Volunteer in Northern Ghana - Donation or funds giving

Volunteer in Northern Ghana

RELIEVEMENT OF GHANAIAN DEPRIVED COMMUNITY SECTORS

Recent Headlines

“ACUTE FOOD SHORTAGE LOOMS IN NORTHERN REGIONS”

“FOOD SHORTAGE PREDICTED”

“HEALTH FEARS AFTER GHANA FLOODS”

“HEAVY RAINS CAUSE DEATHS”

After 6 months of drought Ghana has experienced its worst flooding in modern times. Several hundred thousand homeless. Whole villages under water. Hundreds are isolated by the flood waters, destroyed bridges and damaged roads. 69% of crops destroyed. Severe food shortages are already being experienced and a major famine is in the near future. With hunger comes malnutrition and disease. The children and elderly face the greatest risk. We are currently in the process of raising funds for flood relief—food, medical supplies, as well as basic necessities are desperately needed. At present we can purchase most of these items in-country. Soon though local supplies will be depleted, prices will go up and many things will have to be imported.

In times past, the nation of Ghana was blessed during times of severe circumstances. God’s people have always stepped forward to feed the hungry, care for the sick, provide shelter and protection for the families and children. The result of our benevolence has made Ghana one of the most fruitful fields in the world for preaching the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. I have been involved with the work in Ghana since 1980 - establishing churches, training preachers and providing assistance to the people of Ghana.

The people of Ghana need your help. We need individuals and churches to step forward immediately and help us in this relief effort. Your prayers and financial support not only will provide food, medicine and shelter – it will send a message to everyone in the region that the churches of Christ care.

All of the relief work will be done through local churches and faithful members of the churches in the affected areas. We are asking you to share in the fellowship of this urgent need and ask your home congregation to help us financially. Here are a few ways your gift can help:

$25 will purchase food for one family in Ghana
$250 will purchase food for 10 families, or help buy much needed medicines to treat cholera, malaria, etc.
$2,500 will allow us to build a shelter in the community that later could be used as a church building

Whatever your ability is within the congregation we want to thank you for your compassionate response. If you cannot support us at this time, we ask that you and your congregation continue to pray for the people of Ghana. We pray that one day you might be able to join us in the campaign work in Ghana.

Please contact everyone you know and ask them also to participate. (Don’t just forward this appeal – but take the time to write a personal note or email to your friends and associates and attach this appeal to your personal correspondence.) We also ask that you contact your local church leaders and ask if they would consider making a special contribution toward this effort.

This relief effort will be under the oversight of the Cregdes Italy.
For more infomation about the flood www.ghanamissions.com

The origins of the fund and its managers:
Soon after "Cregdes" was founded it became clear that the people who did voluntary work often wanted to contribute financially as well to the development of socially underpriviliged groups. However, we did not want to disrupt our intentions of allowing relationships between Europeans and Ghanaians to be as equal as possible. Should individual voluntary workers personally donate money to host families, workshops or individuals, this would soon lead to expectations in that all voluntary workers are coming to Ghana in order to donate money. In this way you as a voluntary worker would very often be approached with requests for money and materials. Moreover, these thoughtless donations often give rise to envy, quarrels or mistaken expectations. To prevent these situations as much as possible, we have decided to found the "Cregdes" fund.

The fund is managed by the "Cregdes" team in Ghana, which has the advantage that the Ghanaian team can more easily judge in what ways the money can be used constructively, since they know the people and the culture. In this way the risks of negative side-effects are smaller in the long run than if our voluntary workers would choose how to spend the money. After all, they only spend a limited amount of time in Ghana, they do not really know the culture and they have little opportunity to keep an eye on things once they have returned to their own country. Another advantage is that in this way aid is limited to a number of projects, so that the effects are greater than they would be if each individual would donate an amount of money themselves. There is always a Dutch volunteer who assists the "Cregdes" team in managing the money and in organising the activities of the fund. In this way Dutch people are and will remain part of the fund. The "Cregdes" team is always open to suggestions for new projects if these are made by "Cregdes" voluntary workers who have donated money.

What are the projects of the fund?

Micro financing for the village women
The village women can borrow 50 euros from the "Cregdes" fund, to start a business of their own so that they can earn their own income. An interest of ca 5% is charged (this is highly exceptional; most other projects for micro financing charge between 15 to 30 % interest!). During the first three months the women do not have to pay back any money; after this period they start paying back the loan. Once they have paid back the whole amount, the money can be used by other women. Between 1st January and 1st October 2005 sixteen women have received a loan.

School money for the village children
The fund pays school money for a number of village children whose parents cannot afford to pay for schooling. This includes a school uniform and books. Between 1st January and 1st October 2005 eight children were able to attend school, thanks to the fund.

Occasional support of a number of projects where our volunteers work
Occasionally, money is donated to the projects where our volunteers work. For example: money for water and food was donated to the school for physically handicapped children and for materials for their daycare centre; for materials for and rent of the rooms for the women who work in the community of the physically handicapped; and to a number of schools.

What is the official status of the fund?

The "Cregdes" fund is an official part of the NGO (Non-governmental Organisation) 'Taimako plants and herbal medicine'. Apart from the income it receives from the "Cregdes" fund, this NGO receives donations from several organisations in various countries. It also finances the projects of the Ghana Psychic and Traditional Healers Association (NSBCP) who organise and support traditional healers in Northern Ghana.

How does the fund get its money and what percentage goes directly into the projects?

Everyone who supports the ideals of the fund can donate money. See "How can you donate?". So far, mainly individual voluntary workers and/or their families have donated money. In the future we hope to appeal to the people who visit this website! Moreover, "Cregdes" donates part of their income to the fund. In 2005 this amounted to more than 11%. Overhead expenses (such as salaries, administration, offices, etc.), as are for instance made by other development organisations, are paid for by the organisation "Cregdes". In this way, 100 % of the donations are used directly for the projects! This is a very exceptional procedure of which we are very proud.

How can you donate money?

If the projects the fund has started and supports, appeal to you, you can make a donation. Your donations enable us to improve and expand our activities. proccess click below