‘My Happiest Moment is when I have Food in Stock’: Poor Women in Northern Ghana Talking about their Happiness

Abstract

The aim of this study is to increase understanding of subjective well-being in small-area contexts in very poor ruralities. When daily challenges revolve around survival, what contributes to feeling good and being satisfied with life? These issues were explored in group interviews with women in a remote and extremely poor area of Northern Ghana. The data indicate that, in this agricultural setting with a patriarchal culture, women's happiness was elevated by meeting survival needs such as attaining food security, having a level of health good enough to engage in work, and having a marital relationship characterised by affection and support. For the development of health promotion programmes, the findings may suggest that, in addition to the obvious priority of securing basic material needs, initiatives to promote supportive husband behaviour toward wives might be a way to enhance the subjective well-being of women living in very poor, patriarchal rural areas.

Keywords:

• happiness
• poverty
• Ghana
• needs
• relationships
• survival