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The cost of food and other basic supplies in Ghana are steeply rising. Families in poverty are at risk of severe food insecurity, meaning they completely lack access to food for a day or longer. For Ghanaian children, malnutrition puts their lives at risk.
The local church in Ghana has been leading a response to the global food crisis that has seen many children recover from malnutrition through the provision of food packs. Our local church partners are currently focusing on increasing the income of caregivers through livelihood training, so they are best equipped to provide for their families.
Watch the video below and see an update from our church partners in Ghana.
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Thank you for praying for the children, families and local church partners we serve in Ghana.
When Comfort fell pregnant at 17, she not only faced fear and confusion at the prospect of being a parent, but her family disowned her. “My father had plans for me to further my education, but he was disappointed in me for getting pregnant. He washed his hands of me and did not care what became of me,” says Comfort. Read more open_in_new
Compassion’s program is contextualised across countries and communities, as well as age groups.
Compassion assisted children in Ghana typically attend program activities at their local child development centre on Saturdays. Here is an example of what a typical program day looks like for children in Ghana.
9:00am - A time of prayer and devotion and breakfast. A typical breakfast usually consists of maize porridge, milk, sugar and bread.
9:30am - Spiritual lessons, when children sing songs and learn Bible stories.
10:30am - Break time, when children can play in a safe environment and develop friendships.
11:00am - Social-emotional lessons ranging from conflict resolution to developing healthy self-esteem and godly character. Children often come from challenging home environments and are taught social and personal skills.
12:00pm - Lunch and social time. A typical lunch generally consists of rice with sauce and either chicken, fish or meat, with seasonal fruit. Food is usually provided as children don’t always have access to nutritionally balanced meals at home. Parents are educated to provide nutritious food for their children, and highly malnourished children are given extra support, including a package of nutritious food such as eggs, milk, beans, rice and oil, once a month.
1:00pm - Health lessons, in which children learn practical health and hygiene tips including how to prevent malaria and HIV.
2:00pm - Letter writing and career planning. Older children work with local staff to identify their strengths and interests and set goals for their future.
Older sponsored children also take part in skills training workshops such as bead and batik making, soap preparation and basket weaving. Parents and caregivers are offered health education classes as well as quarterly training on children’s rights, parenting, and business and financial management.
of people live in extreme poverty
of the population are living with HIV
of youth do not complete high school
Along the Gulf of Guinea lies the vibrant West African country of Ghana. The local population are relaxed and hospitable and they deeply respect family values and honouring elders. There are over 50 different ethnic groups across the country, each with its own distinct handwoven fabric.
Poverty remains widespread and is particularly concentrated in rural regions of northern Ghana. Trafficking and forced labour are serious threats for Ghanaian children in poverty, alongside their vastly inadequate access to clean water and sanitation facilities.
Ghana was the first sub-Saharan nation to throw off colonial rule and the first to halve its extreme poverty rate. It continues to be a leader in West Africa as more children pursue their education and living conditions improve. More people are moving to live in urban areas and more children have the opportunity to stay in school longer. Although agriculture remains an important source of employment and income, the economy is diversifying away from subsistence agriculture and it continues to grow.
But economic conditions have worsened in the past five years and these gains are under threat, particularly due to the global food crisis. A gap is widening between the richest and poorest. Those left in rural areas bear the brunt of low incomes but the people crowding into expanding cities face the problems of rapid urbanisation: greater congestion, dangerous pollution, lack of access to safe drinking water and other basic necessities.
Though the harsh realities of life in poverty threaten to rob many children of hope, the incredible stories from our over 400 Ghanaian church partners are a testimony to God's goodness in all circumstances.
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