Ghana
Seen as a peaceful, efficient and progressive nation in a struggling region, Ghana's relative progress masks widespread poverty as nearly half of its people live on less than US$1 a day.
Since its independence from Britain in 1957, Ghana has not suffered civil conflict like many of its West African neighbours. Its school system is one of the best in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet the country is also impacted by corruption and mismanagement of public resources which undermine development.
|
| Promoting Child Rights The socio-cultural environment in some parts of Ghana dictates that children are denied the opportunity to participate in discussions and decisions affecting them.
In such communities, children are seen but not heard. They do not have a voice because parents take decisions on their behalf. As a result, those children: • feel insecure because traditional practices like early marriage threaten a girl’s future and educational dreams.
• can feel deprived because their psychological and emotional needs are not met.
• are exploited by adults, used as beggars, head porters, trafficked in exchange for money or sent to work as domestic workers or hawkers.
Through their community-based work, World Vision and other NGOs are promoting child rights through child participation in community discussions, interactions and relationship building, allowing children to play their part in their communities and their own development. |
Food, health and sanitation challenges Agriculture dominates Ghana's economy. Cocoa, gold, diamonds and timber are the major sources of foreign exchange. With a fast growing population, poor infrastructure and irregular rainfall, Ghana has faced challenges in feeding its people.
Despite the worldwide food crisis, Ghana has not experienced significant food shortages. Although the 2007 floods destroyed some farms and crops, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has confirmed that the country has sufficient food -- although food prices are now quite high.
Hospitals lack equipment and skilled staff, and there is the additional threat of HIV and AIDS. While Ghana has not been affected as badly as other countries in the region, its relatively low national HIV infection rate hides variations among different groups. While 48% of Ghana's population does not have access to clean drinking water, more than 78% does not use improved sanitation. World Vision in GhanaWorld Vision started working in Ghana in 1979, and is operational in all 10 administrative regions of the country through 34 Area Development Programmes (ADPs), as well as institutional and special projects.
Some two million people are directly benefiting from World Vision’s work in Ghana through health and nutrition, education, food security, water and sanitation, gender and development and micro-enterprise development programmes. Currently World Vision is:
• providing access to clean drinking water and helping to eradicate guinea-worm by drilling and equipping more than 2,300 boreholes with hand pumps since 1986. We are also teaching people about better hygiene and sanitation, and constructing latrines.
• helping children go to school, by building schools, providing desks, textbooks and other stationery, establishing mobile libraries, and awarding scholarships to hundreds of needy children. World Vision also supports teachers by providing accommodation and training in English and mathematics.
• improving health and nutrition by providing quality, accessible health services to children and their families, including immunizations to 500,000 children and de-worming treatment to 250,000 children. Hundreds of traditional birth attendants have received training; and mosquito nets provided to families help protect against malaria.
• responding to HIV and AIDS by involving teachers, pastors, traditional leaders and peer educators in facilitating HIV and AIDS education, counseling and awareness programmes. World Vision offers medical and financial support to people living with HIV and AIDS, and to orphans and vulnerable children.
• supporting micro-enterprise development by conducting micro-credit financing, offering skills training and linkages to markets. So far, more than US$2 million has helped 10,000 people, most of whom are women.
• Increasing food security by building capacities of farmers in scientific methods of crop and animal production, resulting in boosted productivity and increased incomes.
• Helping communities prepare for disasters and build resilience.
|
