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EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
EDUCATIONAL AID FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
The 1,500 CHILDREN OFF THE STREET PROJECT
In the year 2006, the foundation and the school
launched 1500 children off the street project
. The project was developed to support the well-being of needy
children, especially orphans in Agona District and other
surroundung Districts.
The 1500 Children Off The Street Project was in two distinct
phases; the first phase of the project gave aid in the form of
shelter, health, security and education to children without homes.
The second and final phase of the project was developed by the project
committee of the foundation. It rendered free education to children
whose parents cannot support their education.
The main objective of the 1500 Children Off The Street Project was
to kill the alarming rate of illiteracy and domestic crises on children
in Agona District and its immediate vicinity.
By the kind gestures of noteworthy philanthropists across the globe,
the project begun after the official launching program in April 2006.
Medical aid, food and building materials from America and the Netherlands
were sent by the project support agencies and philanthropists to initiate
this wonderful child aid project to support humanity.
Facilities that were used to host the beneficiaries of the project had
undergone renovation and expansion works. Computer laboratory, boarding
facility, dining hall facility and automobiles are the main facilities
and instruments that really need to be in place to meet the demands of
the project.
In each academic year for example, the St. Germain school complex
organizes special activities labeled as extra curricular activities.
These activities have been developed to support academic co- curricular
disciplines undertaken by the St. Germain School Complex. They undertake
physical education, Cadet and keep fit discipline, arts and crafts,
technical and vocational activities, writing, music, talent development
activities and leadership capacity building activities.
The St. Germain School Complex has other special faculties and projects
namely the Teaching and Leadership Capacity Empowerment Conference,
Attitude Test Faculty, The Computer Laboratory, The Modern Science
Resource Center, Mathematics and English Development Laboratory, Practical
and Vocational Skills Development Faculty, The Music and Entertainment
School, Sports and Cadet Club, Conflict Resolution Club and the Writers
and Readers Club.
The mission of these activities and events are to hold fast to Benjamin
Franklin’s wise statement that says: ‘all work and no play makes Jack a
dull boy’. No matter how a child studies, when he or she isn’t given the
requisite resources, environment and association needed to
create a more liberal and peaceful world, he grows
to become intellectually dormant and confused.
Child psychologists have discovered that children who undertake
extra- curricular activities are more lively and intelligent than
children who do not partake in extra curricular activities.
These children grow to become more sociable, friendlier and tenderer.
Also, these children become disciplined and able to relate to peers in
their environment in a balanced way. Finally, psychological sanity is
the overwhelming influence that floods the heart and soul of children
in the St. Germain School Complex.
In the St. Germain School Complex, our ultimate ambition is to develop
leaders with able communication ability as well as psychologically
healthy children with effective self realization and actualization status.
The school has a special faculty that gives recuperation therapy to
children with disabled personalities, and also by the help of the extra-curricular
activities in the school.
AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACTIVITY: "GREENING GHANA" – 18TH MARCH, 2007.
Ghana @ 50;
- The Young and Lonely Foundation was pleased to
confirm the participation in the inaugural tree planting exercise of the
Greening Ghana Initiative project.
The greening Ghana project has been embraced by the Young and lonely
Foundation since it was born in October, 2006. The foundation, before
the onset of this project, initiated this tree planting exercise to
help save the environment from air pollutants among other merits
especially when Africa is hitherto a high ranking continent as far
as environmental degradation is a canker.
Since the foundation is in partnership with saint Germain School Complex,
the students of the school serve as major source of labour in the swift
execution of this project. This exercise starts at 6.00am to 10.30am
every planting day.
With our desired effort to involve the public, thus to sensitize and
educate the inhabitants of the locality on the importance of Greening
Ghana Project initiative, much attention is paid to a two - week daily
announcement on radio (Golden Star Fm 89.3MHz). Both the manager and
the crew of Golden Star Fm in Agona Swedru give the foundation the
opportunity to reach as many people as possible through their
medium of dissemination. With this medium as an aid, people do donate
their effort during every planting day. Some take part in the planting
whilst others do irrigate the seedlings. This medium is also used to
interview the students on the essence of this Project and the benefits
they derive from the Young and Lonely Foundation.
Since finance is not a fixed factor at our disposal, our going to pick
seedlings from Winneba Forestry Division has come to a halt. We now have
our source of seedlings at the Department of Parks and Gardens,
Agona Swedru. The manager supplied us sixty seedlings of acacia and
militia prior to this day’s planting exercise. He is a zealous personality
as well in the project, teaching us certain cultural practices to carry
out for the survival of the seedlings.
As usual, a live interview was held between the Executive Director of
Young and Lonely Foundation (YLF), Mr. Gilbert and a news presenter,
Mr. Ato Kwamena Arthur in the evening news yesterday. What is more,
the endeavor of the District Chief Executive, Honorable Ben Mensah,
was rewarding during today’s planting exercise. He came to congratulate
and energize us on our dauntless effort. He made it known to all
participants the need of exhibiting patriotism and making Ghana a proud
nation amongst nations. The pageantry of the exercise, he said, would
have been graced the more had all participants gotten the Ghana @50
T-shirts for the tree planting exercise.
The proprietress of the school, Madam Dorothy Eghan, also lamented on
why her school had not been recognized during the distribution of the
T-shirts whilst the students contribute relentlessly in the project.
Mr. Gilbert, the Executive Director of the Foundation, assured them
that efforts are underway to obtain more T-shirts for the students.
We, therefore, make this plea to the executives of Ghana@ 50 to attend
to our T-SHIRT request in order to prepare fully for the
program of March, 2007.
Today’s activity, being the fourth phase, experienced a boost in the
number of participants. The previously planted trees are doing well
to the amazement of all and sundry, of which the DCE and assemblyman
are not exclusive, as far as nurturing of sites of the seedlings has
been carried out. Some of the beneficiary areas of this project in Agona
Swedru include: NAVTCO junction to SWESCO (Kwanyako road), Golden Star FM
junction to Left eye (Inkubem), Calvary Methodist Church junction to
Greenland Hotel junction and also St. Germain School Compound
Our Predicaments so far include: inadequate finance for transpotage,
tools, refreshment for participants and also inadequate T-Shirts for
the students (participants). A compact disc enclosed in this report
contains the video and pictures of the whole exercise at various locations
during the planting exercise. Below are the names and positions of
individuals who have contributed their quota in making this
project a success:
Hon. Ben Mensah (District Chief Executive, Agona Swedru District)
Madam Dorothy Eghan (Proprietress, St. Germain School; Patron, YLF)
Mr. Gilbert Germain (Executive Director, YLF)
Mr. Komla Senafia (Teacher, SAGESCO; Projects Coordinator, YLF)
Mr. John Redmond Mills (Coordinator, YLF)
Mr. Benyin Arthur (Manager, Swedru Parks and Gardens)
Mr.John Agbogan (Teacher, St. Germain School)
Mr.Ato Kwamena Arthur (News Presenter, Golden Star FM)
Hon. Justice Mumuni Mohammed (Assembly member, Kotokoli/Kwansakrom),.
“MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY” (MADD)
VOLUNTARY WORK BY BARCLAYS BANK (AGONA SWEDRU
BRANCH) IN COLLABORATION WITH YOUNG AND LONELY FOUNDATION.
(B) THE 'ADOM KUO' - PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/ AIDS (PLHIV)
On the 1st of November, 2008 between 07:30am and 11:30am, the Agona Swedru
Gorvement Hospital experienced a break through when The Barclays Bank
branch of the Agona Swedru undertook a voluntary exercise at the pediatric
ward.
Before the exercise items worth 1200GH cedis were donated to the
hospital, the finance of the items was being done solely by the bank,
but the activities were being done jointly by the staff of the bank and
Young and Lonely Foundation (YLF).
Among the items donated include, mattresses, paint, brooms, scrubbing
brush and many other items. It took several hours in the cleaning up
excise, Activities included mobbing of the floor, scrubbing of the bath
rooms and cleaning of the louver blades, and weeding and raking of the
gutters and painting.
The theme is “Make A difference Day” (MADD), According to The Branch Manager
MR. Kofi Osibe, this is not just a flash point exercise, but promised it
will be a routine one. He noted the Bank is not just here to make profit
but here to share their profit with the District and to contribute to the
welfare of citizens especially the deprived. The principal nursing officer
was thankful to the management, staff of the Bank and Y L F. And said she
has not experience such a thing before in the hospital.
According to The Director of Y L F since the motto of the NGO is
“The child our hope for the future”, so any thing concerning children
is of more importance to them and therefore encouraged the members to
take part in the exercise to make a deference in the children’s life.
The people present were the Branch Manger of the bank, MR. Kofi Osibe,
The Organizer of the programme MR Nii Odoi, The Principal Nursing Officer
Mrs. Rita Haruna, The Director of Y L F MR Gilbert Germain and the staff
of both corporate institutes.
The programme ended at the Ewusuwa Gardens with lunch and refreshment.
HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMME.
(A) HIV/AIDS SENSITIZATION AND ERADICATION.
The Young and Lonely Foundation (YLF) has, since the first day of
January this year, been making tremendous efforts in improving the Health status of
both the aged and the young.
HIV/AIDS education and eradication of stigmatization through
various means of sensitization in the Agona Municipality are instances. The main
target group, which is Youth in and out of school, and most of
the staff members of the coverage schools, through both theoretical
and practical oriented means, were educated on the cause, modes of
transmission, effects and prevention of this deadly pandemic:
HIV/AIDS. Although certain setbacks including lack of funds were
unavoidable in course of the various activities, the output was
really efficient as could be traced in the attached qualitative
and quantitative reports.
The Foundation, on the February 14, which was
valentine day, embarked on a 24-hour HIV/AIDS awareness creation by visiting drinking pubs,
Hotels, Motels, restaurants and other gatherings to educate the people on the need of condom
use to help minimize the spread of HIV/AIDS.Volunteers both foreign and local took part.
The YLF members and other volunteers, local and foreign, organized
workshops and sensitization programmes for Junior High Schools (JHS)
at Agona Swedru. The focal schools were five: St. Germain JHS, Presby
A JHS; Anglican B JHS; SDA JHS and Holy Quran JHS, Yaabem.
The programme covered some 350 students and 31 teachers
(14 male & 17 female). Some basic facts about HIV/AIDS;
prevention and protection as well as stigma eradication were some of
the topics covered.
KEBA AFRICA is an Accra based NGO responsible for promoting
human development and has been a sister NGO in carrying out a host of
projects including HIV/AIDS awareness creation and Voluntary Counselling and Test (VCT) with the
Young and Lonely Foundation. Mr. Mac Daniel Donkoh is the Assistant Manager
for KEBA AFRICA.
The recent Project we executed was lead by him collaboratingly;thus
the Registration of People Living With HIV/AIDs (PLWHIV) for the National
Health Insurance as well as Voluntary Counselling and Test . Fourty eight PLWHIV
were attended to. The Project was funded by Ghana AIDs Commission through
the Agona District Assembly.
The following is a report of the recent activities written on Monday,
31st March, 2008 by two foreign volunteers: Diana Korner Hansson &
Cristin Fergus who took part in the execution of the first quarter
HIV/AIDS Prevention & Communication, Behavioral Change with YLF
staff:
“My name is Diana Korner Hansson from Sweden. My colleague Cristin
Fergus from Chicago and I are volunteers. Around 350 JSS students
and 31 teachers as well as about 200 youth out of school have been
educated about HIV/AIDS by us. We have worked for the Young and
Lonely Foundation (YLF) and their collaborator, St Germain School
in Agona-Swedru. We got in contact with YLF through SYTO .
Our voluntary work started in January 2008 and is now finishing
today, the end of March 2008. During these three months, working
with the students, we realized the importance of HIV/AIDS education
in schools. It is a global problem and has to be taught in every way
possible.
To get an idea of the students’ knowledge in the subject, we went
around in the classes, asked them about what they know, and would
like to learn about HIV/AIDS. We used that information as help during
the lessons. A few of the topics discussed were how to contract
HIV/AIDS, how the virus exists in the body, the preventive methods,
its way of spreading and how the increasing number of people living
with HIV/AIDS affects the country. We followed these lessons
with quizzes and different assignments.
I would like to thank Gilbert Germain, Executive Director of YLF,
Mr D.K. Barnes the headmaster of St Germain School, Daniel
Yedu Quansah who helped with the schedules as well as Komla Senafia,
the coordinator of Educational Aid for Child Development Project,
YLF who has been a helping hand during our work.
Cristin and I have had a content experience and will continue
supporting YLF from home. Thank you.
Diana Korner Hansson & Cristin Fergus”.
Morever, a Community sensitization and education on the MDGs-CAH was
organised by the YLF in October, 2008 at Brahabekum,Domoki,Duabone,
Namawora and Otabilkwa on consecutive days to educate and sensitize
community people about issues relating to health including
child and maternal health, HIV/AIDS, Malaria and TB eradication; to educate
community people about their rights to
health care and about their roles and responsibilities as to how to claim
these rights.
During the Akwambo Festival Celebration in Agona Swedru on the 8th August, 2008,
the Young and Lonely Foundation headed by Mr. Gilbert Germain did not forget
about the fact that such sort of celebration would bring varieties of people
from all walks of life, hence the possibility of the spread of the deadly
disease notwithstanding the fact that wherever two or more people are
gathered the devil tries finding work for the idle hand. It is in light
of this fact that the YLF planned and executed distribution of condoms
throughout vantage points in the Agona West Municipally. The coverage
areas included: drinking pubs, motels, hotels, internet cafes and
wherever people converged for their personal reasons. The YLF team of four
counseled the beneficiaries of the condom distribution to live responsibly
by being faithful to their partners since the condom use is not a 100%
preventive measure. Mr. Gilbert Germain made it known that the distribution
on that day did not mark the end of the sensitization; that it
would continue unabated, especially during occasions and as long as people
desire to have sexual partners.
HIV/AIDS film shows were organised at KWansakrom, Domeki and Brahabekumi after
which thorough education was given out to sensitize and alert them on the reality
of horrible scenes in the film shows. Saint Germain School Complex also benefitted
from the film show and the sensitization as well.
(B) THE 'ADOM KUO' - PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/ AIDS (PLHIV)
The key founding persons of this merciful association, made possible by
the aid of piety, devotion and selflessness, who deem it a mandate to care
for the most highly stigmatized human beings on earth in Africa, the People
Living with HIV/ AIDS (PLHIV), made no mistake in stating the right diction
befitting the association as the "ADOM KUO".
Notwithstanding, any work geared towards relief of an AIDS patient is borne
out of merciful grace which is ADOM in the local parlance. This Adom has
become a greeting word with the response 'koroye', meaning unity is strength
for the beneficiaries.
The germ of the initiative was conceived in the benevolent intellectual
faculty of Mr. Gilbert Germain when he was met with a PLHIV victim desiring
death and that he preferred death to living in a world of stigmatization. An
awakened Gilbert, who has worked with the West Africa AIDS Foundation (WAAF)
for about six years, alerted the Senior Staff Midwife (SSM) Madam Grace Binney
who takes care of PLHIVs at the Agona Swedru Government Hospital and Mr. Tim
Pauls, A German Director of Exchange Programs (YLF), of the need to consider
the plight of PLHIV and forestall a peaceful and comfortable social,
psychological and emotional environment for them which would help cure them
of premature death. These desirous personalities made the birth of "ADOM KUO"
possible.
The first and foremost meeting of the executives to discuss pertinent issues
relating to PLHIVs was held on the 23rd August, 2008. The Swedru Government
Hospital was chosen as the host for meeting with the PLHIVs. It was finally
resolved that all other meetings be held at Ghana Health Service – Agona
District Health Centre. The partner organizations currently include Ghana
Health Service (GHS), Young and Lonely Foundation (YLF).
Since the conception of the idea and judicious efforts at its implementation,
fifty two people living with HIV/ AIDS and eleven Orphans and Vulnerable
Children (OVC) have been discovered in the Agona Municipality for registration
under the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Other activities of the partner members include donating and seeking donations
of food, medicinal drugs, clothing and cash to the PLHIV, educating the PLHIV
on several issues ranging from personal hygiene to diet. Their emotional wounds
are healed with their spirits of livelihood strengthened so that they feel just
like any other ordinary persons. The PLHIVs mind is cleared of all
intimidations, illusions and they are made to know the goal of life. They are
made to understand the HIV/AIDS as a natural phenomenon, a natural disaster
which could plaque any type of personality irrespective of Educational,
Religious and social status. It is proved beyond doubt that most of the
contractions of this deadly disease were not obtained through sexual
promiscuity. Out of the understanding they obtain after Mr. Germain's
counseling in Adom Kuo, some of the victims willingly bring to light the
verbal molestations they receive from high ranking Medical Practitioners.
A woman (name withheld) told of how a Medical Doctor a bused her
verbally, that how could such person at her age contract such disease, when
she was to be attended to under the umbrella of a PLHIV association in Cape
Coast. This made her leave without receiving the treatment.
Meeting is held on a third Saturday of every month by the executives to discuss
the means and efforts that could help improve the standards of the PLHIV.
At a PLHIV meeting held by the ADOM KUO on the 20th September, 2008, during
which representatives of ADRA, Plan Ghana, YGRO GHANA, NAPLUS, HOPE FOR FUTURE
GENERATION and other sister organizations came, a representative of ADRA,
Mr. Vandapuye used the opportunity to address the PLHIV of the mission of
ADRA. He said ADRA is an NGO not for only relief services and with no discrimination
in religion but also in support of teaching of hairdressers and other traders
in the prevention of HIV/AIDS transmission among other aids; that they would
organize workshops where representative PLHIVs from various organizations would
merge their talents, skills and experiences to alleviate the plight of the
PLHIVs. He said, this year, ADRA is embarking on educating the PLHIVs on
cultivation of citrus plantation which when practiced, would provide support
to them and posterity financially. He advised them to make good use of any
little help given to them. On the question of what they want to do, the PLHIV
suggested that canopies be bought for hiring to the general public to earn some
income to serve as a support to them.
The secretary of the Ghana Network of persons living with HIV/AIDS told the
members present (Adom Kuo) that the Ghana Network Association (GNA) is also
part of them. She advised the PLHIVs to take their drugs regularly and
attend hospital as required of them. She also, advised them to prevent themselves
from re-infection, because this would rather aggravate the illness.
Mr. George - a NAPLUS representative explained the importance of Moringa plant,
a nourishment plant species to be cultivated to the members present as follows:
It is nutritious and can complement the lost necessary nutrients in the body of
people;It is an immune booster that will make one’s body healthy always;
It cures a lot of diseases such as malaria, typhoid, stomach ulcer, etc.
An NGO presented some Provision to the PLHIVs present.
Young and Lonely foundation Executive Director donated an amount of one hundred
and fifty Ghana Cedis to PLHIVs as a support and T&T. The founding executives:
Madam Angelina Bolton (Deputy Director of Health Services, Agona Municipality),
Madam Grace Binney (SSM-GHS), Mr. Gilbert Germain (YLF), Mr. Tim Pauls
(YLF-Germany) and Mr. Anim Boanu Justice (Technical Officer, Disease Control)
welcome all well wishers and those who show compassion to make it known that
PLHIV need love and security from us all. Mr. Gilbert Germain aims at making
Ghana, Africa and the Diasporas freed of discrimination and stigmatization
against PLHIV. He therefore seeks donations and ideas from all to help upgrade
the living standards of the PLHIV.
(C) LAUNCHING OF THE MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL (MDGs) AND
CITIZENS ACTION AND HEALTH (CAH) - PROJECT.
In line with the Governments' Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) and
Citizens Action to Health, the YLF holds on an objective as long as human
health is concerned: making every body live with sound
mind so that there be peace, love and harmony because "A sound mind lives in a
sound body". This is an undeniable fact.
Frantic efforts were made throughout September to October, 2008 to launch
the Citizens Action and Health MDGs Project. About five thousand (5,000)
people in the district were informed about the launch of the MDGs-CAH project
in the Agona east districts through radio sensitization. On the 25th
September, 2008, the launch of MDGs-CAH Project was successfully
executed at Agona Duakwa. About two hundred people attended the launcheon and
the inhabitants of the
community expressed their profound gratitude to the sponsors: Alliance for
Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR) of this noble
gesture and expressed their intention to make good use of the package.
(D) COMMUNITY SENSITIZATION ON REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RIGHTS (RHR) AND MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDGs)
About twenty five communities benefited this year, 2009, from the RHR and Health MDGs sensitization. Serious
allegations were made against the Government Hospital for charging patients for money whilst they have
National Health Insurance.
We took our time to bring their aggrieved emotions under control and advised
them. We educated them on Reproductive Health Rights, the right to demand quality health no matter where
they live. Most of them complained that the kind of treatment they get from the nurses at the Swedru
Government Hospital is nothing to write home about and when they go for treatment they are cheated
since they cannot read to understand; and at times insulted by nurses. Upon this information the Assembly
members assured them they would investigate and see to it that their rights were not trampled on.
Also, frequent deaths, diseases and lack of good drinking water are some of grisliest circumstances
in some of the communities. We counted almost five deaths in six months in a particular community but
the causes of those deaths could not be ascertained. Madam Dora (CHN) asked so many questions in the
affected community to be able to know the causes of this bizarre situation entangling them.
Through our observation we found out that getting good drinking water was a problem and also malaria
could be number one killer in the communities since the sanitation situation was very bad. After the
sensitization, Madam Dora wrote a report to the District Health Directorate to respond to the lousy
situation. This prompted us to visit the communities frequently to be able to educate them on health
matters. We also collaborated with the District through Madam Dora to send mosquito nets (I T N) to
the communities.
YLF: The Child, our Hope for Future.
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