Monthly Archives: July 2012

ABIRIW ROAD SAFETY PROJECT

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In 2009 a substantial grant was sent to a registered NGO in Ghana called FOCUS ON YOUR STRENGTHS (FOYS) which aimed to enrich the lives of young people and mature women in Abiriw-Akuapem, through projects, sharing information and collaborative effort.  The grant was made up of £3000 donated by the Morel Trust, UK, and £750 from GSA, and the project involved road safety intiatives with particular reference to school-age children in Ghana.

FISHING VILLAGES PROJECT

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GSA Project 2005:  SCHOOLS ON THE FISHING COAST LINE (SFCL).  This project was aimed at assisting ten Ghanaian basic schools (Primary and JSS) located on the coastline stretching from the Half Assini area in the Western Region to Aflao in the Volta Region.  The intention was to improve facilities for learning and teaching in the schools as well as for sports/games, and also for music and dance in order to enliven the school atmosphere and thereby encourage the children to attend school regularly without dropping out prematurely to join their fishing parents.  The project was also meant to induce the children to remain at home in their local communities with their parents without falling prey to monetary inducements offered to them and their parents by some unscrupulous child traffickers who would take the children away for employment and other pursuits up country, especially along the Volta River.

Various Ghana Government efforts to return these unfortunate children to their home communities were in place in Ghana at the time.  Some NGOs were also assisting.  The GSA project therefore fell in line with contemporary Governement and other rescue interventions on behalf of the children in these coastal fishing villages.

Ten schools were selected, as follows:  Salvation international JSS, Kengen; Dixcove Methodist JSS; Moree Catholic Primary;  Mountford Catholic Primary A & B;  Arkra District Assembly (DA) JSS;  Old Ningo Presbyterian Primary;  Lolonya DA Primary;  Kpone Methodist Primary;  Woe-Aklorbordzi DA Primary;  Adina Ame Zion Primary.

The GSA budget allocated was £3500, at the rate of £350 per school.  The project was administered by Michael Asiedu, the GSA representative in Ghana at the time.  Michael reported that the Heads of School and their District Directors of Education were very appreciative of the support given, and letters of acknowledgement were sent to GSA.

DEG CHILD FOUNDATION

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Here are the first two paragraphs from a document dated 2002.

“This region is about 300km from the coast, near the Cote d’Ivoire border (…).  The population, about 40 000, call themselves the Dega in their own language (which has only recently been put into writing by Wycliffe).  Many also speak the national language, Twi, in which they are called Mo.  The two names are often run together to form “MoDega”.  There seems to have been little attention to the area by the state or outside agencies.

The land is of savannah type, not very fertile.  There are around 45 villages, with mainly mud-brick thatched houses, no electricity, and only some with a well or water-catchment reservoir.  The people are mostly subsistence farmers, growing yams, cassava, maize, shea nuts, etc.  There is also river fishing, animal husbandry (goats, some pigs and cattle), and traditional crafts such as pottery and weaving.  Many families rely on support from members working elsewhere.  There is widespread malnutrition and high (15%) infant mortablity, with some incidence of HIV/AIDS.”

The Deg Child Foundation was created as a result of the tireless work of concerned Ghanaians residing in that area, who wished to help as many orphans as possible, arranging care, sponsorship and vocational training.  Letters of appreciation show what a difference their help made.  In 2001-2 GSA sent a substantial donation to the Deg Child Foundation.