#VisibleWikiWomen in Ghana 2024: The Silent Contributions of Indigenous Voices in Building a Just and Free World
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#VisibleWikiWomen in Ghana 2024: The Silent Contributions of Indigenous Voices in Building a Just and Free World
When it comes to rectifying the historical underrepresentation of Black and Brown women in various fields, we tend to focus on the achievement and visibility of women in the formal sector, corporations, governance, entertainment, and politics, among other fields.
However, indigenous women’s contributions and knowledge, particularly that of women in the informal sector and professions considered traditional, are often shoved into obscurity.
This year’s #VisibleWikiWomen campaign aims to acknowledge our place in history and the collectiveness of our struggles and resistance by highlighting images and stories of the work of our collective liberation.
However, how will history be complete without the inclusion of informal ways of knowing? What about the role and contributions of marginalized individuals based on race, gender, disability, and other factors?
Talk of black/brown women, persons with disability, and the aged.
All of these thought processes lingered while strategizing our approach for this year’s campaign.
As the lead for the #VisibleWikiWomen 2024 campaign in Ghana, my team and I initially planned to focus on curating festive images. However, we observed that even within the invisibility of marginalized black/brown women lies another layer that needs to be tackled to ensure that true visibility is achieved. As the Whose Knowledge team? team puts it, nobody is free until everybody is free.
In addition to capturing festivals, we focused on marginalized women in Ghana, their critical role in social justice, and their efforts toward the local economy.
At the end of the campaign, we curated and uploaded over 500 quality images from three regions in Ghana.
Below are selected images from the curation that highlighted the role of Indigenous forms of knowledge and contributions from women who have committed to liberating their communities behind the scenes.
Amesuwo Kunugbe, age 60, is a traditional birth attendant (TBA). She has offered free birth delivery services to several underprivileged women for over nine years in the Volta Region of Ghana. Traditional birth attendants are often based in rural and disadvantaged communities and assist women during pregnancy. They do not have formal training and practice based on their skills; skills passed from a family member or by working with other TBAs.
84-year-old Esowoeka Bleku is also a traditional birth attendant (TBA) in Ghana. Over the last twenty years, she has offered free birth delivery services to women in the Volta region who cannot afford to deliver in a health facility, primarily due to financial constraints.
During the protest against the Ghana Football Association to demand an end to corruption, we captured two incredible women: one physically challenged individual and Emelia Okine, a 75-year-old woman. Disabilities (Disablism) and aging (ageism) are both stigmatized concepts. As such, individuals in these social groups are often marginalized and unrecognized for their contribution to their communities and nation-building. The two individuals mentioned above participated in the protest to advocate for better governance in the Ghana Football Association, thereby contributing to social change.
Enyonam, a single mom with five children, ventured into the coconut-selling business last year to enable her to care for her children. Her customer service skills have been her unique selling point and have kept her in a business considered the preserve of men.
Aside from catering to her customers’ health needs by selling fresh coconut juice, her customer service has remained the main push for her growth. Will she ever be nominated for an award in customer service? Probably not, because she is in an informal business.
However, that does not diminish her contribution to her community. Her effort to ensure her children live dignified lives and her boost to the local economy are incredible feats!
Who is looking out for them (women like Enyonam)? How do we ensure that their efforts are not erased from history?
These are the questions that motivate us and keep us anticipating the #VisibleWikiWomen Campaign each year!
By Pamela Ofori-Boateng
Connect with #VisibleWikiWomen Ghana Team
Connect with WhoseKnowledge Team
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