Evangelische Bank eG
IBAN: DE85 5206 0410 0000 0001 24
BIC: GENODEF1EK1
Ghana: Securing Livelihood
Ghana: Securing the Livelihood of Mothers With Disabled Children
Caring for a sick child means more than just investing a lot of time. It also involves treatment costs which often bring families to the limits of their endurance. How can we help them? The Presbyterian Church of Ghana has a solution.
One in about 500 children in the world suffers from cerebral palsy caused by early damage to the brain. Children with cerebral palsy have lasting posture and movement disorders, often involving pain; the symptoms also include speech disorders and epilepsy.
The families of disabled children are faced with major challenges in Ghana. The costs of medical care are high, there are no care possibilities and many mothers must first give up their jobs to look after their children.
Help for self-help
For some time, the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) has offered parents of disabled children support groups where they meet once a month to exchange their experiences and receive support and professional help. Physiotherapists make house calls and give parents tips on how they can improve the health of their children. At the monthly meetings, it emerges that mothers are the ones who need help the most. After the health of their children has stabilised, many mothers would like to go to work – or have to. They urgently need to earn their own income to secure the survival of their families and meet the needs of their disabled children.
Ghana
28.3 million inhabitants, of which 1.5 to 2.7 million have disabilities
Back to work
In many cases, the women were formerly self-employed seamstresses or hairdressers, but most of them have no capital to take up their professions again. The PCG has therefore developed a project to provide long-term help to parents of children with cerebral palsy. The mothers receive small loans and attend capacity building courses which teach them skills on how to run a business. They are then able to earn their own living and stand on their own two feet. In this way, they can support their children and help them live a better life.
Project golas
The families of children with cerebral palsy face immense challenges in Ghana. The painful movement impairment caused by early damage to the brain bring families to the limits of their financial and mental endurance. As many mothers must give up their jobs to look after their children, the number of families in financial need in rising. The Presbyterian Church in Ghana (PCG) supports afflicted families and offers them help for self-help which allows them to stand on their own two feet again.
Project work
The Presbyterian Church in Ghana (PCG) offers extensive help to families whose children suffer from cerebral palsy. Parents meet once a month in support groups where they can exchange their experiences and receive professional counselling. Physiotherapists make house calls and give parents tips on how to deal with the illness. The PCG helps mothers with small loans and capacity building courses on how to run a business. Once the health of their child has stabilised, they can then take up their own business.
Project partner
The Presbyterian Church in Ghana (PCG) is the oldest Christian church in Ghana. It originated in 1828 from the work of the Basel Mission. In 1926, it became independent and adopted its present name. It has about 870,000 members. The PCG runs educational institutions ranging from kindergartens and primary schools through to secondary and vocational schools. It sponsors four hospitals, several regional clinics and mobile basic health care services. EMS supports mainly PCG’s development programmes in education and health care.
We are pleased to hear that you are interested in this project. If you have any general questions, please use the contact form below. We are also happy to help you personally if you have any questions or require further information – by phone or by E-mail.
More Projects
