Ghana commended for child-friendly environment

Mrs Gifty Akosua Baka, Country Director of Christian Children’s Fund of Canada -Ghana (CCFC-G) on Friday commended Ghana for creating an enabling environment for non-governmental organizations to make giant strides in giving children a hope for the future.

She said the enabling conditions had facilitated CCFC-Ghana to achieve a lot in fighting poverty, injustice and ensuring that the girl child takes her rightful place in society.

Mrs Baka made these remarks in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra.

She stated that achieving the set target was a major pre-occupation that necessitated constant travel across the length and breadth of the Northern Region to ensure that the programme stayed on course.

She said in the area of collaboration and support, there was considerable success: “We had the opportunity to begin working with Child Fund Korea and in the same vein we also had an opportunity to undertake an forestation project with the World Food Programme.

“We were able to plant 4,152 seedlings on school compounds and in communities.” The CCFC-G Country Director said the number of children in Early Childhood Development Centres (ECD) had increased tremendously over the past five years. Nine ECDs were constructed for 300 children and, in addition, free school uniforms were distributed to 2,127 children, by the Fund.

Mrs Baka in an over view of 2012, said 369,352 children were dewormed, while 75 of them with various medical conditions were supported to obtain treatment.

She stated that a new clinic extension for staff of the Kasuliyilli Clinic was completed and occupied while the construction of two new ECD centres was underway.

Mrs Baka noted that two nurses’ quarters were provided for two communities. She said in the course of the year they had major challenges in the area of storms, explaining that four schools had their roofs ripped off; which had to be re-roofed, while several communities were flooded.

She said the organization trained 1,860 men, women and children on water safety and sanitation practices, while 2,539 sanitation facilities like toilets and soak-aways were constructed or improved upon.

She said 75 water provision sites were built or improved upon, which included hand-dug wells, water points and rain water harvesting tanks.

Mrs Baka outlined a number of socio-economic projects CCFC – Ghana had embarked upon to enhance poverty alleviation in the country She said CCFC – Ghana had drawn a six-year strategic document for 2013-2018.

CCFC is a Canadian-based, registered charity and child-centred international development organization.

It is inspired by Christ's example of personal, caring love and supports children, families and communities of all faiths in developing countries.

CCFC works side-by-side with other child-centred organizations in developing countries, emphasizing child and community development.