“Sapientia Sola, Libertas Est”, Only wisdom is freedom. The chosen motto for our new education center.
We, the Ancora of Hope Organization, believe that to attain wisdom there should be quality education together with community inclusion, a long-term goal of eradicating poverty and unemployment which has been major instability within our communities. Our role is to provide a serene learning environment with quality up to date learning materials.
Everyone can support this course with ideas, in-kind support, financial support or sponsor an individual child or more in their educational needs. For any further information please write to: ancoraofhope@gmail.com
To work in a sustainable way, it is important to look at the broader picture: What is the economic, social and demographic future of Africa? In 2015, World Economic Forum has published nine trends for Africas future. In this post we are assessing how and which of these trends are affecting local Ghanaians in rural areas and how Ancora of Hope plans to address them:
Demographics
“[A]ccording to the UNICEF Generation 2030 Africa report, the current 1 billion-plus populous is expected to double within the next 35 years and its under-18 population to increase by two thirds to almost 1 billion.”
A crucial connection we see in our everyday work is the correlation between poverty and fertility. The more economic wealth families possess, the less children they will have, even in more traditional rural areas. This might be due to the fact that having many children often provides the only means of protecting parents’ future financial means.
Of course, there is absolutely nothing wrong with having children. However, having many children often leads to an increase in child labour and many families are not able to provide emotionally and financially to all of them. We address this issue by providing skill and literacy trainings to adults and by empowering women to make independent choices. Nevertheless, we believe the only long-term strategy to reduce fertility has to be provided by policy reform, such as providing pensions and reliable quality health care
Rise of the individual
We observe these “increased demands for transparency and participation in government and public decision-making” in our work, but also young Ghanaians’ political frustration. Through lobbying and political activism we can achieve to shape politics in a peaceful and sustainable way.
Another side of the coin of individualism is a gradual dissolution of community and togetherness. Although it happens more slowly in rural areas, the trend is visible. Especially the most vulnerable suffer from this trend. To cover this problem, we work closely with those left behind by society, such as street children. Currently, we are building a community centre with the aim of providing regular exchange and education for street children in the long-term.
Enabling technology
This is an trend that is increasing at an enormous pace. More young people have access to internet and thereby unlimited information and free education. Technology also enables people to get to know other views and cultures, to make more informed choices and to empower women. We believe that with the help of technology, we can reduce the gap between rich and poor.
Ancora of Hope regularly publishes articles and websites that help our followers to gain new perspectives and extend their knowledge. We also plan to work with new technology in our facilities, such as e-book readers and tablets.
Economic interconnectedness
This trend is well visible through international firms and brands, movies and large-scale migration. Free trade is important, but we also acknowledge World Economic Forum’s assertion that “unless international conventions can be strengthened, progress and optimum economic benefits may not be realized”.
Climate Change & Resources Strees
This is one of the trends that have not gained enough attention by the Ghanaian public. Our consumption of plastic and other non-recyclable materials is severe. Although the government needs to provide the systematic changes, such as a recycling system and the use of reusable resources, we can support the fight against climate change by teaching children to take care of the environment. We do this by giving each child a space in our garden to take care of and by showing them ways of reusing material rather than throwing it away. One of our biggest role models is the Green School in Bali – have a look at it.
Urbanization
“Today, 54 per cent of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to increase to 66 per cent by 2050” (UN 2014). We experience many young Ghanaians who leave their village to go to the bigger cities such as Accra and Kumasi. They feel that rural areas have nothing to offer and no future for them. This is partly true to the fact that education and job opportunities are rare in these regions. We try to address the root causes of this issue by giving young Ghanaians more reasons to stay
“Empowering Young Women through Soap Making (Alata – Samina)” is a long-term project aimed at improving the economic competencies of disadvantage young women (15-30) providing them with a sense of self-worth and with the opportunity to experience a full range of life options through this employable programme, literacy and training.
Project location: Amanfrom (Nkawkaw, Ghana)
Amanfrom is a farming community in the Kwahu West Municipality with about 4.000 inhabitants, mainly young women and children. Farmers are mainly cash-crop and subsistence farmers who major depend on family labour.
Through this project, Ancora of Hope Organization in collaboration with Lions Club Pieve di Soligo (TV-Italy) aim to empower young women with this skill training project.
“Tooth cleaning campaign” is a program aimed at addressing minor tooth problems such as plaques and tooth decay and encouraging the maintaining of healthy tooth among children in village communities where there are no dentists.
By this way we teach a brother to teach a brother the best way to keep their teeth healthy by using a recognized hand book we received from The Hesperian’ s back in 2016.
Although we did not received any financial support on this program but we received in-kind support from friends and supporters whom we may like to acknowledge: Elisabetta Frate & Husband, Federica Luison and Roberta Mangano.
So far so good, two village communities being attended….a total number of children and adults educated numbered up to 450 and still counting.
To enable us to sustain this program and extend our services to more deprived communities we appeal to donors and friends to come to the aid of the program!
According to recent studies, almost 90% of Ghana’s children are in school!
This is a great article about the advancements that have happened in Ghana within the last decades. It also shows that investment in education can yield to great results. Although many children now have the possibility to get an education, there is still a lot of child labour and many older kids have to leave school due to a lack of financial means. “The kids who go to school have more friends. I know education is a right but no one has enrolled me.”
Let’s work together for those children whose lives still haven’t changed despite Ghana’s advancements.
For us, it is important to see the disadvantaged with all their potential and great ideas. They are not passive – they are full of energy, compassion and innovation. Our experience with the kids shows that once you give them the opportunities to learn and grow, many new and positive processes happen. It’s like a domino. Education is the first step to activate their powers and to give them self-confidence.
First aid help to save lives, but it is impossible in village communities where there are no health personnels. In this case lives that can be saved goes perished.
Ancora of Hope Organization in partnership with Hesperian Health Guides are providing first aid tutorials to very remote villages within the Kwahu West Municipality in the Eastern Region of Ghana where there are no medical personnels.
This Project aims to educate community members in remote villages and at least train one resource person in every village on first aid tips to help in saving lives. #everylifematters
We are currently constructing three classroom blocks and toilet facilities for underprivileged children. This project will help address the limited infrastructure and provide quality education in Kwamang-Kwahu West Municipality, Eastern Region of Ghana.
After the cooperation with Lions Club Pieve di Soligo (TV) and the donation of eye health materials, Ancora of Hope Organization in partnership with Volunteer to Change realize an eye screening in for underprivileged people living in poor communities in the Kwahu West Municipality in the Eastern Region of Ghana to freely distribute reading lenses to selected beneficiaries.
The first screening took place in Kwamang, Kwahu West Municipality in Ghana.
EN – Besease is a rural village community within the Kwahu West Municipality in Ghana, with about 500 inhabitants. The community has no source of power, health facilities, accessible road and only one borehole serves as unique source of water for the community.There are no other social amenities.
When somebody is severely sick, the person must be carried at ones back to walk approximately 4 km to meet the main road and enable them to get car to the nearby hospital which is located 15 km away to access healthcare.
The community inhabitants are mainly peasant farmers. Thanks to the medical donation from LIONS CLUB Pieve di Soligo (TV) and the partnership with Tundra Stamperia, we have given education on health and other first aid tips to the Besease community.
IT – Besease è una comunità rurale all’interno del distretto occidentale in Ghana, con circa 500 abitanti . La comunità non ha alcuna fonte di energia, strutture sanitarie, strada accessibile e possiede una pompa che serve come unica fonte d’acqua per l’intero villaggio. Non ci sono altri servizi sociali .
Quando qualcuno è gravemente malato, la persona deve essere caricata sulle spalle fino ad incontrare la strada principale e consentire loro di raggiungere l’ospedale più vicino, che si trova a 15 km di distanza e accedere all’assistenza sanitaria.
Gli abitanti della comunità sono agricoltori principalmente contadini. Grazie alla donazione medico da LIONS CLUB Pieve di Soligo ( TV) e la partnership con Tundra Stamperia, abbiamo dato educazione alla salute e altri consigli sul primo soccorso alla comunità Besease .
Ancora of Hope Organization - ANCHOR 