Fiawoo was the first English speaking West African woman to earn a Bachelors degree
Charity Fiawoo was a renowned teacher in the Gold Coast
Education, they say, is the key to unlocking opportunities and women have over the years been at the forefront of gaining knowledge despite various stereotypes and cultural doctrines.
In today’s GhanaWeb history class, we shed light on Charity Zormelo Fiawoo who is the first English speaking West African woman to graduate from the Gold Coast [now Ghana] and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree.
According to details on ghanaianmuseum.com, Charity Fiawoo was born in 1904 at Keta in the Volta region.
Her father, Godfred Nyavor Zormelo, worked as a former North German mission employee and proprietor in the fishing business in the Gold Coast while her mother, Patience Abolitsi Dzokotoe was a trader.
Charity Fiawoo’s educational journey began when started elementary school at the African Methodist Episcopal Zion School.
After completing her studies in 1919, she worked as a teacher for some time before gaining an opportunity to further her education in the United States.
While in the U.S, Charity attended the Borden Town High School and further continued her education at the Hampton Institute where she studied Home Economics.
After this stint, she returned to Ghana and worked as a teacher in Mmofraturo Girls Boarding School at Kumasi in the Ashanti region.
Shortly after, Charity moved to Anloga in the Volta region to become a teacher at the new African University College at the time.
During her time at the college, Charity Fiawoo is said to have influenced many students and people during her teaching years in the Gold Coast.
Together with her husband, she is also credited for using a play entitled ‘Toko Atolia’ to educate many people.
Charity sadly passed away at the age of 41 on October 14, 1945.
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