Projects

WHH Children's Residential Program

Western Heritage Home, our Ghana Together partner in Axim, has established a children’s residential program that provides a nurturing home for up to thirty-five single- or double-orphaned, homeless, impoverished children. Begun during the initial Ghana Project under the sponsorship of Global Citizen Journey, and continuing under Ghana Together, we helped build the Home and launch the residential program during 2006-2008. Our collective dream became a reality on December 5, 2007, when twenty children moved into the just-completed first floor of the WHH Children's Home/Community Learning Center. Axim did not have such a Home; it is a much-needed resource in the town.

The children have gained weight, and receive medical care. They enjoy typical Ghanaian food, and are behaving as "brothers and sisters" in typical Ghanaian extended family tradition. They come from Christian, Muslim, or Traditional spiritual traditions. The change in their demeanor, confidence, and overall happiness is heart-touching, as we can see in these two photos of Gifty just before she came to live at the Home in 2006, and a year and a half later.

The children range in age from 2 to 14 years. Those of school age attend Manye Academy, a public school reached by a fifteen minute walk through scrub jungle—a safe walk if they keep an eye out for snakes and a small stream that swells during the rainy season. These children attended school only sporadically if at all until September 2006, when WHH, with our help, began funding their schooling and arranged in some cases for temporary guardians. And, if needed, they also receive after-school tutoring to help them catch up.

The children engage in chores such as helping serve meals and cleaning up, doing laundry on Saturdays, sweeping, keeping their sleeping spaces neat and organized, removing weeds from the area, etc. During the dry season, they water the "fence," a thorny hedge grown to keep smaller children in, deter snakes, and limit casual entrance by curious bypassers. The children help grow their own food on the small "farm" (large garden) WHH has established on adjacent land. Some of their biological elderly grandmothers, great-aunts, and other townspeople volunteer their help and farming knowledge. On Saturday mornings they get up very early for a round of physical exercises and a game of soccer. Ghana Together has stocked the Children’s Home in a modest manner with books, learning materials, and some sports equipment.

The Home’s "Mother," Barbara Davis, manages day-to-day activity in the Home with firmness and love in equal abundance. She is joined by head cook Elizabeth Donkor, cleaner Janevan Assifuah, and facility logistics/tutor/sports coordinator and all around handyman Patrick Kwofie. Patrick is also an elected District Assemblyman. While the children sleep, they are carefully protected by night watchman Paul Yankey. James Kainyiah, WHH Board Chair is currently serving as Acting Director for all WHH activities, with Emmanual Hayford as "manager-in-training."

WHH Board members, James Kainyiah, Isaac Bentil, Frances Polley, Hajara Yakubu, Father Paul Awuah, and Paramount Chief Awulae Attiburukusu III keep a close watch on all activities. They are all established leaders in Axim. The Home is fully licensed as a Children’s Home by the Ghanaian Social Welfare Department and is inspected regularly.

Ghana Together provides financial support at about $650/year for each child living in the Home, which provides care, food, medical, school, basic clothing, and other needs. It is gratifying to both WHH leaders and Ghana Together Directors that not only are many North American friends donating funds, but also local Ghanaians are increasingly offering their support to the Home, in the form of donations of rice and other foodstuffs, cash donations, and volunteer help.

In our wilder moments, we dream of supporting 10-15 more children and of a bus to not only transport the children but also to rent out to churches, etc. for a small revenue steam to benefit the Home. And it must be said that Patrick, who walks miles each day, would appreciate a motor bike to not only transport himself, but food and other supplies.