Widows and Orphans Movement

What Widows and Orphans Movement does

Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM) is a Ghanaian non-governmental organization founded in 1993 by Betty Ayagiba, a widow and nurse, in Bolgatanga, Upper East Region. WOM operates across four interconnected programmatic areas: Human Rights Advocacy (addressing harmful widowhood rites, women's land access, and unpaid care work), Education and Skills Training (supporting orphaned children's schooling and vocational training in dressmaking, soap making, pastry making, and cloth weaving), Economic Empowerment (providing microcredit through the PROMIC programme, Village Savings and Loan Associations, and income-generating activities such as shea butter and baobab processing), and Climate Change (climate-resilient agriculture and housing for homeless families). The organization serves widows, orphans, women, and youth as primary beneficiaries, primarily across at least seven districts in Ghana's Upper East Region, with 22,261 people directly reached in the 2024 project year.

WOM is not a technology-driven organization; its core technology is human-delivered program management through a network of district-level programme coordinators and assistant coordinators embedded in beneficiary communities. The organization operates a wholly-owned social enterprise, Atarrah Ghana Ltd., which sells products made by empowered widows (shea butter, baobab products, baskets, woven cloths) through an online shop as a market-access and income-generation mechanism. WOM maintains a digital presence through its website, YouTube channel, and social media platforms for donor engagement and beneficiary storytelling, and in June 2025 launched a culturally-inclusive animation initiative to extend its advocacy on widowhood rites.

WOM's business model is non-profit and donation-dependent, with revenue drawn from individual donors and institutional funders via MTN Mobile Money, direct bank transfer to the National Investment Bank, and program-specific contributions. Disclosed institutional partners include KGL Foundation, ActionAid Ghana, Swisshand, Plan International, WaterAid, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc., Stichting-Zaare, St. Paul e.V., the Ghana Skills Development Fund, RSF Finance, NETRIGHT, WILDAF Ghana, the Church of Pentecost, the Mma Ayara Memorial Institute, and Network Shea Ghana. The organization is governed by a seven-member board led by Executive Director Fati Abigail Abdulai and Founder/Vice-Chair Betty Ayagiba, with a Head of Programmes, Head of Finance, and approximately 11-50 staff overall.

Name

Widows and Orphans Movement

Legal name

Widows & Orphans Movement

Website

https://womgh.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Widows and Orphans Movement is a Ghanaian non-profit founded in 1993 in Bolgatanga that delivers microcredit, skills training, education support, and human rights advocacy for widows, orphans, and vulnerable women across the Upper East and Upper West Regions, reaching 22,261 beneficiaries in 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian and Community Development Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241)

akta.pro primary industry

Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA)

Keywords

• Widow empowerment programmes
• Vocational skills training
• Microfinance for women
• Orphan education support
• Women's rights advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Bolgatanga

HQ country

Ghana

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: WOM operates as a non-profit organization relying on donations from individuals, foundations, and institutional donors. Donations can be made via MTN Mobile Money (0591457454), direct bank transfer to National Investment Bank (Bolgatanga Branch, Account 1103002611101), or by program area. The organization has received support from partners such as KGL Foundation, ActionAid Ghana, Swisshand, Plan International, and others.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM) is a Ghanaian non-governmental organization that delivers economic empowerment, education, and skills training services to widows, orphans, and vulnerable women primarily in Ghana's Upper East Region. Its core programmes include the PROMIC (Promoting Microfinance for Rural Women) microcredit scheme, Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), vocational skills training in dressmaking, cloth weaving, pastry making, and soap making, financial literacy training, advocacy against dehumanizing widowhood rites, and orphan education support. WOM also operates the Atarrah Ghana Limited social enterprise that markets handmade products (shea butter, baobab products, baskets, woven cloths) produced by empowered widows.

Product overview

Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM) is a non-governmental organization operating as a multi-programme non-profit, not a technology company. Its offerings consist of four interconnected thematic programme areas: Human Rights Advocacy (addressing widowhood rites and women's rights), Education and Skills Training (supporting orphans' schooling and vocational training), Economic Empowerment (microcredit, VSLA groups, and the Atarrah Ghana Limited social enterprise), and Climate Change (sustainable agriculture). The PROMIC microcredit programme and VSLA groups form the financial services backbone, while financial literacy training delivered in partnership with KGL Foundation enables beneficiaries to manage their businesses and savings effectively. Products are primarily artisan goods from the Atarrah Ghana Limited social enterprise sold through their online shop.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Human Rights Advocacy Programme Advocacy programme addressing dehumanizing widowhood rites, unpaid care work recognition, violence against women and girls, and women's access to land and productive resources. Targeted at widows, vulnerable women, civil society, and government institutions in Ghana's Upper East Region.
• Education and Skills Training Programme Provides logistics to support orphaned children to attend and stay in school (food, uniforms, books), and trains drop-out orphans in vocational skills including dressmaking, cloth weaving, pastry making, and soap making. Targeted at orphans and vulnerable youth in Ghana's Upper East Region.
• Economic Empowerment Programme Microcredit services for widows and vulnerable women, supporting income-generating activities such as Shea butter processing, Baobab processing, basket weaving, and cloth weaving. Includes the Atarrah Ghana Limited social enterprise. Targeted at widows and vulnerable women in Ghana's Upper East Region.
• PROMIC Programme Microcredit scheme providing loans to widows for income-generating activities. Managed through programme coordinators across multiple districts in the Upper East Region, including Bolgatanga, Bongo, Bawku West, Builsa North, and Garu.
• VSLA (Village Savings and Loans Association) Group savings and loans mechanism enabling widows to save collectively and access microcredit for business and household needs. Targeted at widows and vulnerable women participating in women's groups across the Upper East Region.
• Financial Literacy Training Business and financial literacy training covering savings management, asset building, debt cycle management, and mobile money security. Delivered in partnership with KGL Foundation. Targeted at widows, vulnerable women, and youth participating in WOM programmes.
• Climate Change Programme Promotes climate-resilient sustainable agricultural practices and helps construct housing for homeless families. Targeted at women, widows, and vulnerable families in Ghana's Upper East Region.
• Atarrah Ghana Limited Social Enterprise Social enterprise producing handmade goods (shea butter, baobab products, baskets, woven cloths) made by empowered widows in Bolgatanga, Ghana. Products available through online shop at atarrahghana.com/shop-2/. Targeted at individual consumers and small buyers seeking artisan goods.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22,261 people directly reached in 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, major and core.

• NETRIGHTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork for Women's Rights in Ghana - collaboration on women's rights advocacy.
• The Church of PentecostminorOthersReligious organization partnership for community outreach and support.
• WILDAF GHANAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen in Law and Development in Africa - Ghana chapter - partnership on women's rights advocacy.
• Network Shea GhanaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of shea producers and processors in Ghana - partnership for income-generating activities.
• Mma Ayara Memorial InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on International Widows Day 2024 celebration with theme focused on mothers' role in children's education. Joint advocacy and commemorative events.
• Atarrah Ghana Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWOM's social enterprise that sells products made by empowered widows. Products include shea butter, baobab products, baskets, and woven cloths. Located at atarrahghana.com/shop-2/

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WaterAid Ghana: WaterAid Ghana is a listed WOM partner and a large international NGO with a country office in Ghana working on community WASH, women's empowerment, and resilience — adjacent to WOM's economic empowerment and climate programs in northern Ghana.
• Care International Ghana: Care International in Ghana is a major international development NGO running women's economic empowerment, microfinance (VSLA), and food security programs that overlap directly with WOM's PROMIC microcredit and livelihood support offerings.

Direct peers

• Plan International Ghana: Plan International Ghana is a listed WOM partner focused on children's rights and women's empowerment; both organizations deliver education support, vocational training, and community-based economic programs for vulnerable women and children in Ghana.
• SOS Children's Villages Ghana: SOS Children's Villages Ghana supports orphaned and vulnerable children through family-based care, education, and youth livelihoods — closely paralleling WOM's orphan education support and skills training programs.
• ActionAid Ghana: ActionAid Ghana is a current WOM partner and operates women's rights and economic empowerment programs across Ghana, including goat distribution and income-generating activities for women that closely mirror WOM's microcredit and skills training approach.
• WILDAF Ghana: WILDAF (Women in Law and Development in Africa) Ghana chapter is a WOM partner; both focus on women's legal rights, advocacy against harmful traditional practices, and policy reform affecting women in Ghana.
• NETRIGHT (Network for Women's Rights in Ghana): NETRIGHT is a WOM partner and Ghana's leading coalition for women's rights advocacy, overlapping directly with WOM's human rights advocacy on widowhood rites, inheritance rights, and unpaid care work.

Others

• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. Sigma Gamma Rho is a listed WOM donor partner supporting educational and food security programs for widows and orphans; it functions as a diaspora funding channel rather than a direct program peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@womgh
• Xx.com/wom_ghana
• Facebookfacebook.com/womghana
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/widows-and-orphans-movement-wom

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Widows and Orphans Movement