Strengthening families for a better future in Ghana
Families that lose their grip on life often face many problems. SOS Children's Villages empowers parents, caregivers, and the community, giving them the strength to pick up the pieces themselves. In practice, this significantly affects the care of children. When they grow up in a loving, safe environment, they build a future for themselves, their community, and future generations.
SOS Children's Villages Ghana supports 3,400 families through the Family Strengthening Program in Tema, Asiakwa, and Kumasi regions. The program includes access to education, healthcare, and guidance towards employment or self-employment.
With this support, 83% of the families in the program eventually continue on their own. Being self-sufficient includes strengthening parents' and caregivers' skills to better care for their children and prevent them from abandoning them.
Every year, new families and communities are selected to participate in the SOS Children’s Villages Ghana Family Strengthening Program. A needs analysis and feasibility study allows us to connect even more closely to what children and families need to become self-reliant.
Interview with Mavis Agatha Abla Ekpe, National Family Strengthening Advisor for SOS Children’s Villages Ghana
In her role, she supports the teams implementing the Family Strengthening Program in Ghana. For her, it's about giving aid and helping families harness their power.
Why is the Family Strengthening Program in Ghana so important?
"Our teams help parents/caregivers take good care of their children. One way we do this is by providing what children need to grow up, such as education. We support parents and young people in finding work or setting up a business so they can earn their own money. But family strengthening is also about the bigger picture. We help ensure that local communities stand by the families in their midst and help prevent children's rights and safety from being threatened. This means, for example, that the community takes care of children who no longer have parental care or are in danger of losing it. They can then remain in their familiar environment."
What are the biggest challenges for families in Ghana?
"Family income is often so low that parents have no money for food, clothing, shelter, education and healthcare. Every day is a struggle to survive, so they barely get around to caring for their children. Many parents also have not learned what parenting entails. Families who own small businesses often lack the knowledge and skills to earn enough to do so for a stable income. They usually do not have access to digital resources, which makes it difficult to keep records, for example. Also, many young people do not have ICT skills or a computer, so they have little chance of finding work that has a future."
How does SOS Children’s Villages Ghana help families become self-reliant?
"To become economically independent, families need cash or credit for activities that generate income. Examples include gaining knowledge for managing a business, connecting with business trends and building financial buffers. Our teams provide grants that allow parents/caregivers and young adults to receive training in financial management, customer service, business management and administration. We also provide them with access to financial institutions that allow them to manage their own affairs. And we strengthen their parenting skills."
What do you hope the Family Strengthening Program will yield this year?
"That at least 85 percent of the families are self-reliant. And that the communities around them are strong enough to prevent child rights violations."
What would you like to say to our donors as an inspiration to continue to support SOS Children’s Villages?
"First of all, I want to thank everyone who gives us the opportunity to help children and families in vulnerable circumstances. You can count on us to be completely transparent and responsible with donations. We do nothing more than work to strengthen families. SOS Children’s Villages donors make it possible for many more children and young people to grow up in a loving, safe environment - preferably their own family. In doing so, you grant them a future; I can't think of a bigger or more important gift."
