The Youth wing of the Federation of Muslim Women’s Association’s in Ghana (Young FOMWAG) has launched its 25th anniversary celebration.
The celebration on the theme: “25 years of empowering the young Muslim girl: challenges and prospects,” presents an opportunity for the association to reflect on its impact, successes, and challenges.
Hajia Fati Suleiman, Member of the Board of Trustees (FOMWAG), said the youth wing of the Federation was formed 25 years ago by Muslim women who wanted to change the narrative of
Muslim women in Ghana through impactful education in accordance to the tenets of Islam.
She praised the significant impact the association had made through promoting the pursuit of Islamic and secular education among Muslim girls and serving as a platform for networking for Muslim girls.
She said the theme for the celebration was carefully chosen because the association aimed to become a prospective forum to create the next generation of mothers.
She praised the current and past leadership of the association for successfully steering the affairs for the 25 years, as well as other individuals and organizations for supporting the organization to overcome the many challenges that had been encountered on the way.
Dr Rabiatu Armah Koney, Chairperson for the Occasion, and Member of the Board of Trustee FOMWAG, said the mission of the formation of the Youth wing was to mobilise and create a network of
young Muslim girls in the Greater Accra Region, instilling discipline, and fear of Allah in them, empowering them through advocacy and awareness creation and grooming the girls for leadership positions.
She congratulated the organization on the feat chalked over the past 25 years and urged other young Muslim women to regard FOMWAG and Young FOMWAG as an avenue to give back to Islam and their societies.
“We shouldn’t say we want something from FOMWAG, there is nothing in it for anybody to have. If you are expecting something, then know that you are not in the correct organisation. We are here purposely to do the work of Allah” she said.
Hajia Hafsa Obeng, Regional President Young FOMWAG, said the formation of the youth wing of the federation was mooted in 1998 under the leadership of Hajia Khatumi Mahama, then the National Ameera of the Federation.
She said over the past 25 years, through the
organization of workshops, symposia, Conferences and seminars the association was able to educate Muslim girls on the true teachings of Islam, enable the girls to know their status and role in Islam and educate them about their civic duties and rights.
She said some activities for the celebration to be replicated in other regions include seminars in July and educational trips in September.
“The celebration would be climaxed with a workshop in December which would be filled with various activities such as skills training, a donation to an orphanage home, fun games, health walk, clean up exercise and an awards night.”
Hajia Ummu Zakari, Anniveraary Planning Committee Chairperson, indicated that the impact of young FOMWAG was visible in personalities like herself and other women who were playing significant roles in their industries through the aide the other initiatives of the association.
She further revealed that the association aims to engage more girls to actively participate in the
activities of the association.
Dr Hussein Ibrahim, Senior Lecturer at the Islamic University College, Ghana, said FOMWAG had been the source of transformation for Muslims in Ghana and “I always tell the students that the best that could happen to women in this country is FOMWAG”.
He encouraged Muslim men to think of setting up an association equivalent to FOMWAG to help groom and instil discipline in young Muslim men to become responsible citizens of the country.
