Fists of Hope
Fists of Hope, a quietly powerful photo documentary by Olaoluwa Olowu, follows the life of Janet, a young female boxer fighting to rise in Ghana’s male-dominated boxing scene. Set against the raw backdrop of Jamestown, this project captures not only the physical intensity of her training but also the emotional endurance required to survive invisibility, poverty and systemic neglect.
Photography Olaoluwa Olowu
Janet trains in an open-air gym in Jamestown — Ghana’s historic stronghold and mecca of boxing. The ropes are worn. The gloves are frayed. Yet, she trains like her life depends on it. Mostly because in some ways, it does.
There are no sponsors watching. No cameras flashing. Janet sleeps in her sister’s shop, eats what she can afford, and moves between training and part-time work, all while holding on to the one thing that keeps her going: boxing.
Fists of Hope is a close look at Janet’s life. Not just the punches she throws, but the blows she is constantly dealt outside the ring. It explores the resilience, sacrifice, and unwavering determination of a young woman fighting for her place in Ghana’s male-dominated boxing world. The weight of invisibility, about what it means to fight when the system barely supports your ambition and goals.
“For all the titles its men have claimed, the country has shed little to no light on the women who have fought — and continue to fight — without the same support, visibility or recognition.”
Olaoluwa Olowu
Janet has already represented Ghana at the All-African Games, but back home, recognition is fleeting, and support is slim.
While Janet’s journey reflects the complex intersection of gender, class, and invisibility within the sport. Her story is not isolated. It’s a microcosm of a deeper issue of the structural and cultural biases that female boxers face across Ghana, a country often hailed as the beating heart of boxing in West Africa. For all the titles its men have claimed, the country has shed little to no light on the women who have fought — and continue to fight — without the same support, visibility or recognition.
This piece is the first chapter of a larger body of an ongoing work, Women Who Fight, which traces the lives of Ghana’s female boxers — the ones still fighting, and the ones who walked away. Some left quietly. Some were pushed out. But all of them left something in the ring. I want to find those stories and bring them forward.
Because women like Janet don’t just box. They endure. Endurance can be tiring, frustrating and make the mind weary. This work is not about glorifying struggle. It is about returning voice and visibility to those who were never offered the mic in the first place.
“This piece is the first chapter of a larger body of an ongoing work, Women Who Fight, which traces the lives of Ghana’s female boxers.”
Olaoluwa Olowu
About Olaoluwa
Olaoluwa Olowu is a Nigerian photojournalist, writer and documentary photographer working across West Africa. Her work explores themes of migration, identity, culture, and agriculture.
She has contributed reporting to The Guardian UK, and her photography and essays have been published in The Republic Journal.
To see more of her work, visit her website or follow her on Instagram.
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