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All 16 regions of Ghana reported active cases of COVID-19 on February 4th 2021, with 60% of those cases in the capital city, Accra. The reported death toll rose to 433 on February 4th, and active cases totaled 5786, a significant increase this year. In January 2021, the government reimposed many restrictions on public gatherings and reactivated isolation centers in an attempt to stem the spread of the virus.
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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
Please note: Due to the current pandemic, many Compassion child development centres have started inviting children and youths back in small groups for classes on a rotating basis, to take updated photos and to write letters. Some centres remain closed to group activities.
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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Born with a debilitating physical deformity, Adzo was hidden away by her family from the time she was born and never had the chance for a real childhood. But thanks to Compassion’s Child Sponsorship Program, Adzo has been healed and is enjoying the chance to go to school... Read more
Ever wondered how many hands, planes, buses, motorbikes or elephants it takes to deliver the letter that you’ve written to your sponsored child? Let’s take a look!.. Read more
Lake Volta, Ghana: the world's largest man-made lake sustains thousands of lives - but its fishing industry is built on the backs of vulnerable children. .. Read more