Current WHH/GCJ Alum Collaborative Projects
Orphanage/Community Learning Center in Axim
Goal – Provide a home for 35 orphaned children plus a community conference center and computer learning lab.
Background – The community has no such facility. The children need shelter, and Axim needs a place for community gatherings, training classes, and vocational workshops of all kinds. The community center and computer learning lab will provide revenue to support the children’s program. The building is 75% complete, thanks to funding procured by GCJ Ghana delegates/alums. Currently there is no computer training center for adults in the Nzema East District of some 125,000 people.
WHH Children’s Program
Goal – Support 135 orphaned children either in the orphanage or supplement their care in homes within the extended family system. Ensure adequate food, care, and especially education.
Background – Encourage North Americans and Ghanaians to support these children individually but more importantly as a group, as a special “extended family” within the Ghanaian tradition. Encourage “pen pal” friendships but minimize personal contact involving gifts, visits, etc. for individual children. Recognize the value of the extended family system, and support WHH’s desire to provide as normal a life as possible for each child within their own cultural system.
Sanitation, Hand-washing Stations, HIV/AIDs Awareness
Goal – Raise awareness about infection control, sanitation, and HIV/AIDs prevention. Provide basic hand-washing stations locally known as “veronica buckets” to all schools and orphanage.
Background – Teaming together with local leaders as role models supports existing local efforts to educate all about HIV/AID threat and prevention, and the importance of cleanliness and infection control to prevent disease. Working through the schools helps kids to develop positive lifelong habits.
Water System Extension
Goal – Extend the existing piped public water system to approximately 60% of the Axim population who currently have limited access to clean water.
Background – Axim is located on the ocean. There are hand-dug wells, but they are too shallow to provide consistently clean drinking water year round. We especially want to extend the piped public water system to all schools and public sanitation facilities.
Leadership and Women’s Entrepreneurship
Goal – Support women’s microfinance programs. Conduct Appreciative Inquiry workshops when invited to do so by local leaders.
Background – AI helps men and women individually or in groups to discover their own strengths and local resources, and to design workable futures. Empowered women strengthen families and communities.
Konongo – Read about the Konongo Odumase Library Project as well as other follow up projects outside of Axim.
