Menaye Donkor

Menaye Donkor (born 20 March 1981) is a Canadian-born Ghanaian businesswoman, entrepreneur and philanthropist. She was Miss Universe Ghana in 2004[1] and represented Ghana in Miss Universe 2004.[2] Donkor is the wife of Ghanaian professional footballer Sulley Muntari.[3]

Menaye Donkor
Born (1981-03-20) 20 March 1981
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
NationalityCanadian
CitizenshipCanada and Ghana
EducationMarketing, Business marketing
Alma materYork University
(BBA)
Occupation(s)businesswoman, model, entrepreneur, philanthropist
Known forMiss Universe Ghana, 2004
Height180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Spouse
​
(m. 2010)​

Early life and education

Menaye Donkor was brought up by her parents in Accra, Ghana, and is the youngest of seven siblings with four brothers and two sisters. At the age of seven, she inherited the job title of "Royal Stool Bearer" from her paternal grandmother, who is the Queen mother of Agona Asafo.[4] Donkor received her childhood education in Ghana, lived and studied in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, during her high school years, and moved back to her birthplace in Toronto to study marketing and business marketing at York University, where she graduated with honors. In the summer of 2011, she studied film at The Studio (formerly The Sally Johnson Studio) in New York City and then completed a film course with Brian Deacon at the London Academy of Film, Media and Television.[5]

Career

In her early twenties, Donkor won the title Miss Universe Ghana,[6] and spent a few years working as a model. She appeared on the covers of many magazines in Ghana, South Africa, and Italy such as New African Woman, Pompey Life, SportsWeek (La Gazetta dello sport), Canoe Magazine, and Maxim Italy. She represented Chopard at The Cannes Films Festival in 2012 and 2013 respectively. She co-managed and marketed her then-boyfriend Sulley Muntari brand from 2006 until 2009. In 2012, she became the face of Printex,[7] a fabric and textiles company in Ghana. Menaye was the ambassador of Africa Fashion Week London in both 2012 and 2013. She also owns and manages a real estate company in Ghana.

SHE-Y by Menaye

Menaye created and launched the luxury Italian label SHE-Y. Early in 2016, the company released its first all-natural goods, which were made using ethically sourced Shea butter from Ghana.[8]

Personal life

Menaye is married to Sulley Muntari and they have two children.[9] She is the cousin of Ama K. Abebrese.[10] She is a Christian.[11]

Philanthropy

Menaye started the Menaye Charity Organization in 2004 to help poor children in Ghana by offering free excellent education. Donkor has spent over a decade working to improve the lives of women and children in her home country of Ghana through the Menaye Charity Organization.[12]

In 2021, her firm Sincerëly Ghana Limited, partnered with project BRAVE to provide sanitary pads to young women in Keta in the Volta region. The company launched the Sister-2-Sister initiative to provide sanitary pads to ladies in underprivileged communities in Ghana.[13]

Honours and recognition

In September 2012, Menaye was honored and chosen by the Chief and elders, of Agona Asafo in the Central Region of Ghana, to be the ‘Nkosuohemaa’ or ‘Development Queen’ of Agona Asafo.[14] Her official title is Nanahemaa Menaye Afumade Afrakoma I. In 2015, Menaye was given a special mention at the Infant Charity Awards in Milan for being "Female Friend of the Children" (originally: PERSONAGGIO FEMMINILE AMICO DEI BAMBINI).[15]

References
  1. "Philanthropist, model and former Miss Universe Ghana, Menaye Donkor Muntari announced as AFWL 2012 ambassador". allafricafashion.com. Archived from the original on 31 July 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  2. "Menaye Donkor: Not Your Average Footballer's Wife". Ghanasoccernet.com. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  3. "Menaye Donkor: Who's that girl?". Africasia.com. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  4. "I'm a true African woman-Menaye Donkor". www.ghanaweb.com. 30 November 2001. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  5. "Getting to know Menaye Donkor". www.gq.co.za. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  6. "Muntari pushed me to Miss Universe Ghana — Menaye". ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  7. "New face of Printex Menaye Donkor tours Printex outlets". News Ghana. 27 June 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  8. "Menaye Donkor Official Website".
  9. "Why Ohemaa Woyeje would have loved to marry Sulley Muntari". GhanaWeb. 17 July 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  10. "The story of how a Ghanaian pageantry queen met a football star". GhanaWeb. 14 February 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  11. Arthur, Portia (27 February 2017). "12 things you didn't know about Menaye Donkor". Pulse Ghana. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  12. "Menaye Donkor shares her passion for giving back". www.ghanaweb.com. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  13. "Menaye Donkor-Muntari launches 'Sister-2-Sister' campaign to support girl-child - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  14. "Ghana Web". 30 November 2001.
  15. "VanityFair.it". 19 March 2015.
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