How It All Began

Our founder, Grace Chiumia, experienced as a young mother, the devastation and perils of widowhood in Malawi. In this patriarchal culture, her dead husband’s family took back “his possessions”, including everything in the house, even furniture. Unlike many widows, she had a nursing education and found work as a malaria bed net coordinator. In 2008, partnering with church missionaries from NNY, Grace formed the WOMEN OF GRACE WIDOWS’ FUND (WOGWF) to assist less fortunate widows. Recognizing her intense dedication to her community, local leaders asked her to run for Parliament in 2009, where she served for ten years. Now, as a private citizen, Grace manages our widows programs and continues to empower less fortunate women and children in Malawi.