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#50FromGhana: A celebration of 50 awesome Ghanaian women and their excellence

On International Women's Day in 2018, Pulse Ghana editors and writers celebrates the achievement and impact of these 50 Ghanaian women who have shaped and impacted their sectors.

As the world stands in unison to celebrate exceptional and ordinary women alike, the International Women's Day is a time to acknowledge the continuing importance and countless achievements of women.

This year, the Pulse Ghana team celebrates 50 Ghanaian Women who have been exceptional in their chosen sectors over the past few years and made tremendous impact in their communities.

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Here is the #50FromGhana, a celebration of the excellence of Ghanaian women.

SPORTS

Mercy Tagoe is first female coach to win an international laurel to the Ghana Black Queens. She started out as player, retired to become a referee and is now a seasoned coach with the 2018 Women’s WAFU triumph capping her successful journey in football.

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Juliet Bawuah, an enterprising sports journalist has made strides in the space over the years. Her landmark work was when she anchored an interview with FIFA President Gianni Infantino. She is included in her list for her achievements in a space usually dominated by men.

Former Skipper of the Ghana female senior national team the Black Queens and 2003 CAF Women’s African Footballer of the Year. She featured in the 1999  2003 and 2007 Women’s World Cup.

4. Nadia Eke

Nadia Eke has started from humble beginnings as she started out with undeveloped track and field facilities to become the current African triple Jump Champion.

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Miss Bissah at a young age, made history when she became the first Ghanaian Athlete to win a gold medal.

Bissah, who also doubled as the first female to win gold for Ghana in an international competition, achieved this feat at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China.

- Kwaku Anno-Kumi,

ARTS & LITERATURE

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Prof. Aiddo is a well-known champion of women empowerment in Ghana. She is also an acclaimed poet, playwright, author and an educationist. Ama's works has earned a lot on international awards including the Commonwealth Writer's Prize in 1992.

Efua's "Marriage of Anansewa" book was so popular that it was one of the literature works used in Ghanaian high schools in the late 90's. The late Efua Sutherland also founded the Drama Studio at the University of Ghana.

Award-winning actress and producer Kafui Danku is one of the budding stars that have captured Ghanaian movie lovers recently. She brings to screen poise, charisma, and versatility.

Actress turned politician, Dzifa Gomashie was one of the bright spots in the Ghanaian movie industry in the early 90's. Her transition to politics has been smooth as she performed creditably well as the Deputy Minister of Tourism and Culture under the erstwhile NDC administration.

The late Peggy Oppong had a distinguished career in journalism and in literature. She served as the editor of the popular newspaper, The Mirror as well as writing several novels like the 'End of the Tunnel'.

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- Joyce Sesi,

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING & MATHEMATICS

Regina Honu is the CEO of Soronko Solutions, a software development powerhouse and social enterprise. She started by teaching science, technology, engineering and math skills to children in the rural areas.

Mrs. Honu was named by CNN as one of the 12 inspirational women who rock Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the GPA Awards from Africa 2.0 Foundation and JCI Ghana Outstanding Young Person award for scientific and technological advancement.

Ernestina Appiah is a social entrepreneur, who doubles as the founder of the Ghana Code Club. From the NGO’s website, "Ghana Code Club is an after school activity program being organized in all basic schools in Ghana for children between the ages of 9-18.

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The NGO works with ICT teachers from each school by creating projects and training them to meet goals and objectives. These projects teach children how to program by example showing them how to make computer games, animations and websites.

Ethel Cofie is a Ghanaian ICT entrepreneur and the founder of Women in Tech Africa which has over 30 members in African countries and the diaspora.

She also founded EDEL Technology Consulting and initiated the first Pan-African Women in ICT meeting. Ethel was named as part of top five women making an impact in IT in Africa

Estelle served as Managing Director of BusyInternet and was the President of the Ghana Internet Service Providers Association. She is the country lead for Google Ghana.

Estelle has a degree in economics and development studies from the University of Sussex. She is a Fellow of the second class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.

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Farida Bedwei is a celebrated software engineer from Ghana. Bedwei is the co-founder and chief technical officer of software company Logiciel.

She rose to become one of the most successful technologists in Africa. Born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1979, Farida Nana Efua Bedwei spent most of her childhood in Dominica, Grenada and the United Kingdom.

- Emmanuel Tornyi,

POLITICS

She is one of the best politicians Ghana has had in the past few years. She served in different portfolios when her party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was in power.

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She served as Attorney General and Minister of Justice during the erstwhile Mahama administration. Ghana will remember her for winning the maritime dispute with Cote d’Ivoire.

We cannot mention her predecessor without acknowledging her. The two showed that women are not their own enemies. They won the maritime dispute case together.

She championed the affirmative action bill and always pushed for gender parity. The formation of the 31st December Women’s Movement is enough evidence to show how she pushed for women to rise.

Ghana held a successful election in 2016, thanks to Charlotte Osei. She has faced a lot of challenges as the Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson but has been firm. Ghana will obviously enjoy more peaceful election under her leadership.

- Evans Annang,

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BUSINESS

Mrs Patience Akyianu is the Managing Director of Barclays Bank Ghana. It was during her tenure that a transformed Barclays Bank became the most profitable financial institution in the country, at the end of the first quarter of 2017.

Her colleague managers often praise her managerial skills

Mansa Nettey is the Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Limited.

Under her leadership, the bank has introduced many more innovative banking programmes.

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Though entrepreneurship is not an easy thing to do, she does it with so much grace. Empowering women to believe they can do better than she has done.

Msimps as her brand name is called started with a capital of ¢200 and a sewing machine she got from her grandmother.

She produces handbags, purses, slippers, loafers, Ipad cases, and many more items made with a touch of African fabric

The Managing Director of the New Times Corporation Carol Annang spearheaded the rebranding of the paper.

Even though she has had some staff against her, she has handled these staff protests in a very matured manner.

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Mrs Abiola Bawuah has recently been appointed as the new Regional Chief Executive Officer (RCEO) in charge of six African countries.

United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc announced her appointment.

- Magdalene Teiko Larnyoh,

ENTERTAINMENT

Felicity Ama Agyemang, better known as Nana Ama McBrown is an actress and a music writer and a recipient of several awards including a City People Entertainment award.

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Deloris, better known as Delay is Ghanaian TV/Radio personality and entrepreneur.

Dentaa Amoateng MBE, better known simply as "Dentaa" is an award winning British Ghanaian entrepreneur, actress, TV presenter, singer, producer and manager.In June 2016, Dentaa was awarded an MEB by Her Majesty, The Queen of England for her services to UK-African diaspora relations.

Grace Omaboe also known as Maame Dokono, is a Ghanaian actress, television personality, author and one-time politician. She runs the former Peace and Love Orphanage which is now known as Graceful Grace School in Accra.

Jackie Agyemang Appiah born Jackie Appiah is an actress. She has several awards and nominations,including the Best Actress In Leading Roles at the 2010 African Movie Academy Award.

- Joyce Sesi,

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BEAUTY

The Canadian-born Ghanaian beauty who was named Miss Universe Ghana 2004 definitely had to be on this list. She currently is into the production of beauty products dubbed “SHEY’. This phenomenal product has become one of the fastest selling products in Europe.

The second lady of Ghana, Samira Bawumia, has re-defined politics with beauty and style. Constantly in the public eye, Samira exudes much beauty and elegance in all of her dealings.

The former beauty queen, Hamamat Montia She is also an advocate for rich dark African skin. She is now into the production of beauty products which is mainly made of shea butter.

She is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Allure Africa Group an award-winning premier spa & Lifestyle Business headquartered in Accra Ghana with an office in Washington DC USA.

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Ghana’s Grace Amey-Obeng, one of West Africa’s most successful businesswomen, made her FC Group of Companies – which includes a beauty clinic, a firm that supplies salon equipment and cosmetics, and a college.

- Kwasy Danyels,

FASHION

1. Joyce Ababio

Joyce Ababio is an award-winning Ghanaian fashion designer and founder of the Joyce Ababio College of Creative Design.

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Joyce Ababio school college of has natured lots of these big fashion brands we see today. Most Ghanaian fashion designers passed through her hands, from Akotua Gh, B’VENAJ designs and a whole lot.

Pistis stands as a mega fashion brand here in Ghana. The brand has been behind some of the most stunning designs worn by celebrities at various social events. The brand also powers the look of the second lady of Ghana Samira Bawumia.

Sima Brew, the first designer signed by Ghana's giant media house, Zylofon. She has spiced up the fashion industry with some of her delectable collections.

It’s never a complete circus without the fashion impresario. She is the person behind the annual fashion spectacle, which is unlike any other fashion event in the country; Glitz Fashion African Week.

After her shift from the banking sector to the fashion spheres, the top model has graced the covers of many magazines here in Ghana and Africa. She is also the face of some of Ghana’s top brands like, Melcom, Bel Acqua and many more.

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- Portia Arthur,

JOURNALISM/ACTIVISM

This lady has defined media in many ways. Starting from TV3 and now to GhOne, she has given many more young ladies the potential to dream to be all they want to be.

She has also shown women with ‘fatherless’ children not to be ashamed but rather embrace their situation and make the best out of it.

The 2014 Ghana Journalist of the year has shown that the media can be a great tool for activism and information.

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She also uses her social media pages to help the vulnerable as well as probe into issues of national concern. She is a woman on the rise but also always available to help other women.

A journalist, feminist, wife, mother, friend and mentor to a lot of people she encounters. She has shown the world especially Ghanaian women that it pays to be persistent.

She used to be a broadcast journalist with Accra-based Joy FM. She worked there for over a decade. She was one of the few journalists who were hardly biased. Her works deserve praise.

Shamima Muslim has worked with Metro TV and Accra-based Citi FM. She has been away from active media for a while now.

However, she is the convenor of The Alliance for Women in the Media. A group which focuses on issues concerning female media practitioners.

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- Magdalene Teiko Larnyoh,

MUSIC

Akosua Agyapong, is a Ghanaian female highlife artiste and television personality,she began singing at an early age and was discovered by highlife artiste Nana Ampadu in the 1990s. She is regarded as a highlife legend

Rebecca Acheampong, better known as Becca, first came into the limelight almost as a contestant in the second season of the hit singing competition, Mentor on TV3. She is one of the multi-talented female musicians on the continent with the best vocals earning her international recognition and many achievements. She is also interested in the empowerment of women in Ghana.

Noella Wiyaala is Ghanaian Afro pop singer-songwriter who sings in her native Sissala and Waale dialects and English, often combining all three languages within her songs.

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Wiyaala is also associated with UNICEF Ghana and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection of Ghana in campaigns against child marriage, child poverty, health and sanitation.She headlined the 15th London African Music Festival in London

Mrs. Diana Hopeson is a Missionary, Recording and Performing Artist with nine (9) albums. She is the first female CEO of GHMusic Publishing and Management. She is a Board Member of the Ghana Music Rights Owners Society of Ghana (GHAMRO) and has been instrumental in making policies for the creative industry especially Music

The Daughters of Glorious Jesus is a gospel trio from Ghana. It is made up of Cynthia Appiadu (lead singer), Edna Sarpong, and Monica Owusu Ansah.

- Joyce Sesi,

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