The Rebecca Agroh Memorial Foundation (RAMF) proudly stood alongside the Dorcus Foundation at a gender-based violence (GBV) forum held in Botswana, reaffirming its commitment to promoting gender equality and protecting the rights of women and girls across Africa.
Representing the Foundation, a speech was delivered on behalf of Dr. Ken Kwaku, founder of RAMF, expressing Ghana’s solidarity with Botswana and all regional partners in the ongoing fight against GBV. The message underscored that addressing gender-based violence is not only a moral obligation but a developmental imperative central to achieving peace and progress across the continent.
Honoring a Legacy of Compassion and Service
The Rebecca Agroh Memorial Foundation was established in honor of Madam Rebecca Agroh — a trailblazer in community development and a fierce advocate for women’s empowerment. Her life’s work spanned decades of service as a nurse, teacher, and officer at Ghana’s Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, where she retired as Assistant Director in 1988.
Madam Agroh’s vision extended beyond Ghana’s borders. Between 1976 and 1978, she worked as a consultant with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), empowering women in Lesotho, Swaziland, South Africa’s homelands, and Israel. Her tireless efforts to promote education and economic independence for rural women laid the foundation for the principles the RAMF upholds today.
Inspired by her resilience and dedication, Dr. Ken Kwaku—who holds a PhD in Political Economy from the University of Toronto—founded the Rebecca Agroh Memorial Foundation to continue her mission: creating safe spaces for women and girls, restoring dignity to survivors, and empowering communities to break the cycle of violence.
Confronting the Realities of Gender-Based Violence
Gender-Based Violence (GBV) encompasses physical, sexual, emotional, and economic abuse. Though it disproportionately affects women and girls, it is a societal issue that impacts everyone. The United Nations recognizes GBV as a grave human rights violation and a major barrier to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5), which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
In Ghana, data from the Ghana Statistical Service reveals that 28.4% of women aged 15–49 have experienced intimate partner violence, while 14% have faced sexual violence in their lifetime. Emotional and physical abuse remain pervasive, with lasting effects on survivors’ health, confidence, and livelihoods.
A Collective African Response
During the Botswana forum, the Foundation emphasized that progress requires collaboration across borders. “Through partnerships, dialogue, and shared action—like what we witness here in Botswana today—we can collectively break the cycle of violence,” the speech stated.
The Rebecca Agroh Memorial Foundation highlighted the important role of national bodies such as Ghana’s Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, while also calling for deeper community-level education and empowerment.
At RAMF, the focus extends beyond advocacy. The Foundation provides psychological and social support to survivors, fosters mentorship programs for young women, and promotes awareness campaigns to challenge harmful norms. Its work continues to amplify the voices of both women and men in building a society free from fear and violence.
Looking Ahead
The collaboration between the Rebecca Agroh Memorial Foundation and the Dorcus Foundation symbolizes a growing Pan-African commitment to ending gender-based violence. Both organizations share a vision of inclusive empowerment—where survivors are not just supported, but strengthened to become advocates in their own right.
As the Foundation expressed in Botswana, “Restoring confidence and self-worth is the first step in helping survivors reclaim their lives and inspire others to do the same.”
The RAMF remains dedicated to sustaining this dialogue and turning words into tangible action—one community, one survivor, and one partnership at a time.
