Annual Report
download ANNUAL REPORT 2008 (pdf)
download ANNUAL REPORT 2009 (pdf)
if you need older reports? send a mail
ANNUAL REPORT 2009
Peace of Christ-
Hand in Hand Community
Nkoranza, GHANA
Postbox 120, Nkoranza (BA), GHANA.
Tel: ++233-(0)24273109
Website:www.operationhandinhand.nl
Contents:
1. Summary
2. Purpose of the community
3. Short history and sketch of the present situation
4. Journal of the year 2009
5. Sheltered Workshop Report
6. Organization, staff and management
7. Finances
8. Conclusion
Annex 1: Financial statements 2009
Annex 2: General Information on Ghana
Chapter 5 By Paul Agyapong
Annex 1 By Robert Maram
Annex 3 Quoted from among others Ghana fact book CIA
Others b: Ineke Bosman
1. Summary
The “PCC/Hand in Hand Community” is a residential community for abandoned and mentally handicapped children. It is an NGO, a non-government organization, first registered in Ghana in 1992. A sheltered workshop is attached.
This year three new children, Afia Harriet, Papa John and Yaw Hillal, joined the residential community and two young adults, Samuella and Bernice, joined the sheltered workshop.
At the end of the year 2009 57 children and young adults permanently lived at our community and 17 kids were attached from outside to the workshop.
The Sheltered workshop is meant to provide work and vocational training for the mentally handicapped youngsters who live at the Hand in Hand Community as well as for those who live in the surrounding villages.
We run our large family mostly by the contribution of sponsors overseas. However we make huge attempts to generate more funds locally so as to gain financial independence in the future. The internet-cafe keeps its central position in town and attracts customers from Nkoranza and beyond, our guesthouses are much in demand and recommended by three separate travel guides, the supermarket brings small income. Mostly we gain additional income from the sales of products made in the sheltered workshop and promoted for sale in our local shop as well as in shops all over Holland.
Our Ghanaian team consists of 25 persons and we provide place for 4 foreign volunteers, who help with various specified child programmes. At the end of the year 2009 Dr. Ineke Bosman and Mr. Bob Maram retired and Dr. Ab van Galen took over the general directorship of the community. Since 29 Dec 2009 the board of directors consists of Mr. Samuel Kwame Baffo, administrative director, Mr. Ema Dasebre, direcor in charge of care and Dr Albert van Galen, general director. .
The neighbouring “Shalom Special School” is a special school for the mentally handicapped. It is a government school, opened in 1997 and providing for over 100 handicapped children from our region. Many of our younger residential Hand in Hand children attend this school. The school was initiated by the Hand in Hand Community but runs independently and is managed by the Ghana Education Service.
2. Purpose of the “Hand in Hand Community”
In the rural areas intellectually handicapped children are still sometimes referred to as “water-children”. Local tradition has it that these children are born as a result of a woman being raped by a water-spirit. Water spirits, real or not, are thus causing havoc in people’s lives and the water children, being half spirits and half human are much feared. In the traditional way the handicapped child is put back along the riverside where these spirits have their abode. At night the spirits then submerge and take the children “back home” to the depth of the river with them.
Luckily these traditional concepts are rapidly changing.
In Nkoranza the presence of our many special children has already caused a sustained positive change. In the beginning we had a real problem finding caregivers who could rise above the fears and family pressures of the local community and have enough courage to live with our kids. These early days caregivers came and went in rapid succession. Some stayed only for a few hours. Now, 17 years later, our caregivers form a loving and stable team. Clearly the innocent nature of these special children has helped disarm the troubling traditional belief-system of the Brong-Ahafo (Bono) people. Gradually the mentally handicapped child is not only seen as harmless but as truly very special.
Increasingly churches, schools, the government and many non government initiatives have invested time in educating the Ghanaian community about the nature of mental diseases and intellectual and behavioral handicaps. They have been active agents in campaigning for a more humane treatment of the intellectually handicapped child.
Apart from the dangerous traditional belief-systems, the parents of course have to cope with the universally experienced feelings of agony when faced with having to raise a handicapped child.
It is not surprising therefore, that some of these handicapped children are abandoned along the river, or else starved or hidden away in small rooms and sheds, while others are laid abandoned in more public places in the hope that someone may find them and keep them alive.
It is to children like these, who are abandoned, that we want to offer our warm and loving home.
Most of our children are transferred from two state institutions in the capital: the Osu Children home and the state mental hospital in Accra. This is where most abandoned foundlings are brought if they were lucky enough to survive. These two institutions, ill prepared as they are for the housing of mentally disabled children, formed the end of the line for these kids, as there are no good residential homes for mentally handicapped children in Ghana, not until we founded our “Hand in Hand Community”.
Of late we have also received children from orphanages in Tamale, Cape coast and Kumasi. Usually nothing is known of the actual origin and natural family of the abandoned child.
3. Short history and sketch of present situation
Our community started in 1991 through the initiative of four health-professionals (3 Ghanaians and one Ghanaian-Dutch). A Christian spirit and a commitment to provide shelter to abandoned children with a mental handicap lay at the basis of this movement. In 1991 land was provided by the traditional chief and official registration as an NGO (non government organization) took place in Ghana in 1992.
The land is beautiful with natural sources and awesome rock-formations. The four initiators constructed simple bungalows to house the first abandoned and mentally handicapped children. These were transferred from badly equipped in state mental hospitals and orphanages. After a few years the new family was well established and its unique spirit set, and donations came flowing in to support the upkeep of the children and the further extension of the village.
More caregivers were trained to help provide the right atmosphere and one by one facilities such as a kitchen, a pool, a classroom, a cuddle room and a sheltered workshop were developed. Presently we accommodate 57 residential children and 17 youngsters who come from families in surrounding villages to work at the sheltered workshop with us.
Our very first child, Nana Yaw Moses, was transferred in December 1992 from the state mental hospital in Accra. He was emaciated when he arrived, a deeply afflicted autistic boy whose epileptic fits were uncontrolled. Gradually Nana Yaw developed into a somewhat confident well groomed young man who would have been 23 this year. Nana Yaw died suddenly on the 24th September 2007. After Nana Yaw in a steady stream new children were transferred to our community.
Activities only temporary slowed down when in 1994 three of the founders left. Dr. Ineke Bosman took a leave of absence for a Counseling Degree in Chicago, Dr Appiedu Mensah left to Accra for further specialization and Mr. George Kumih Kyeremeh was transferred to Koforidua Region. Between ‘94 and ‘96 the “PCC-Hand in Hand project” was left on the shoulders of Mr. Andrew Osei Takyi alone, but after her return in 1996 Andrew and Ineke begun to systematically, one by one, bring children home to the new community. Together they worked through the list of names of mentally handicapped children, who were barely surviving in the mental hospital and orphanages, where they had earlier encountered them. Every time a room was ready and there was the hope for a sponsor, an Accra-trip was made to bring some more new children to our community.
In 1997 the then board of the PCC-Hand in Hand Community approved a proposal for the construction of a special school and the government promised to be in charge of its management. Thus the Shalom Special School was born. Presently over 100 children, from inside and outside our residential community, are enrolled at the school.
In June 1997 Ineke and Bob’s fairytale wedding-feast took place at the Hand in Hand community. The then 12 handicapped children formed the center and entourage of the wedding-party. Afterwards Bob Maram joined the Board as financial director.
We invited a fourth director, Mr. Samuel Baffo, to be in charge of constructions and income generating projects. He developed the internet-café and facilities for the guests; 11 guesthouses were built between 1998 and 2008 in response to an ever increasing number of visitors to our community. A telephone-connection was established in 2001 and a mini-supermarket and restaurant for visitors was opened around that time.
The idea and subsequent construction of a Sheltered workshop was realized with the financial assistance of the Dutch Embassy in 2003. The volunteer Ellen Seldenthuis helped to initiate and coordinate the early workshop activities in 2004. Later the SMA Lay missionary Steven Philips continued the development of the workshop between 2006 and 2009. Between 2005 and 2009 an extra weaving-hall, office, summer-hut, unit to recycle old glass bottles into beads, computer-lab, sewing room and autistic hall were added to the sheltered workshop. Mr.Paul Agyampong, formally attached to the Sheltered Workshop through National Service, is since June 2009 the new coordinator of the workshop.
Mr. Andrew Takyi left in 2006 to fulfill his life long dream of becoming a pastor.
In 2007 the former caregiver Mr. Ema Daasebre was asked to be the Director of Childcare for PCC. During part of 2009 he has been on study leave and will return in March 2010.
The board of Directors consisted of 4 persons, Ineke Bosman (general director), Bob Maram (financial director), Kwame Baffo, (director of income generating projects) and Mr. Emanuel, general coordinator.
In 2009 the new incoming director, Dr Albert van Galen and his wife Jeanette spend several weeks for an orientation visit which eventually led to the handover process, which was completed on the 29 Dec 2009. Ineke and Bob retired and Dr Albert officially accepted the overall leadership of the community.
Our premises are large. They measure 24 acres of hilly land with a lovely natural setting. The buildings where the children with their caregivers live form a half circle of small cottages. The caregivers live like parents with their children. They sleep together, play together, bathe their children, eat with them and bring them to school. The caregivers also have general assignments in the group, such as running daycare, shopping and cooking, weeding and farming, computer classes, weaving, supervising the swimming-hour, etc. Emphasis is laid on warmth, fun and love. Parties are small but frequent events.
We loyally adhere to a precise daily routine so that the children may feel safe. Highlight of the daily schedule is the 4pm swimming-time where the children bathe, exercise and have fun with the water. This “pool-happening” is also the beginning of the end of the day. Afterwards kids and caregivers eat together and then retreat to look TV or move to their cottages. At 8 all is quiet and asleep.
At the other side of the semi circle of children-cottages lay the very picturesque guesthouses for our visitors.
By staying with us the visitors generate income for our project.
We also generate income by way of our little supermarket, the satellite internet-cafe in town and the sale of beautiful products produced at the sheltered workshop. This local generation of funds is of course much needed for the continuation of our project.
Eight of our children have Down’s syndrome. Twelve children are autistic. Three suffer from various rare hereditary congenital diseases (Rett’s disease, Recklinghousen’s adeno-fribroma and Friedreich’s ataxia). Eleven children have cerebral palsy and the others suffer from non-specific intellectual handicaps, often combined with epilepsy and physical handicaps. Many of these are caused by birth-injuries.
4. Journal of the year 2009
This year our community celebrated its seventeenth birthday.
During 2009 another five children joined us.
- John Papa. 4 years old. Transferred from Osu Children Home on 21 March 2009
Parents not known, deserted at a marketplace in Koforidua. Caregiver
is Ema the Third.
Papa John is a nice little boy who is very fearful and cries easily. His facial and eye expression is one of ‘be alert and flight’! However he has become more settled during the year and occasionally smiles and dances, especially during the musical morning hour. John Papa likes to be liked and holds on to your hand easily till the next hand reaches out to him. He likes to eat and eat much! In the beginning he did not sleep well but now he oversleeps! He has started the day-care program for toilet training. During Christmas he was chosen to play the little baby Jesus and was thrown into the air and celebrated for many days at a stretch, during the repetitions as well as the actual performance. This has given him a large dose of self-esteem and it was wonderful to see the change in him.
M’ Afia, Harriet, estimated to
be 12 years old. Transferred from Osu Children Home on 23-3-09. Harriet
was found on the street, brought to the orphanage in Accra by a certain
man who said not to be related to her. That person later could not be
traced. .Harriet has a mild intellectual handicap. Caregiver is Esther. M’Afia ‘Harriet’ is a very prestigious name. We ask ourselves who gave her such
a name, and why, but no-one can tell. When you ask her ‘what is your name’
she answers ‘M’Afia’, which means born on Tuesday. When you ask her ‘Is
your name Harriet?” she also happily agrees. So the extra beautiful name
‘Harriet’ remains a pleasant mystery for the time being.
Harriet always smiles and often laughs out loud. She seems rather intelligent and speaks Twi as well as a few words of English. Her intellectual handicap is only mild.
Harriet can be moody and rough but can also be social towards the other children and calls readily for attention if she needs help. A survivor, this Harriet, despite the trauma of being abandonment and her ‘street-episode’, whatever its cause.
Harriet is eager to learn and attends Shalom Special School. She loves to receive computer lessons and is readily learning how to read and write.
- Yaw Hillal, born around 1990. Transferred to Hand in Hand
on March 30th of 2009, from Holy Family Hospital in Techiman. No known
relatives. Near blind. Severe learning disabilities. Autism.
In March 2009 Yaw Hillal was brought to our community by the staff of the neighbouring Holy Family Hospital at Techiman. He is named after the surgeon, Dr. Hillal, who attended to him.
This was his story. During the busy Christmas days Yaw was rushed into Holy Family emergency room by unknown men. The boy was screaming and bleeding from injuries to his genitals, of which parts were removed. While he got attended to with first aid measures, the men who brought him disappeared, probably afraid of having to tell a story and even more so by having to face the medical bill.
The nurses called him Yaw (Thursday-born) because he arrived on a Thursday.
The police and social welfare could not trace the men who sent him or find out where Yaw came from. Everyone was afraid of coming near to the victim. This day and age it still happens that boy’s genitals are being used for traditional witchcraft and it is thought that the victim may be contaminated with some of that evil black magic himself. Thus…see nothing, hear nothing, speak nothing. Touch nothing! Yaw himself cannot tell the story. After three months of plastic surgery he was discharged from the hospital and transferred to our community. .
He is almost blind and has neurological disorders. He shows autistic behavior and has severe learning disabilities. Yaw sometimes utters a few words: ‘ I am hungry’, ‘I want water’, ‘Give me money’. In echolalia, he repeats what he hears if he is in a good mood. He looks relatively contented at the autism table and can colour, draw and put beads on a string. At least he is safe.
At the sheltered workshop, two wonderful
girls, Bernice and Samuelle, joined us. 
Bernice Samuella
Our staff position again increased with one more caregiver making a total of 25.
Unfortunately our workshop coordinator Stephen Philips was transferred by his missionary congregation to another project. We thank Steve for a great job done and miss him, but found a good replacement in the former national service man Paul Agyampong. Presently Paul is our workshop coordinator.
The year 2009 was the year of the ‘big change’ in our management situation. On the 29th of December Ineke Bosman handed over the leadership of the PCC-Hand in Hand Community to Albert van Galen.
Bob and Ineke are retiring and Albert will be the new general director of PCC. His wife Jeanette van Galen will assist in certain fields such as education and child-development. Thank you Bob Maram for over ten years of financial management.
Jeanette and Albert, ‘Akwaaba!’ It is good to have you on board.
Infrastructure multiplied again. A sewing room was added to the workshop, a line of semi independent living quarters were constructed, a new store was built, lots of renovation took place and Ineke and Bob built their new retirement house in which they moved on 24 October 2009. Their old house serves as the new home for Albert and Jeanette who moved in on the 21st of December. Albert and Jeanette will not be resident at the community but travel four times a year to Ghana to spend a month with the community. They reside in The Netherlands.
As usual the enthusiasm of our children and caregivers reached its peak during the Christmas events, especially this year because of the additional hand over ceremony on the 29th, for which three of Albert’s children had come over from Holland. It is clear and awe inspiring that our visitors get touched by the happy simplicity of our community. Many return and become volunteers or established friends in other ways. Our children in all their disarming spontaneity are at the heart of the attraction.
5. Report from the Sheltered Workshop
(by Paul Agyampong)
PCC Sheltered workshop in the year 2009 saw more growth and improvements. The year saw no expansion at the workshop, it rather improved tremendously. The activity of individuals in the workshop was much impressive creating a loving working place for the kids. Making of tie and dye was introduced this year to help both the caregivers and the kids in future.
Improvement on each parts of the workshop:
Necklace Making Hall
The new product introduced at the end of 2008 was more productive in 2009. Caregivers and kids were all amazing, corporation and production increase since there were fewer problems in assisting the kids in making the necklaces.
The leadership and other personnel also had restructuring to give caregivers new challenges and the workshop new ideas. A national Service personnel and other assistant from Germany joined the workshop. A couple of youth left the workshop for various reasons, and two new girls, Bernice and Samuella, joined us.
A couple of caregivers also left the workshop and new ones joined to strengthen the workshop and to help the workshop achieve its goals
Still on improvement, Quality control for necklace and bracelets greatly improved, quality control officer did his work well, by checking the length, balance, quality of locks, meeting the required description on the website, etc.
At the end of the year, the breakdown of the kids in the Necklace Making Hall was as follows:
Dormitory kids: Day kids: PCC kids:
Abigail Suzy Ayuba
Afia Nyarko Yaw Owusu (Nfanti) M’Adjoah
Amoakoah Samuel Owusu Della
Bernice Evans Samuella Kofi Asare Simon Zachariah
Kojo Owusu Kofi Baidu Kwame Evans
Kojo Yeboah
Total number of kids in the Necklace Making Hall at the end of 2009: 19
Weaving Hall
The weaving hall which is next to the necklace hall saw improvements. Now the balancing is taken into consideration. The thread are now assembled to match and can keep the eye on it now. The caregiver in charge of the weaving hall is putting up his best in designing and organizing the weaving hall well.
One youth, who had stayed home for a long time for various reasons, also joined his colleagues in the weaving hall.
A new caregiver has been introduces to assist the formal one. Cooperation between them has greatly improved. The choice of colour for weaving has also improved. Production this time has improved meeting the require orders from Holland.
At the end of the year, the breakdown of kids in the Weaving Hall was as follows:
Dormitory kids: PCC kids:
Charles John F.
Kwame Nkrumah Kojo Evans
Latif
Computer hall
The computer hall is well situated behind the necklace hall and the weaving hall. Kids with potential abilities for learning computer skills were assessed and a small waiting list set up. Goals set for each kids is being built upon gradually and has improved now.
The computer hall welcomed new personnel from Germany. She introduced new educative programs that the kids enjoy so much. Her duties in the computer hall is has helped the caregiver in the computer room a lot. Volunteers brought some new programs for learning and communicating with computers. At the end of the year, 13 kids were in the computer classes:
Kojo Evans John F. Paa Yaw Mabel Suzy
Emma Jerry Samuel Owusu Henrietta Ayuba Bright
Evans Dede Ahmed
Nana Yaw’s Paradise
The kids in the “Autistic Hall” enjoy their own freedom on their own compound which is more spacious. Workshops/trainings were done regarding autism and records were kept listing interests in new activities that each child in the Nana Yaw’s Paradise demonstrated. New sensory related activities focused on needs/interests of kids with autism included: a box of sand; a box of beans; a water bucket; painting (on paper and on the walls); drawing/colouring; drumming. In addition, the stringing of beads was also continued for the kids who enjoyed that routine.
Income generating activities that these kids were involved with throughout the year included making hipstrings and door curtains as well as painting greeting cards and envelopes and making of party flags which are selling well in the shop.
One kid, Yaw Hilla joined the Autistic table. At the end of the year 2009, the 8 kids in Nana Yaw’s Paradise were:
Cynthia Mariella Yaa Yaa Ntiamoah
Yaw Balloon Boadu Afia Yaw Hilla
Bead making
At the workshop we make our own glass beads which started years ago and continue this year at different pace. Firing of the beads was only done Mondays and Fridays. These beads are used in making necklaces, bracelet and also we get loose beads (beads that have not been made into necklaces or bracelets) that were made at PCC for sale both on the website and in the store on PCC grounds. Formally Jerry was in charge of the bead making. He left for various reasons and was replaced by Stephen and his assistant Mike are cooperating in supervising the bead making unit.
There are 5 kids assisting the bead making;
Zachariah Amoakoah
Ayuba Kofo Badu
John A.
Sewing hall
The new sewing department is generating income from the items sewn and sold in the shop. The supervisor of the sewing room (Emma II) is putting up his best in training the kids. Their product includes: basic bags, purses, aprons, picnic cloths and headbands.
At the end of 2009, five (5) kids were trained: Ayuba, Suzy, Samuella, Abigail and Simon.
Office
The office is well organized with its record keeping. An ongoing inventory has been maintained along with the sales record, production record, value of
Stock and a list of prices for the beads and other products needed in our workshop and purchased mostly in Kumasi and, at times, in other parts of Ghana. The extra room in the office is also serving as a primary storage area for the completed products from the Necklace Making Hall. Records are kept on the computer, and backed up monthly on the laptop. These changes made the process of removing the weekly production, inspecting it, labeling it, moving it to the storeroom, recording production and sales on the computer and restocking the shop have a more routine and natural flow. An ongoing count of the items in the inventory also has made it possible to better direct the workshop in which products to produce.
The Workshop Coordinator has also been training a couple of caregivers and the other service personnel on checking quality control which includes; length, balance, quality of the locks, matching of completed product to its description, etc
Daily inspection of necklaces is ongoing to ensure good work is done. The instruction pamphlet in the office helps to remember what to do each day.
Shop/ store
The sales shop is too small but well organized to showcase our finished product. Necklaces, bracelets, hipstrings, woven cloths, flags, loose bead and the sewn product are sold there. The shop in its management, include recording of sales and restocking. Inventory of the items in the shop has taken place several times. Faulty items are more readily removed. Products are better labeled with the correct codes and prices.
Income/expenses (see attached sales and expenses report, 2009 for details)
The expenses and income reported here and on the attached form are representative of the local sales and expenses related to the workshop.
Monthly financial report starting the beginning of the year was made. Income generation was from local sales, donations, money given from PCC for payment of the workshop kids and other bonuses received from customers.
The expenses are representative of the months Jan – Dec, and include payment of the workshop kids, bead purchasing trips, promotional discounts, bank service charges and some workshop running expenses (firewood, etc.). The total expenses Jan – Dec = Gh¢ ₡13,618.45
The bank balance on 31 December, 2009 was Gh¢ 8307.33
Shipments: over 40 parcels were shipped to Holland over the year
At the end of the year, the local retail value of inventory in stock equaled approximately Gh¢ 21,130.00.
|
Income / Expense Report, 2009 |
|
|
||||
|
This financial report covers from the beginning of the year 2009 to the end of the year Dec,09 . |
||||||
|
the report indicates, sales from the shop, donatins and bonuses from local sale. |
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
INCOME |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
jan |
₡1,011.20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
feb |
₡1,104.40 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
mar |
₡1,796.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
apr |
₡1,520.10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
may |
₡1,058.90 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
jun |
₡965.90 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
jul |
₡2,289.40 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
aug |
₡2,638.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
sep |
₡727.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
oct |
₡2,794.10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
nov |
₡948.50 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
dec |
₡2,003.10 |
|
|
|
|
|
total income =from January -December income = |
₡18,856.60 |
|
||||
|
NOTE: Monthly income includes local sales, |
|
|
|
|||
|
other donations, bonuses received from customers, etc. |
|
|
||||
|
|
EXPENSES |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
jan |
₡298.10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
feb |
₡344.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
mar |
₡2,002.50 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
apr |
₡1,444.80 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
may |
₡213.25 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
jun |
₡2,644.80 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
jul |
₡1,678.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
aug |
₡85.50 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
sep |
₡359.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
oct |
₡4,019.60 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
nov |
₡210.40 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
dec |
₡318.50 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total expenses Jan - Dec, 2009 = |
₡13,618.45 |
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
closing bank balance, 31 December, 2009 = Gh¢ 8307.33 |
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOTE: Monthly expenses include: bead purchasing trips, |
|
|
||||
|
promotional discounts, bank service charges, other item bought for kids in the workshop . |
||||||
|
and all other needs of the workshop |
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
total income Jan - Dec - Total Expenses Jan - Dec |
₡5,238.15 |
|
||||
6. About organization, staff and managment
In 1992 our project was registered in Ghana as a “non government organization”.
Its aim is to give integral care to abandoned and mentally handicapped children in Ghana. The style of Hand in Hand is open and family like. Children live in small groups of two or three with a caregiver, who acts as the mother and/or father figure for their kids. Attendance to school, rehabilitation, medical care, therapy, joint meals, joint siestas in the cuddle room, and of course music and play are all part of the daily program.
The caregivers who live and work with the children consider their service as voluntary. They receive a monthly allowance as well as free board and lodging with their children.
The children and caregivers have a coordinator in Mr. Emmanuel.
The workshop has its separate coordinator, Paul Agyampong, who is responsible for the activities at the workshop.
Other employees are 3 watchmen.
In 2009 the board consisted of Dr. Ineke Bosman (chairman and founding director), Mr.Robert Maram (financial director), Mr.Samuel Baffo (director for income generating projects) and Mr. Ema Dasebre (Coordinator).
From the handover on 29 December onwards Dr Albert Van Galen became chairman and general director, still with Mr. Samuel Baffo and Emanuel Dasebre as co-directors.
We have place for 4 volunteers at the same time, who help on a one to one base with special kids, in the computer lab and at the autistic workshop. Felicia, together with Dorcas, help coordinate the volunteer program. Carlijn Willems selects and coordinates the volunteers from Holland.
In 2009 we received a special volunteer, Lena Beckman, who is sponsored by the German organization ‘Weltwards’, and stays for one full year. Lena assists the workshop-coordinator and is in charge of education at the computer-lab.
The “Araba memorial Internet café” runs as a separate enterprise. There are 3 staffs and a cleaner employed. The guesthouses also run independently. A hostess, Charity, an assistant, Mercy, and two cleaners are employed. Charity and Mercy are also caregivers. Mr. Baffo is in charge.
In 1997 the development of a special school for the mentally handicapped was initiated by the PCC. This “Shalom Special School” (SHASS) is now a government organization. Headmaster, Mr. Godfrey Yoppour, is in charge.
7.Finances
(Ref. Annex 1 for the 2009 financial statements)
PCC/Hand in Hand works without government aid. Its running depends almost fully on donations and child sponsorships from outside the country.
The recurrent expenditures in 2009 amounted to 113,882 Gh. Cedis, and were approximately according to budget as a whole (not in the final analysis of each category but in the totals.) See the annex for details.
Income generated locally: This year again we generated approximately 32% of the money needed for recurrent expenditures locally from our sheltered workshop and projects such as the guesthouses.
For our 56 residential children we need approximately 174 sponsors, as the average sponsorship is shared between three persons. The upkeep of one child amounts to the annual amount of 900 euro. Divided by three persons this becomes a more manageable 300 euro per year or 25 per month. The children at the Sheltered Workshop need at total amount of 300 euro per year for their sponsorship.
At the end of 2009 we needed 21 new sponsors.
Interested persons can inquire at the website (www.operationhandinhand.nl) where there is a special page about children not yet sponsored. (‘Vraagje’ ‘May we ask you”)
8. Conclusion and acknowledgments
We are grateful to our staff and caregivers, our friends, sponsors and benefactors.
We are proud of our children who are able, with our help, to build a contented life on foundations of abandonment and deprivation. This is a small miracle that no one, neither social workers nor psychologist, nor we, for that matter, fully understands.
It is clear that we are involved in a vision and a commitment that is larger than that of all of us together. We believe that the breath of God is at the heart of it. This may also explain the joy and peace that many people, including complete strangers, experience at our premises.
Annex 1:
|
Financial Report for the year ending 2009, in Ghana Cedis |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income: |
|
|
|
Transfers from Overseas: |
112,088 |
|
|
Guesthouse Income |
12,160 |
|
|
Sheltered Woekshop |
40,084 |
|
|
Lilian Fund(1) |
2,500 |
|
|
Other |
594 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Extra Ordinary Items: |
|
|
|
principally receipt from sales of bus |
2,754 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
170,180 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenditure: |
|
|
|
Allowances |
54,101 |
|
|
Feedingcost |
27,750 |
|
|
Repairs |
9007 |
|
|
Electricity |
4696 |
|
|
Personal Needs |
8178 |
|
|
Travel and Transportation |
6036 |
|
|
Medical |
1378 |
|
|
Acct and legal |
700 |
|
|
other |
2036 |
|
|
total operating |
|
|
|
expenditure: |
113,882 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
constructions (2) |
59,926 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures:(3) |
173,808 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Footnotes to Annual Financial report 2009 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) Additional check for 2400 Gh. Cedis received late December 2009 |
|
|
|
and deposited in January 2010. |
|
|
|
(2) In December 2009 the Euro equivalent of 11,385 Gh. Cedis was sent to PCC |
|
|
|
account in Holland by Ineke Bosman, covering the construction cost of new house. |
|
|
|
(3) Beginning Cash Balance 21 Dec 2008: |
12,294 |
|
|
Add: Receipts in 2009: . |
170,180 |
|
|
Total: 182,474. |
182,474 |
|
|
Ending Cash Balance 31 Dec 2009: |
8,666 |
|
|
Expenditures in 2009: |
173,808 |
|
|
|
|
|
Annex 2
Information on Ghana
- Some aspects of our region:
A national census took place in the year 2000. Our local (Nkoranza) figures are sourced from this census report with adjustment for annual growth percentages.
Nkoranza district has a surface-area of 1200 square kilometers. It shares borders with the districts of Techiman, Atebubu, Kintampo and Ejura. In the year 2005 the population of Nkoranza District was estimated to be 160,000, of which 45,000 inhabitants live in the district town called Nkoranza. This is where we have our residential home and sheltered workplace and where the Shalom Special School is situated.
Nkoranza is a rural district at the heart of Ghana. The main source of income is farming, large scale crop-farming of mostly maize, cassava, yam, watermelon and cashew, as well as subsistence farming for family use. Unemployment-level is high. (No local percentage known, estimated over 40%)
Nkoranza is one of the 13 districts that together make up the Region called “Brong Ahafo”. Brong Ahafo region approximates the size of The Netherlands and counts over 2 million inhabitants.
In the more developed areas of Ghana (nearer Accra) a middle class is beginning to form of professionals, farmers, traders and entrepreneurs. However the greater percentage of Ghana’s rural population, such as the people from Nkoranza and the Brong Ahafo region, still live below poverty level.
- More general Information on Ghana’s demography as quoted from the Ghana Fact Book (CIA):
- Population: 21,029,853
- Median age: 20,45 years
- Population growth rate: 1,25% (2005 est.)
- Birthrate: 23,97 births/ 1000 population ( 2005 est.)
- Death rate: 10,84 death/ 1000 population (2005 est.)
- Capital: Accra
- Administrative divisions: 10 regions (Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Western, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Central, Volta.)
- Independence: March 6 1957 (from UK)
- Economic overview: Well endowed with natural resources Ghana has roughly twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 34% of the GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002. priorities include tighter monetary and fiscal policies, accelerated privatization, and improvement of social services. Receipts from the gold sector helped sustain GDP in 2004. Inflation should ease, but remains a major internal problem.
- GDP: purchasing power parity - $ 48.27 billion (2004 est.)
- GDP real growth rate: 5,4 % (2004 est.)
- GDP per capita: purchasing power parity $ 2300 (2004 est.)
- GDP- composition by sector: agriculture: 34,3%, industry 24,2%, services: 41,4%.
- Labor force: 10,24 million (2004 est.)
- Labor force by occupation: agriculture 60%, industry 15% services 25% (1999 est.)
- Unemployment rate 20% (1997 est.)
- Population below poverty line: 31,4% (1992 est.)
- Inflation rate consumer prices: 13% (2004 est.)
- Budget: revenue: $ 2,17 billion, expenditure: $2,56 billion, incl. cap. Exp. Of NA (2004)
- Agriculture: cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava, peanuts, corn, sheanuts, bananas, timber.
- Industries: mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement, small commercial ship building.
- Exchange rates: Cedi per US dollar: 9,004,6(2004), 8,677,4 (2003), 7,932,7 (2002), 7,170,8 (2001) 5,455,1 (2000)