Ghanaian Women In Georgia Adopt Elmina Maternty Ward

…Plans Underway to raise funds To Equip New Maternity Ward


The Ghanaian Women’s Association of Georgia (GWAG) has adopted the maternity ward at the Elmina Urban Health Center in Ghana.

Constructed in the year 1975, the ward, located in the Komenda Eguafo Edina Abrem district, sees about 100 maternity patients a day, but is equipped with only 2 rusty beds in the delivery room, and 4 beds in the recovery room.

As a result, many women are turned away to deliver their babies at in distant places or at worst in their various houses.

Though the community and the district council has recently expanded and built a new ward with installed toilet facilities, sinks and mosquito nets, big enough to accommodate about 40 beds, the ward still sits empty and unused, due to lack of supplies, compelling women to continue using the old facilities.

It is in view of this that GWAG would hold a fundraising dinner Saturday March 26, 2016, in an effort to raise about $25,000 to help furnish the newly expanded maternity ward with beds and medical supplies.
The supplies, according to a statement issued by the Nicole Twum-Baah, Public Relations Officer of the women’s group, would include delivery and post-delivery beds, mattresses, pillows, curtains, incubators, bed pans, catheters, thermometers, drip pans, gloves, and masks.
With available tickets online at Eventbrite (GWAG), guests would be treated to dinner and a lineup of activities, including cocktail hour, a fashion show put on by GWAG’s youth, a silent auction featuring highly sort after sports memorabilia and vacation package, and a Taste of Ghana food sampling.
The theme of the event is “Bettering the Maternity Experience One Ward at a Time,” and the guest of honor will be Dr. William Oduro, an OB/GYN at North Metro Women’s Health Care in Georgia.
GWAG is therefore has extended invitation to all friends of GWAG, and the general public, to join them as they strive to reach their goal.
The Ghanaian Women’s Association of Georgia (GWAG) is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization focused on bringing change and development to under-served communities in Ghana.

The organization achieves this goal by supporting healthcare and educational initiatives for women and children because it believes that women’s empowerment is the key to thriving communities.

The organization also aims to draw strength from the talents, skills, resources, and diversity of its members to establish a thriving, engaged and visible Ghanaian community in Georgia while providing a platform for the exchange of ideas geared towards sustaining personal and community development.

PRESS RELEASE

Ghanaian Women’s Association of Georgia to Host Fundraising Dinner in Support of Maternity Ward Project

Atlanta, GA (March 2016) – The Ghanaian Women’s Association of Georgia (GWAG) is pleased to announce that we have adopted the maternity ward at the Elmina Urban Health Center in Ghana. The ward, which has served the KomendaEguafo Edina Abrem district since 1975, sees about 100 maternity patients a day,but isequipped with only 2 rusty beds in the delivery room, and 4 beds in the recovery room. As a result, many women are turned away to deliver their babies at home. But there is good news! During a recent visit to the hospital by GWAG, the organization got to see some of the progress the community has made. With the help of the district council, the maternity ward was recently expanded and refurbished with a new ward big enough to hold about 40 beds and newly installed toilet facilities, sinks and mosquito nets. Unfortunately, that ward still sits empty and unused, due to lack of supplies, causing women to continue using the old facilities.

On Saturday, March 26, 2016, GWAG will host a fundraising dinner in an effort to raise about $25,000 to help furnish the newly expanded maternity ward with beds and medical supplies to include delivery and post-delivery beds, mattresses, pillows, curtains, incubators, bed pans, catheters, thermometers, drip pans, gloves, and masks. We invite all friends of GWAG, and the general public, to join us as we strive to reach our goal.

Event Details
Dorothy Benson Senior Center
6500 Vernon Woods Dr. NE, Sandy Springs, GA 30328
5:00PM – 11:00PM
Tickets for the event can be purchased online at Eventbrite (just search for GWAG)
$30 for adults, $10 for children ages 11 and up, and free admission for children 10 years and under.

Guests will be treated to dinner and a lineup of activities, including cocktail hour, a fashion show put on by GWAG’s youth, a silent auction featuring highly sort after sports memorabilia and vacation package, and a Taste of Ghana food sampling. The theme of the event is “Bettering the Maternity Experience One Ward at a Time,”and the guest of honor will be Dr. William Oduro, an OB/GYN at North Metro Women’s Health Care in Georgia.

ABOUT GWAG:The Ghanaian Women’s Association of Georgia (GWAG) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on bringing change and development to our under-served communities in Ghana. The organization achieves this goal by supporting healthcare and educational initiatives for women and children because it believes that women’s empowerment is the key to thriving communities. The organization also aims to draw strength from the talents, skills, resources, and diversity of its members to establish a thriving, engaged and visible Ghanaian community in Georgia while providing a platform for the exchange of ideas geared towards sustaining personal and community development.

By Paa Kwesi Agyefi
kwesiagyefi@gmail.com