46-year-old ,Grace Abreh is quietly redefining what it means to be resilient. Living with a disability, Grace has turned her one-acre farm into a symbol of strength, hope, and determination, feeding her family, educating her children, and inspiring her community.
Fifteen years ago, Grace turned to farming out of necessity. “I started farming to make a living,” she says simply. What began as a means of survival has grown into a powerful testimony of hard work and perseverance. On her modest plot of land, she cultivates cassava, corn, plantain, and garden eggs, working side by side with her children.
Without access to hired labor, Grace shoulders much of the work herself, despite facing serious health and mobility challenges. “Sometimes the work is so tedious I fall sick and have to stop for a while,” she explains. “I don’t have legs like the others,” she adds with quiet courage. Yet, every day, she returns to the land, driven by the desire to care for her family and contribute to her community.
Her efforts have borne remarkable fruit. Grace has not only fed her household but has also funded her children’s education. Two of them have completed apprenticeships, one now works as a professional hairdresser and the other as a welder. From the soil, she has cultivated futures.
Still, Grace faces significant obstacles. She lacks basic agricultural tools like a knapsack sprayer and has limited access to fertilizers. Transporting her produce is another constant challenge. “A means of transportation would ease the burden and help me get fair prices for my crops,” she notes.
But Grace’s vision stretches beyond her personal needs. She has a message for Ghana’s youth, one shaped by her lived experience: “The youth must take farming seriously. It can provide a living. They don’t need to sit idle. Look at me, I have no legs, but I am still farming.”
Her unwavering resolve has earned her national recognition. Grace Abreh is among the distinguished nominees for the 2025 Gold in the Soil Awards, an initiative under the 7th Women in Food and Agricultural Leadership Training Forum (WOFAGRIC). Organized by Agrihouse Foundation, slated for Wednesday 9th July to Thursday 10th July 2025 ,with support from Global Affairs Canada and Yara Ghana, the awards honor outstanding women transforming agriculture in Ghana.
This year’s forum, set to take place from 9th to 10th July in the Central Region, will highlight stories of courage, innovation, and resilience. Grace’s journey will stand as one of the most powerful examples.
In a time when many are turning away from agriculture, Grace Abreh stands as a beacon of what is possible. Her life is a reminder that farming is more than a livelihood, it is a path to dignity, empowerment, and generational change.
She represents the strength and potential of rural women across Ghana, women who, despite adversity, continue to sow seeds of progress, nurture their families, and feed a nation.
