The Rebecca Agroh Memorial Foundation was established to honour the life of a selfless woman who dedicated her life to teaching women livelihood skills. Madam Rebecca Agroh left a profound legacy which the foundation hopes to keep alive through social impact projects with the aim of improving the lives of women in society.
About Rebecca Agroh
Madam Rebecca Agroh was born on 5th May, 1925 to the late Jonathan Brandsford Agroh of Have Agorme and Mrs. Maria Agroh (Nee Tsitsimboe) of Vakpo Kpodzi. She attended primary and secondary schools in Ho, Amedzofe and Peki where she was in those days often the only girl among the boys. In Peki however, she enjoyed the company of the late Mrs. Esther Ocloo (Nee Nkulenu), the renowned female entrepreneur of her time. After a brief stay in Hohoe as a nurse and as a teacher, she joined the then Department of Social Welfare and Community Development in 1954. She was very dedicated to her work and retired from the Department of Community Development in May 1988 with the rank of Assistant Director. Madam Agroh remained very sensitive to the needs of women particularly rural women throughout her professional life. She believed in the education of women and therefore, ensured that rural women in particular acquired basic education and skills that will make them financially and economically independent to contribute to the well – being of their families and the growth of the nation at large.
It is therefore not surprising at all that her dear son, Ken established a foundation in her honor to continue her quest for women’s development. Her work and passion for women’s development took her to many parts of Ghana including Kete Krachi, Worawora, Jasikan, Ho and Tsito, all in the Volta Region, Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, and Madina in the Greater Accra Region. She also went beyond the borders of Ghana doing consultancies for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). Between 1976 and 1978, she worked as a consultant with women in Lesotho, Swaziland, South Africa Homelands and Israel. As part of her desire to constantly improve her own skills, Madam Agroh took several courses in Mass Education and Community Development at the University of Ghana and Connecticut College, in New London; she was a dedicated professional with a high sense of integrity and accountability.
About the founder
The Rebecca Agroh Memorial Foundation was founded by Dr. Ken Kwaku in honour of his late mother, Madam Rebecca Rosebud Agroh. Dr. Kwaku holds a PhD in Political Economy (with concentration in Development Management and Public Policy & International Business and Relations) from University of Toronto and a BA in Economics and Political Science from McGill University, Canada.
He also attended the Harvard Business School. He has more than three decades of experience as an economist with the World Bank Group where he held many senior positions including Chief MIGA Africa Representative. He has also taken up several advisory roles in Africa. Between 1995 and 1998, he was seconded from the World Bank Group as Advisor to the Namibian Government. read more
Objectives
- To keep the memory of the late Rebecca Agroh alive by furthering the work she did while she was living
- To help improve the socio-economic lives of women and girls in Ghana in particular and Africa at large
- To support women and girls in Ghana and Africa to maximize their livelihoods
- To help women and girls build their capacity for independent positive action
- To bring issues affecting women and girls to the fore through research and advocacy
Mission
To promote women’s development through advocacy, skills training, capacity building, livelihood support, research and resource mobilization for socio-economic development in Africa.
Vision
To be the leading voice for women development in Africa
