Throughout Ghana, belief in witchcraft and the occult is widespread, in spite of the Christian and Muslim faiths of the majority of the population. Accusations of witchcraft are usually levelled against post-menopausal women, although sometimes younger women and men can also be targeted. Illness, death, accidents, and other forms of physical damage are often attributed to witchcraft. People believe that a witch can take the form of a relative or person known to them, fly to them in the night in this form, and inflict pain and illness.
Meanwhile, in some areas, women with husbands and children are more protected from such accusations, this is not true in Gushiegu. A man might brand his own mother as a witch, to counter accusations of witchcraft from another community member.
In Gushiegu town, there are approximately ninety destitute women who have been labelled as witches. They live in abandoned dwellings, often with sheep and goats or other small livestock. Their main food source is maize and millet droppings that they sweep up from the floor of the local market at the end of market days. They survive by hiring themselves out as a cheap source of labour to assist in construction or in farming work at a rate of less than $.65 per day. If one of them gets sick, the others borrow money to pay for her medical care and then work to pay it back. They range in age from 30 to 91, but half of them are 60 or older.
Once they are identified as witches, they are beaten and ostracized. In some extreme cases, women branded as witches are stoned to death or lynched. Those who survive find their way to Gushiegu town, where the local chief is prepared to offer them some modicum of protection. In spite of this, they are harassed at night by youth from the town and they are prevented from owning small businesses or engaging in trading because of prejudice against them.
In spite of the trauma they have been through, these women have a quiet dignity. The majority deny any involvement with magic, either black or white. They are primarily Christian (as are most Konkombas) and they attend the local Catholic Church. When they are asked about how they might support themselves, they are frustrated at every turn by their outcast status. However, with help, they have become more confident about initiating some small enterprises. The old women are tired; at a time in their lives when they should be resting and looking after their grandchildren, they are forced into extreme hardship and often difficult physical labour to earn money. The young women express more hope; with some support, they think, they could pool their skills and learn to help themselves. They all want a community, where they can live in peace, without fear of physical abuse, and where they could lead useful, productive lives. It is important that they have their own dwellings or compounds, where they and their possessions can be secure. The women need adequate shelter, food and a source of income.
The group has now prepared a mini-community action plan, which is available to any donor who would like to see it. They have received funds to purchase grains until their grinding mill is operational and they can generate their own income. We would now like to begin work on the construction of permanent homes for the women.
We are proposing to erect a self-contained shelter for the women, with 90 indiviual round houses built around a central courtyard for cooking, washing and socializing.
Please see the "Budget" tab for a detailed breakdown of the proposed budget.