While studying at the Baptist Theological Seminary in 2011, Amess became a widow at the age of 26. She experienced emotional, financial, and societal shame and trauma as she was suddenly on her own to raise her three children, Trust, Joshua, and Mildred. She began working at an orphanage to have income and childcare for her children. She met countless widows and noticed they shared a similar plight. She started Bible studies for these ladies, then began offering workshops for job training. She eventually founded Hope for Widows of Malawi in 2017 and developed a Christ-centered, micro-finance program including vocational training in farming, sewing, knitting, and making jewelry. This ministry has quickly expanded to six groups of widows who meet for weekly Bible studies, prayer support, and business training. After purchasing land in Lilongwe, several successful building projects have been completed including two Hope Houses to meet the immediate housing needs of new widows, a preschool, and a water well and large garden on-site in preparation for a future feeding program. A large vocational training workshop and retail building is being completed in 2024. Hope for Widows currently serves over 500 widows plus their children (over 1,000) with the number of widows projected to reach between 800-1000 by the end of 2025.