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The number of active cases in Ghana continues to drop, and the latest numbers report that the number of active cases is below 650. The government reopened its main airport to international flight passengers on 1 September, with strict testing requirements for all travellers. International travel by land and sea is still prohibited. The government has lifted lockdowns in some larger cities, and some schools have reopened for final-year students to take exams. Church gatherings can take place for up to two hours at a time.
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Thank you for praying for children and families in Ghana who have been impacted by COVID-19—and the local staff and churches who continue to serve them in difficult circumstances.
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
The situation
On Saturday, 15 August a fire gutted the slum settlement known as the 'kiosk estate' in the Shiashie community of the Greater Accra Region. Most families are now homeless.
Global Compassion impact
Number of local church partners affected: 0 Number of Compassion assisted children affected: 7
New information
The affected families are living in temporary locations and are receiving relief items, including food. The local church is supporting the process for the families to find new permanent accommodations.
Prayer
Please continue to pray for the affected children and families as they recover from the losses and damages, while living in temporary locations.
The situation
On Saturday, 15 August a fire gutted the slum settlement known as the 'kiosk estate' in the Shiashie community of the Greater Accra Region. Most families are now homeless.
Global Compassion impact
Number of local church partners affected: 0 Number of Compassion assisted children affected: unknown
New information
The local church is assessing damages and losses of the children and their families. Those impacted are living with friends, relatives or in a temporary camp.
Prayer
Please pray for the safety and provision of affected children and their families.
Please note: Due to the current pandemic, most child development centres in Ghana are temporarily closed. Our local church partners continue to meet the urgent needs of the children through home-based care.
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 below the poverty line
of people lack access to improved sanitation
mothers die from pregnancy related causes per 100,000 births
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. Yet growing inequality means that the poorest are falling further behind.
Ghana has changed significantly in the past few decades. More people are moving to live in urban areas; more children have the opportunity to stay in school longer; the economy is diversifying away from subsistence agriculture (although agriculture remains an important source of employment and income) and it continues to grow.
Despite fluctuations in the economy, millions of Ghanaians have risen out of poverty, particularly from extreme poverty. Between 1991 and 2012, the poverty rate dropped from 52 per cent to 21; the extreme poverty rate fell even more sharply, from 37 per cent to nine. The under-5 mortality rate in Ghana has also come down in that time.
But economic conditions have worsened in the past five years and these gains are under threat. 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.
Nana Akufo-Addo won the presidential election in December 2016 and recently declared that his nation would be a “shining example” when it came to meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals and lifting people out of poverty. He also announced 2019 to be the “Year of Return”, marking 400 years since African slaves were taken from their homeland and shipped to the USA—and encouraging the African diaspora to return to Ghana.
At the coming 2020 election, President Akufo-Addo will face off against the opposition party’s John Mahama (himself a former President) for the third consecutive time. A key issue will be who has the stronger plan to restore a faltering economy and help the most vulnerable Ghanaians to overcome the challenges of poverty.
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