Playgrounds & Vocational Project for Jamestown.

Brief about the project:

DUNK!'s previous successes have stimulated demand from community groups for partnerships in implementing similar initiatives. This project is derivative of the needs identified for at-risk children to socialize, learn, play in a safe environment.In communities plagued by high levels of school drop-outs, illiteracy, unemployment and, idleness among youths at times leading to criminal behavior, the project will help build character and provide leadership training.

This is a 6-month project to be implemented in collaboration with established partners at three sites in impoverished communities around Accra. DUNK! will identify and train a cadre of youth coaches who will deliver 15 training sessions (5 per site), empowering each partner to take ownership of the project outcomes.  The project also includes the construction of a Basketball Court in Kokrobite, a fishermen village.

Objectives:

100 Boys and girls between the age of 10 to 17 from Kokrobite, Hebron Houses and Orphan Aid (specifically street children, orphans and vulnerable children) will benefit from life-skills and Basketball training. 15 DUNK! Youth coaches (boys and girls) from Nima between the age of 14 to 17 will gain employability skills and will be trained as coaches 3 ambassadors from the 3 local partners will be empowered to carry on the project after DUNK! completion of the project.

First Stop, Chance-for-Children

Estimates show that there are about 30,000 - 50,000 street children living in Ghana’s capital of Accra. Society does not have a place for street children and government barely provides any sort of support for them.

For Chance-for-children, Street children in Accra should have the opportunity to take control of their lives through experiencing love and safety, and receiving an education and professional training. Chance for children houses are located at Hebron, a small town on the road to the Eastern Region.

Children in Hebron

Up to 60  (30 boys and 30 girls) former street children living in the Hebron-Home. The youth in Hebron are between 6 and 19 years of age, originate from different regions in Ghana and all came to Accra as loners, surviving around the Kokomba-Market area. Upon their arrival in Hebron they attend Prince Bwateng Memorial School in Nsawam – a private school, which is located only five minutes away from Hebron. After classes they all do their homework together and deepen their knowledge in small study groups. There are also some children living at the house who don’t go to school again yet. They are educated intensively so that they can soon return to a regular school. 

The children are supposed to feel loved and secure at the CFC facility in Hebron. The children have a duty plan, which they have arranged together. Regular meetings and daily talks with the social workers guarantee a goal-oriented problem-solving process

Kwame

My name is Kwame. My life was on the street. When I was on the street I used to do gambling and many other things. I have stayed on the street for about 8 years. To stay on the street is not easy because sometimes you will not get money to buy food or even to buy water. I didn’t have a place to sleep so sometimes I slept at the roadside. When it was raining I felt very sad. Sometimes I had to beg for money before I could eat. Sometimes I had to go to the marketplace to sell something before I could buy food. So life on the street isn’t easy. These are my experiences from the street.

(Kwame, 15 years, former street child, is now living at the CFC-Boys Home)

For Protection Reason, we were not allowed to take pictures of the children but here are some pictures of the facility and our 10 participating young coaches. 23 boys from Hebron participated in the Basketball Session. After the 2-hour session, 4 balls, a pump and 10 jerseys were donated to Chance-for-Children.