Empowerment in a Supplementary Food Program in a Rural Community in Ghana

Abstract

This article examines the concept of empowerment in the context of a supplementary food program in a rural community in Ghana. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to understand key empowerment processes and outcomes for women and their children. While the women felt positively about the outcomes of the program, they were less satisfied with program processes. Self-determination of the mothers and service-provider conduct were predictive of positive outcomes. The qualitative data served to temper the positive quantitative outcome data in showing that mothers are dependent on the food program. The findings were discussed in terms of the concept of empowerment and its implications for social change and program improvement.