On Monday 11th March AfriKids featured on BBC Radio again. Radio 4’s Woman’s hour included a report on how AfriKids, supported by Comic Relief, is tackling the spirit child phenomenon in the Upper East Region of Ghana.

For over a decade AfriKids has been addressing the ritual infanticide in the Upper East Region of Ghana via Operation Sirigu. AfriKids Ghana has been working closely with communities where infanticide took place to both end the practice and address its root causes.

Raymond Ayinne, External Affairs Manager at AfriKids Ghana provides reporter Angela Robson with a careful, sensitive insight into this phenomenon. AfriKids Ghana has gradually built trust

March 2013

AfriKids is a Child Rights Organisation working to improve life for Ghana’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged children in a holistic, inclusive and sustainable manner

with every sector of local society, focusing initially on women’s groups which include mothers who have lost children to the spirit child phenomenon.

In the report listeners hear a women’s group performing songs about spirit children, which is part of the awareness-raising process aimed at bursting the taboos surrounding the spirit child phenomenon. Robson explains “women have been empowered as a result if these programmes [through microfinance and healthcare] and are now far more involved in decision making both for their children and for the community.”

Angela Robson asks a group of women in Sirigu: “How have you had the courage, after years, generations of this practice, to now speak out to stop it in the community?” Using

Ray as an interpreter a woman replies: “It is our collective will to protect our rights as women that has made us form a group and try to help each other. Second is the empowerment we have got from the financial support that AfriKids has given us. It has enabled us to be able to take care of the needs of their children”. Ray explains; “they are increasingly able to have a say in what happens in their families. That is the thing that makes them feel solidly behind the fight that their children are protected and are given a better future.”

The Kassena Nankana is one of the poorest districts in the country but in the last decade using local people’s convictions and determination this practice has been driven out into the open and comprehensively addressed.

Click here to listen again.

AFRIKIDS GHANA ON BBC RADIO FOUR

A Women’s group in Sirigu, in the Upper East Region of Ghana singing about the ‘spirit child’ phenomenon

PROJECT FOCUSUK AND GHANA BUSINESS TEAMAfriKids Ghana has been running social enterprises since 2005. In that time they have invested over £1,000,000 into a variety of different businesses in the Upper East Region, from healthcare to hospitality. The success of AfriKids Ghana’s business ventures is tightly linked to the organisation’s strategy of independence by 2018. The businesses need to generate significant profits as well as drive social change; a challenging task. In order to build on the success of projects like the AfriKids Medical Centre, which in 2012 saw 68,534 patients and made significant profits, (full details of which will be published in our 2012 Annual Report shortly) AfriKids is investing in dedicated business departments both in the UK and in Ghana.

“It has made me recognise that as a leader, you need to know your strengths and weaknesses, and the value of ensuring your team consists of different characters.”Nich Kumah (feedback on DISC workshop)Director AfriKids Ghana

AfriKids IT AcademyAfriKids Blue Sky LodgeAfriKids Ethical TradeAfriKids Medical CentreBolgatanga Area ProgrammeCreative MindsEducational FundEnergy For Life InitiativeFamily Livelihoods Support ProgrammeKassena Nankana Area ProgrammeMedical fundOperation BolgatangaOperation Mango TreeOperation SINGhOperation SmilesOperation ZuarunguStreet Mothers AssociationTalensi Nabdam Area ProgrammeYoung Entrepreneurs Programme

In February, the first collaborative workshop between these newly-defined business departments was held, when the whole UK business team visited Ghana to plan how the two new teams were going to collaborate in the upcoming year. Through two intensive weeks of meetings and workshops, detailed operational and financial plans were set up as well as new principles to guide the departments’ development.

The teams also took the time to participate in a workshop on workplace behaviour using the DISC behaviour assessment tool, which is centred around recognising different personality traits and using them constructively in the work environment. The exercise was prepared by our partners at Allen & Overy and received excellent feedback from all involved. For the AfriKids business department, 2013 will be an exciting and challenging year as it matures into its new structure.

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Business Department Principles:

We, the AfriKids UK and Ghana business departments …

Run efficient businesses that drive positive social changeAre committed to providing quality goods and services for clientsAlways engage with relevant stakeholders and comply with ethical and legal standardsReflect AfriKids’ valuesAre innovative and take measured risksMake proactive decisions based on well researched information and relevant numbersCommunicate our impacts, successes and challenges with stakeholders

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01: Members of the AfriKids Ghana Business team

02: Vieve (AfriKids UK) and Sandra (AfriKids Ghana) at the business department workshop prepared by Allen & Overy

03: Materials from the DISC workshop

04: Kwesi and his sister Assibi once thought to be spirit children, with AfriKids Ghana staff members Cletus and Cecelia

05: The AfriKids Blue Sky Lodge site

06: The AfriKids Medical Centre currently generates a profit that can fund 15% of AfriKids Ghana’s running costs

07: Shea butter production: recent Vodafone funding has increased AfriKids’ capacity to commercialise this local business

08: Woven Bolga baskets, like those that form part of AfriKids Ethical Trade

09: A woman using her new cookstove from the Energy for Life Initiative

AFRIKIDSONLINE

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www.facebook.com/afrikids Let’s tweet @AfriKids

AfriKidsBee and her colleagues who run the Family Livelihoods Support Programme (FLiSP) are empowering women both financially and socially

Mary Ann MhinaEverything @AfriKids achieves is by having a fantastic partner & exceptionally positive & close working relationship. ow.ly/i815z

28 Feb

AfriKidsOur friends and supporters at The Ashmore Foundation are new to Facebook. As well as AfriKids they support plenty of other great organisations that they’ll be posting about. Worth checking out!

AfriKidsTo celebrate International Women’s Day, we would like to share a case study about Emanuella, known at AfriKids as ‘Busy Bee’.

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AfriKidsVery interesting talk at the microfinance club @AllenOvery - Lillian over from Kenya to share her successes representing @Five_Talents

27 Feb

Francescalook what just arrived! the AfriKids print of this gorgeous man! thanks @JimmmyLazers it’s amazing! Noel Fielding print www.afrikids.org/shop

22 Feb

GHANA INDEPENDENCE DAYGhana Independence Day is a time for celebration; a chance to look back at how far an amazing country has come in the 56 years since the end of colonial rule.

For us at AfriKids, Ghana Independence Day is not just a time to look back and reflect but a time to look forward and refocus on what our goal is; true independence for AfriKids Ghana.

AfriKids Ghana has directly changed the lives of over half a million people in Ghana over the past ten

years. While the work of AfriKids Ghana’s 170+ staff is currently funded through charitable giving in the UK, it is their intention that profits from the businesses they are already establishing locally in Ghana will go on to fund their child rights work. When this happens, AfriKids Ghana will be truly locally sustained and completely independent from charitable support. We are currently on track to make the UK fundraising team redundant by 2018.

This, for AfriKids, is what true independence is. Ghana Independence Day is not just about celebrating history, but about going on to make history.

FUNDRAISINGNEWS

Over the next few months people all over Europe and beyond are choosing to take part in sponsored events or challenges to raise money for AfriKids!

From the ‘London to Paris Cycle’ to the ambitious ‘ING Luxembourg Marathon’ and ‘Antwerp 10 miles’ in Belgium we have had a fantastic number of people taking on sponsored events this year and we’re absolutely thrilled! One individual

www.afrikids.org

Sponsored Events-supporters go that extra mile for AfriKids!

The Vitol Foundation’s corporate brochure features Mama LaadiVitol have been one of AfriKids’ longest standing supporters. Their generosity has impacted on our work immeasurably across so many of AfriKids’ projects. AfriKids was delighted that Mama Laadi and Jerry (right) were selected to feature in The Vitol Foundation’s corporate brochure.Vitol commented; “[It’s] fantastic that AfriKids can be showcased! A very fitting tribute to our close longterm partnership…please thank Laadi and little Jerry for being such fantastic models!”

has even signed up to the gruelling Marathon des Sables in the Sahara!

Whatever your skill, be it running, hiking or cycling there is a sponsored event out there for you! AfriKids are happy to research sponsored events in your area, and help you with your fundraising initiatives in the lead up to the big day. So if you fancy taking on one of these challenges, please do get in touch with Beata at beatabishopmccarthy@afrikids.org

St Mary’s Ascott Fashion Show

Pupils at St Mary’s School in Ascot organised a fashion show fundraiser in February to raise money for AfriKids. Over 200 guests attended and a number of local businesses contributed clothing and accessories. AfriKids’ very own Jimmi Jamms were modelled, as well as beautiful dresses designed by students. A final amount raised is yet to be confirmed but the fundraising total for the partnership so far exceeds £7,000! A special thank you to BB and Claire in the sixth form for working so hard and being such fantastic ambassadors for AfriKids.