Supporting Orphanages in Ghana
Whilst working on the ground in Ghana our team came across a local orphanage that is home to 65 children aged 2-18 years old. Children who have been orphaned, abandoned or forced to leave their homes because of extreme poverty or domestic violence.
Children like Michael, who at just seven years old ran away with his younger brother in the hope of a better life. Their father was never at home and was and there was no food for them to eat. The pair were found living on the street and were taken to the local police station where they were transferred to the orphanage. They have no other family and cannot return to live in the conditions they were living in at home. The orphanage is their only hope and their home.
The orphanage is run by the Agyanka Wo Enidaso Foundation, which relies heavily on the unwavering commitment and dedication of the fifteen staff (including teachers) that are paid below the minimum wage to care for the children as best they can. The orphanage operates on an absolute shoe-string and the staff are focused on the daily need to care for the children and have very little time to dedicate to finding new funds.
When we visited the orphanage we were shocked by the conditions that the children were living in; there are not enough beds so children share small beds or sleep on the floor, the electricity supply is unreliable, there is limited access to clean water and the rooms are cramped with walls decorated with bed bugs and mosquito splattered remains.
Wherever possible, children are repatriated with their parents but some children have returned because of the violent or neglectful conditions at home. The physical condition of the orphanage is in complete disrepair, but the love and care that the children receive is in abundance and it is the only place where the children feel safe.
The children are all taught by qualified teachers at the orphanage’s on site pre and primary school and they are encouraged to be creative, explore their talents and learn about the world that they live in and find their place in it.
We were overwhelmed by what the staff are able to achieve on £415 per month, it is quite simply staggering. But, they are in desperate need of funding to make the living conditions better for the children. They need more beds, doors and windows on the classrooms, books that follow the curriculum, a more reliable source of electricity and basic furniture.
With your support we can help this incredibly resourceful organisation to offer the children a more comfortable home and school, one that they can be proud of.