, Tiimah was initially hesitant. The project aimed to address the issue of land access by offering portions of WOM’s agroecology farm to female-headed households struggling to secure farmland. However, the distance between her home and the WOM farm discouraged her.
Despite her doubts, Tiimah found the courage to give it a try. She decided to cultivate a small portion of land, growing Bambara beans—a crop known for its high market demand. Her efforts paid off. With minimal resources, she harvested eight bowls of beans, a significant improvement compared to her previous attempts at home, where she barely harvested anything due to the constant threat of roaming animals destroying her crops.
Food Insecurity & Challenges for Widows in Agriculture
Tiimah’s struggles reflect the broader challenges faced by widows and smallholder women farmers in the Upper East Region, where food insecurity is worsening. According to the Ghana Household Income Survey, food insecurity in the region rose from 48.7% in 2020 to 73.7% in 2022. Extreme weather conditions—droughts, floods, and limited rainfall (averaging 44.5mm per year)—make farming difficult, restricting agricultural production to just one season per year.
Traditionally, women in Northern Ghana do not own land. They access it through male relatives, mainly their husbands. For widows, land access drastically diminishes after their spouse’s death. In many cases, they are forced to remarry a male relative of their late husband to retain land access. This system leaves widows highly vulnerable, with many struggling to secure land for farming. Even when they do, their farmland is often less than the average two acres allocated to female smallholder farmers and is usually infertile.
The state predominantly promotes inorganic farming, which neglects soil fertility and worsens food insecurity. These conditions—climate challenges, restrictive cultural practices, and a lack of technical agricultural support—make it extremely difficult for widows to become self-sufficient.
Empowering Widows Through Agroecology
The 11th Hour Project aims to strengthen agroecological farming among women, allowing widows to access productive land and improve their farming skills for food security and economic independence.
Through WOM, widows like Tiimah have access to land without depending on men, giving them greater autonomy over their livelihoods.
A New Hope for the Future
Now, Tiimah feels hopeful. She is relieved that she no longer has to depend on others for land access, giving her greater independence in decision-making.
“I am not going to Kumasi again this year after this harvest. I will sell five bowls and use the money to restart my business so I can care for my children. I am thankful to WOM for the opportunity, and I pray we will continue farming on this land. Continuous access to farmland can ease the burden of land scarcity,” she said.
Tiimah also hopes to secure about two acres of land to expand her farming activities and improve her family’s future.
About WOM and Its Impact
The Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM) is a Ghanaian women’s rights organization dedicated to empowering widows, orphans, and vulnerable women. Founded in 1993 by Betty Ayagiba, WOM aims to promote socio-cultural and economic transformation by providing training, resources, and support for sustainable livelihoods.
Through initiatives like the 11th Hour Project, WOM helps women like Tiimah gain access to land, farming opportunities, and financial independence, breaking the cycle of poverty and dependence. Their work ensures that widows regain dignity and self-sufficiency in their communities.
With continued support and access to resources, widows like Tiimah can build a better future for themselves and their children.
Source: A1Radioonline.Com | 101.1MHz | Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith | Bolgatanga
