Nana Adwoa Tutuwaa, the founder and CEO of Nhyiramma Foundation, has been crowned Global Humanitarian of the Year 2026 at the 5th Global Women Leadership Summit & Awards. The recognition, presented by renowned broadcaster and women's rights advocate Akumaa Mama Zimbi, celebrates a humanitarian journey built around compassion, personal sacrifice, and a sustained commitment to vulnerable people and underserved communities.
A Decade of Service
Established in 2014, Nhyiramma Foundation has undertaken a range of humanitarian interventions, particularly in deprived communities in Ghana's Eastern Region. The foundation says it has supported children by paying their school fees and helping them remain in school, while also providing microloans to 250 women engaged in petty trading, enabling them to strengthen their businesses and provide for their children. In healthcare, the foundation donated hospital items valued at approximately GH¢50,000 to Tetteh Quashie Memorial Hospital and has supported less privileged mothers by paying hospital bills.
A Personal Commitment to Philanthropy
One of the distinctive aspects of Nana Adwoa Tutuwaa's humanitarian journey is the extent to which she says she has personally financed the work. According to her, approximately 85 per cent of the projects undertaken by Nhyiramma Foundation over the years have been funded from her personal resources. She explains that proceeds from her businesses have often been channelled into charitable interventions. Her commitment has also taken her beyond conventional office-based philanthropy, with occasions where she has personally travelled to remote communities to spend time with vulnerable families and understand their circumstances.
Empowering Widows and Single Mothers
Nhyiramma Foundation has also begun placing greater emphasis on economic empowerment. In 2025, the foundation launched the Widows and Single Mothers Association in Akuapem North, with the aim of creating a structured platform through which vulnerable women can receive support, empowerment, and opportunities to improve their livelihoods. The initiative has already provided seed capital to 20 women, with plans to expand the programme across the Eastern Region and eventually to other parts of Ghana.
A Growing List of Recognition
The Global Humanitarian of the Year 2026 award adds to a growing list of recognitions received by Nana Adwoa Tutuwaa for her humanitarian and philanthropic work. Her previous honours include the Shero of the Year, Woman in Philanthropy Award, Best Humanitarian Award, Africa Peace Advocate Award, Triumph Change Maker Award, and Global Humanitarian of the Year 2026. The latest honour, she says, is particularly humbling because it reflects a journey that began without a grand institutional plan. It began with a desire to help.
From Individual Passion to Institutional Impact
With Nhyiramma Foundation now entering a new phase, Nana Adwoa Tutuwaa says her ambition is to build a more structured and sustainable organisation capable of reaching many more vulnerable people. The foundation's growing focus on widows, single mothers, children, and deprived communities is expected to form part of that expansion. The goal is to move from interventions largely funded personally to building partnerships with individuals, organisations, corporations, and other stakeholders who share the foundation's vision.
As Nana Adwoa Tutuwaa receives her sixth major recognition, she remains focused on the same purpose that started it all in 2014: to serve humanity, empower the vulnerable, and give hope where it is needed most.
Source: Joy Online
