All of AfriKids’ work in northern Ghana is guided by our goal to Listen, Empower and Sustain. Our ‘One Child at a Time’ policy is a reflection of this aim, striving to listen to the needs of each individual child and providing the correct support that is right for that child.
AfriKids runs over 25 projects across the Upper East Region of Ghana, each one taking the ‘One Child at a Time’ approach. The policy allows us to respond to the local needs of our beneficiaries, supporting both the children, who are at the centre of our work, and their families in order to bring about sustainable change.
One of our projects that demonstrates this idea is our Family Livelihood Support Programme (FLISP). Launched in 2008, FLISP aims to empower women both financially and socially, enabling them to develop small businesses, boosting their household income and thereby increasing support for their children. The FLISP micro-finance program has helped over 1,000 women since its beginning, through the distribution of micro-loans.
A loan from AfriKids allows women such as Mavis to buy 5 bags of shea nuts and 2 buckets at a total of £44.60. This has enabled her to become a member of a shea butter cooperative alongside two other mothers, turning a profit of around £4 a month which helps to cover her household costs. Considering that the average annual household income in the Upper East region is less than £26.50, the micro-loan has helped to considerably increase Mavis’ yearly earnings.
Guided by the ‘One Child at a Time’ policy, our micro-finance program evaluates each family’s individual situation in order to establish the best loan and business opportunity for them. Each FLISP beneficiary receives a tailor-made package that includes a loan as well as business and life skills training, assisting them to either start or grow a business of their own. The increased income of the women that we support aids them to provide their children with a more secure childhood, and greater prospects for the future.
Our ‘One Child at a Time’ approach continues to allow us to provide effective and sustainable support to those who need it; bringing big smiles to little faces.
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AfriKids’ runs a ‘One Child at a Time’ policy which aims to understand each child’s unique situation and work with them as individuals. We understand that each child is different and has their own respective story, and therefore requires help that is tailored to their own background and needs. The policy was introduced as a direct response to local needs and focuses on supporting children and their families in order to create positive, sustainable change.
Our ‘One Child at a Time’ approach is put into action in all of our projects. Currently AfriKids runs 27 projects which are all child-focused. The ‘New Beginnings’ programme was launched in 2009, and focuses on giving vulnerable and disadvantaged children in the Upper East Region a good start in life. This project aims to help street and working children by resettling them and each child receives a package tailored to their individual needs. The packages included a variety of things aimed at supporting the child and their family, including lunch allowances and national health insurance. New Beginnings supports young people to earn a living, for example through formal apprenticeships so they can learn a trade.
Tackling child streetism, ‘One Child at a Time’ ensures a high percentage of children we identify are successfully re-settled at home and enrolled in school. The School of Night Rabbits provides evening classes twice a week for children who live on the streets. Often, these children find the prospect of giving up the little they earn too daunting to consider, so these evening classes are a great way for children to be introduced to schooling and begin the process of re-settlement with families. For children living and working on the street, entry into formal education may take time, but each child is treated as an individual and our staff take the time to build relationships with each and every one of them.
Our ‘One Child at a Time’ policy continues to be successful and we aim to use this approach in all of our projects. It is an effective method of ensuring that all children that we support receive quality support, which involves understanding what they and their families need in order to enable sustainable change.
AfriKids’ ‘One Child at a Time’ policy came into effect as a direct response to local needs. It is a unique approach that ensures we never overlook the needs of any child that comes into our care. All children are assessed as individuals, and are given a care package designed especially for them. No two children are the same, so we do not apply the same rule to all. Since 2002, there have been over 786,423 beneficiaries, and 130,409 of those were in 2013 alone.
We have 27 different projects, all of which are child-focused. Beneficiaries can benefit in a number of ways; including being registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme enabling them to receive free healthcare and being entered into formal education; including all necessary items such as books and uniforms. There are 35 children living in our excellent foster home which is run by Mama Laadi, and 20+ in our transitional street child home – the Next Generation Home (NGH). We also run evening classes twice a week for children who live on the streets. Often, these children find the prospect of giving up the little they earn too daunting to consider, so these evening classes are a great way for children to be introduced to schooling. For street children, entry into formal education takes time, and the staff work hard to build relationships and respect with them.
In all possible cases, AfriKids tries to resettle children with their families and avoid the institutionalisation of beneficiaries. AfriKids ensures that the children will be going back to a caring and loving home. This is a long journey with many counselling sessions and discussions on the best outcome for the child.
Our 'one child at a time' policy continues to be successful and ensures that all children are receiving top quality care and education; also ensuring that they are accompanied through the transition from childhood to independent adulthood.
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