- Partners of STAR-Ghana Foundation’s Giving for Change identify support areas for development
As a result of local philanthropy, Abanga Moses Aningiba is currently pursuing a degree at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
Community-led philanthropy is critical to the development of every society. Developmental projects through local philanthropy is largely need-based, thus addressing specific issues with distinctive tailor-made methods depending on the community. Today, a lot of Communities in Ghana are buying into the idea of owning their development by mobilizing capital and human resources through STAR-Ghana Foundation’s Giving for Change (GfC) Programme.
During a monitoring and support visit to project implementing partners under the GfC Programme, it emerged that project communities are building school blocks, health centers, places of worship as well as undertaking education support and livelihood empowerment activities to benefit needy community members.
The visit was aimed at ascertainning progress made on implementing projects against their expected deliverables. It also served as a check for compliance against required financial practices while strategic support is offered on effective implementation of the projects.
YEFL-Ghana (Savannah Region)
YEFL-Ghana in collaboration with MyHereafter and Songtaba are working in deprived communities in the Savannah Region to get community members to mobilize resources for development under the GfC project. The project implementing partners report that the Monkula, Kupali, Kpasablo, Kulnyevila, and Kuduli communities in the Karaga District have recorded major gains through their collaborative efforts in local fund raising.
In Monkula, members of the community have been able to facilitate most developmental projects on their own with some support from the District Assembly and other philanthropists. They took the initiatives of building a school, mosque, health centre, dam, borehole, teachers’ quarters etc. “Community-led philanthropy is not new to us here at Monkula, for we have been doing it for a long time” a member of the community opined.
Health facility built through local philanthropy at Monkula
On the 25th of February 2023, a ceremony was held to officially open a health center for the community. The health centre now eases residents of the burden of travelling several kilometres to Karaga town to seek health care. Together, the community members put up this structure and requested health workers from the Assembly. Thrilled by the achievement of the locals, a philanthropist in the community offered to build another facility for them, bringing the number of health facilities in the community to two. The people in Monkula have also committed to building a structure to house the health workers posted to work in the community and also provide potable water for operations of the facilities.
The people of Kupali have also led and completed several projects in their community. According to them, one major project they embarked on was building a community health facility, to aid access to healthcare. They contributed money, building materials, human resources in the form of labor, food, etc on their own to make this a success, and which moved, the district assembly to support by building a modern facility for them. The people later decided to raise a pavilion for the community school to be used as shelter for the first batch of Junior High School students in the community. Further engagements with them during a capacity building training on local fundraising revealed their intent to provide potable water source for the health facility to support its activities.
A JHS block (left) and a health facility (right) constructed through community-led philanthropy
Inspired by the success stories of Kupali and Monkula, the Kpasablo, Kulnyevila and Kuduli communities have all resolved to undertake similar developmental projects in addition to their projects in Water and Sanitation expansion in their catchment areas. Through effective youth group mobilization, they have also been able to construct community boreholes and latrines for each household. They would usually mobilize each other to support in maintaining the borehole and the community dam. “This youth group always find a way out to support their members and community any time there is the need. They would contribute money and other resources to support a course in the community” a resident said. The dangers in carrying women in labor and others in critical conditions on tricycles to Kupali for medical attention has informed their action plan for mobilizing resources to build a health facility in their community to provide timely access to healthcare. In the case of Kulnyevila, the community has successfully secured a parcel of land through engagement with their chief on the project. The land has been earmarked for the construction of a CHPs compound for the community. This land is the first and major resource acquired for the CHPs compound.
A mosque constructed at Kpasablo by locals
The Presbyterian Community Based Rehabilitation Programme (PCBR)-Garu reports that even though it has been a challenging journey, a total of ninety-four (94) PWDs have been supported with support of the District Assembly. Various livelihood interventions including providing craftsmanship, livestock, capital for petty trading, payment of school fees, white canes for the blind, crutches, and assistive devices have been provided.
Through PCBR-Garu’s project, a physically challenged student has been supported with a wheelchair and finance to pursue formal education. After successfully completing High School, Abanga Moses Aningiba is currently pursuing a degree at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
The Presbyterian Community Based Rehabilitation Programme in the Garu-Tempani District of the Upper East Region is a Matching-Fund partner of the Giving for Change Programme(GfC). Under the partnership, PCBR-Garu is tasked with increasing the support and contribution of local communities for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in a more germane and coordinated manner through fundraising strategies.