Dear Friends of PAAJAF,

Currently, there are no clear after-school programs in the Gbawe community in Ghana.  As such, school-aged children are unable to access the assistance that they may require for full development.  Due to this, they suffer various setbacks, in terms of their academic, social, physical, and creative achievement.  This existing gap in the provision of supplementary support for young ones and their families necessitates the need for the Children’s Network initiative to support the   children in Ghana.  This program is especially significant for children from low-income families, who do not have the luxury of attending high-performing schools or can afford extra tutoring

The beginnings of the Children’s Network will be based on the after-school programs for children and youth.  This basis will allow for the participating members to be familiar with the program, and each other in order to allow them to understand the objective of the program.  Such beginnings also allow for the entire community to get onboard with the idea of a Children’s Network as an avenue for positive engagement of children and youth in the community.

What is it?

The Children’s Network will provide a bridge between young people and their future.  Specifically, it will be a necessary link between children and school as well as between children, their families and the wider community.

http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/after-school-program-for-70-children-in-ghana/

Objectives

Beneficiaries

• Children and youth
• Parents and guardians
• Schools and other institutions
• The community

Area of focus

Academic

As an after-school program/center, it is expected that the primary emphasis will be education.  Assistance will be given to participating children with both their schoolwork and in other relevant academic area.   There will be:

• Tutoring in al subject areas for children.  Particular emphasis will be on English and Math, and in all other subjects that participants identify as problematic.
• Specialized literacy sessions that will include but not limited to reading circles and a book club.
• Reading and discussions for youth (eg. Debates/speech)

Social

Since this is not entirely an academic based program, efforts will be made to make participants enjoy each other’s company.  In this way, a good amount of time will be spent on allowing children to interact with each other.

Leadership

Participation in the program is aimed at creating good and involved community members, as well as outstanding citizens.  Imparting lessons about the importance of being leaders will be a component of the program.  Through seminars and activities, participants will be taught about responsibility, respect, taking initiative, community involvement, self-esteem, etc.  As part of their civic duty and as leaders, participants will be encouraged to partake in frequent community projects, such as cleanups and gardening projects.

Creativity

Creativity is an often forgotten aspect of development in young people.  It is very important and will be encouraged.  Creativity through the arts will form another pillar of the Children’s Network.  This will be in the form of

• Teaching and learning of dramatic arts
• Singing and dancing
• Creative writing workshops
• Visual and other arts

Physical activity

Health promotion will also be included in the programming of the Children’s Network.  Informing participants about healthy habits and issues will be beneficial.  This will be an excellent opportunity to discuss topics such as sanitation and the environment, healthy eating, disease prevention, fire safety, road safety, etc.

As part of the full development of young people, physical activity plays an important role.  The inclusion of physical activities in the program will be vital.  This does not necessarily have to be activities that involve strenuous exercises.  Simple stretching will even be enough.  The key here is to engrain in the young people that being active is an important part of healthy living.

Tutors and Facilitators

• Willing and available teachers from schools in the community will be encouraged to lend their expertise to support the program.
• Parents with any kind of skills or expertise will also be encouraged to help
• Social workers and others who deal with children and community development will also be asked to give support.
• Seniors at the Junior Secondary School level and of the Senior Secondary level will be solicited to contribute as tutors and facilitators.

Benefits of the Student-Tutor Program

Student tutors are also beneficiaries of the program.  By sharing their knowledge and skills with the younger children at the centre, they are also learning valuable life skills that will assist their own lives, academically, socially, professionally.

Moreover, by volunteering their time to the program, they are providing a wonderful service to the community as a whole.

Funding

Funding such a program has become a great challenge given the conditions of the community and even of the nation.  We are in need of $4,000 as annual operational cost for the project.

However, all efforts will be made to keep the costs of the program at a minimum.  Tutors and facilitators will be expected to take part on a volunteer basis.  As such the real cost will be from the provision of snacks for the young ones, resources for learning and supplies for sports and the creative arts.  We are appealing for your contribution to create this after school programme in Gbawe community in Ghana. Only a $1 can make a real difference in their lives.