SOMANYA SINGLE MOTHERS
Aunty Lydia with one of her children
In Somanya,
the capital of Yilo Krobo District
in the Eastern Region of south Ghana,
Aunty Lydia provides a
safe space for single women
and their children
at varying stages of motherhood,
delivering crucial communal support and care
to those most in need.
In our evolution into a
more equitable world,
maternal mental and physical health
and wellbeing
sits at the forefront of change,
with growing societal and
professional attention
in Ghana and throughout the world.
Gold Host are committed to
upholding and extending
existing structures that work to
serve greater society.
Aunty Lydia is doing just that.
We are committed to
establishing and maintaining
a corporate partnership
between the
Somanya Single Mothers initiative
and a
maternity-focused organisation
in order to both
sustain and grow
the programme.
WHO
Aunty Lydia is a bofrot (a type of Ghanaian donut) trader, and uses the little money she gets to provide food and shelter to thirteen children of single mothers. She affectionately calls them 'her children'.
WHERE
Aunty Lydia's house, Somanya, Ghana.
WHEN
The initiative has been running for 13 years, starting when Aunty Lydia lost her husband.
WHAT
Aunty Lydia provides for her thirteen children, feeding them every day and paying their school fees until they grow old enough to become independent.
The mothers currently pay her what they can afford - 10 cedis (GHS) - (£1.30) a day.
As such, the existing support is extremely difficult for her to sustain both financially and energetically. Although she has very limited income and sometimes feels unwell, Aunty Lydia still has to feed them.
Every month, she spends GHS2,000.00 (£260.00) on expenses - excluding school fees.
Our aim is to support and empower Somanya Single Mothers initiative to become as efficient and sustainable as possible.
HOW
To do this, we aim to:
1. Pair the initiative with a suitable corporate partner.
2. Raise awareness of the initiative through the creation of a social impact campaign.
3. Solidify systems to monitor ongoing benefit.
4. Identifiy as many potential beneficiaries as possible.
THE FUTURE
In the future, Aunty Lydia would like the ability to become a business woman and to build a house where everyone can have space to sleep in separate rooms.