WOMEN’S FWLLOWSHIP

The wives of the missionaries brought a change in the lives of Ghanaian wives and in their homes. They gathered the wives of the converts and started teaching them handicrafts knitting and memory verses from the Bible. They also taught them how to pray.
However, the training was not nationwide but centered at Akropong, Aburi, Odumasi, Agogo, Abetifi, Awisa. Where the missionaries resided.

In 1930, some girls were trained to become teacher’s wives and also leaders for the Women’s classes. When many locals accepted the women’s class idea, they named the class after the leaders. In Accra, the Ga speaking women named their class “Maame Kwaley’s class”, “Maame Ashong’s class”. The Akan’s also have “Maame Ophelia Ofori’s class” etc.

Later in 1937, Awura Moir, Esther Sutherland and Beveridge from Scoyland who were stationed at Aburi went to Krobo Odumase and saw that the girls in the area lacked formal education. They decided then to establish the Krobo Girls school to train the girls in order to help the women in the church especially the illiterates. After the establishment, the ladies handed the school to the churches.

In 1942, the RT. Rev. S.S. Odonkor returned from overseas tour and at a meeting with the church authorities, he explained to the members at the meeting how women were involved in the church work over there. This opened the way for women and in 1942, the church agreed to bring all the local women classes under one umbrella. Thus the formation of the Women’s Work Central Committee (WWCC). The committee members were as follows:

Rt. Rev. S.S. Odonkor                        Convener
Lady Catherine Moir                          First Secretary (Krobo Odumase)
Lady Annegret Guggenbuhl            Agogo
Rev. J.P. Kofi                                        Member
Lady Theresa Swaniker                      Treasurer
Mrs. V. Atta Baidoo                           Member

Later, additional committees were formed to visit and work with the fellowships in the various locals, Districts and Presbyteries. Five Presbyteries were established initially. Although the WWCC was established in 1943, the actual Women’s work in Presbyterian Church of Ghana is over hundred years.

The WWCC was later changed to Committee on Women’s Ministry (CWM)