Regional News of Monday, 30 July 2012

Source: GNA

World Vision to support 800,000 vulnerable children

World Vision Ghana, a Christian humanitarian, advocacy and development organization, plans to contribute to the improvement in the well-being of 800,000 vulnerable boys and girls over the next three years.

Speaking at a reception for partners, Mrs Gifty Appiah, Ministry Quality Director World Vision, said the goal to lift the children out of deprivation was in line with the organization’s strategic plan, which has been informed by the country’s socio-economic development and international goals.

The reception was to enable World Vision to share its programmes and projects with the partners and to promote good working relationship.

World Vision Ghana, which currently works in 34 districts in the 10 regions of the country, also plans to improve access and quality of education for over 500,000 school children to enhance learning.

There will also be interventions in the areas of water, sanitation and hygiene, improved health and nutritional status of children under five and improved household food security within the three years life span of the strategic plan.

Mrs Appiah said the water and sanitation objective would be accomplished through improved access to potable water, protection of households from sanitation-related infection and disease and improved hygiene practices.

On household food security, she said the goal would be to encourage sustainable environmental practices, alternative livelihood programmes, improved crop and animal husbandry and upgrading local value chains and access to markets.

Mrs Appiah said World Vision was seeking to strengthen its partnerships with various organizations to be able to deliver on its goal of sustained well-being of the vulnerable.

She said World Vision valued participation and local ownership of development initiatives and therefore worked with communities, partner agencies, district assemblies and government agencies to enable them own the development process thereby enhancing the sustainability of the projects.

On disaster risks, Mrs Appiah said World Vision Ghana, had responded to several disasters over the years, including floods, ethnic and chieftaincy conflicts adding that there were experts ready to be deployed to offer assistance during such crisis.**