In March 2019, Hans Lienbacher and I spent four intensive weeks with my colleagues from Ghana in Damongo and Tamale.
Water Project Diocese Damongo
In northern Ghana our main focus was on the water supply as the dry season lasts about 6 months. In this period with little rain, the agriculture comes to a standstill and the plants wither. For this reason, well water is urgently needed and with our help, a lot has already been done.
One of our goals has been and still is to supply a school and a hospital with water. In order to guarantee good water quality, Hans Lienbacher and his volunteers built a plant-based purification system. For two small villages we built a well for each and at a girls’ school we replaced the electric well pump. Refugees from Mali were very grateful for the replacement of a broken hand pump.
Help for the sick and handicapped
Many people can neither afford a visit to the doctor nor medication and even the health insurance of € 5,- per year can often not be paid. The families are sometimes very large and the income is very low. We therefore have extended existing health insurances, because only a visit to the doctor is possible. Medications have to be paid for additionally. For seriously ill patients (AIDS, Hepatitis B and C, infectious diseases, etc.) we send them to the hospital and pay the doctor visit fees and medication costs directly. Unfortunately, our help often comes too late!
Food Aid
Elderly and single people often suffer from hunger because they can no longer cultivate their fields. To support them we bought corn from the surrounding farmers again this year and distributed it to the needy.
Vocational Training
We were able to help some young women to attend vocational training as tailors by financing their apprenticeships and buying sewing machines and various accessories. We set up two tailoring workshops in the containers provided.
We were also able to find a source of income for physically handicapped young women. Some freezers were bought and by the sale of frozen goods (fish e.g.) their livelihood is secured.
School Fees
This year we were could enable 60 children and young people to attend school. We pay for their school clothes, for the poorest we pay for board and lodging and for the most talented, we pay the school fees until they graduate.
Starter Loans
In this project, women get a starter loan to buy larger quantities of goods (charcoal, rice, drinking water, etc.), which are then sold in small quantities at a profit. A part of it is also used to buy seeds. About 150 women already receive a small loan and another 15 women were newly accepted into this project. However, the waiting list of those wanting to be a part of this program is still very long!
