Global Communities Celebrates International Day of the Girl 2019
By Sarah Goddard #DayoftheGirl #GenerationEquality #unstoppable Twenty-five years ago, the World Conference on Women in Beijing marked a significant turning point for global gender equality with the recognition of the rights of women and girls as human rights. Today, there are movements to stop child marriage and gender-based violence, promote girls’ education, and end stigma…
Read MoreU.S. Partnerships with Women Promote Economic Growth in Northern Ghana
This article was originally published on the US Embassy of Ghana Website Tamale, GHANA— Since 2014, over 96,000 women in northern Ghana saved USD $7.8 million – or about 42,659,747 cedis – and invested the money to improve the health, education, nutrition, and economic opportunities of their families. Last year, Nanumba North received 98% in…
Read MoreDo As Your Neighbors Do – Save Money
Watching their neighbors setting up small businesses as an outcome of Village Savings and Loans Associations, these women decided they, too, would like to use this tool to overcome poverty and diversify incomes. This is the last part of the four-part series. You can read the beginning here, the second part here and the third part here. Pathways to…
Read MoreAccessing Credit for Medical Bills and School Fees
Through the RING VSLA intervention, women in Kitoe-Nkwanta are now able to access credit to meet pressing financial needs. Many women have been able to start a trade, pay off medical bills and school fees – economic gains that were previously impossible. This the third part of the 4-series story. Take a look at the…
Read MoreFrom a Single Parent with Disabilities to a Role-model and Businesswoman
This is the second part of the four-parts series. Read the beginning here: https://is.gd/AORh4l In many rural communities of Northern Ghana, farmers depend on a single rainy season for the family’s annual food and income. As an added security measure, men often rear small ruminants or poultry, to supplement their farming revenue. Strong management of…
Read MoreCan Equity be Built in Traditional Families?
Nimgbor Wuninyun (center) and his wives Adjoa (left) and N-Munankpor (right), of Tikarni Community in Kpandai District, each understand and appreciate the benefits of participating in the Gender Model Family activity. Photo Credit: Clarissa Heger, Gender and Social Protection Advisor, Global Communities RING As in many parts of the world, traditional gender norms strongly dictate…
Read MoreLocal Youth Drive ODF Strategy and Champion Sense of Pride in Northern Ghana Village
By Daniel Anthony, VP Communications & Public Affairs, Global Communities The “Open Defecation Free Community” sign on the side of the road marks the entrance to the community of Sagadugu. The community is part of Global Communities’ USAID-funded WASH For Health Project. Regional and local chiefs and community members gather in the background around one…
Read MoreManaging Menstruation Delivers Dignity and Opportunity
By Celia Zeilberger This article was originally published on USAID Global Waters In some remote parts of Ghana, girls are told that crossing a river during their menstrual period will offend the river deity — so some skip school to avoid incurring the deity’s wrath. In some rural communities in western Nepal, menstruating women are told that…
Read MoreGlobal Communities’ Digni-loo Project Wins USAID’s Private Sector Engagement Award
Liz Calvey Zeller, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships, represented Global Communities at an invitation-only workshop that USAID convened to solicit feedback from development implementers on putting USAID’S new Private Sector Engagement (PSE) policy into practice. The feedback will be incorporated in published guidance for USAID implementers and will also serve as a guide for USAID…
Read MoreGhanaian Interior Designer Benefits from Global Communities’ Business Incubator Program
Gloria Anang is a 28-year-old resident of Accra and owner of Gloo Gallery. She graduated from YIEDIE, a Global Communities that creates economic opportunities in Ghana’s construction sector for economically disadvantaged youth. Soon after she went on to start a successful business in interior decorating. Her store can be found in Teshie, a coastal town…
Read MoreGlobal Communities Initiatives in Ghana and Jordan Featured in USGLC Global Impact Project
The Global Impact Project, created by the US Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC), tells the story of how businesses, NGOs, foundations, and universities are partnering with the U.S. government to address global challenges – creating impact abroad and in the United States. Global Communities’ Digni-Loo innovation in Ghana as well as our Jordan Loan Guarantee Facility…
Read MoreTaking Concrete Actions to Leave No One Behind: Government of Ghana Pro-Poor Policies and Sanitation Guidelines for Targeting the Poor and Vulnerable
By Alberto Wilde, Ghana Country Director and Eddy Perez, Technical Director for WASH and Health, Global Communities Despite Ghana’s progress in recent years — it is the fastest growing economy in Africa — it is one of the lowest ranked countries in terms of access to basic sanitation worldwide. Out of the total population of Ghana, 10% use unimproved…
Read MoreOrange Fleshed Sweet Potato: From Leaf to Root, It’s All Food
Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato: From Leaf to Root, It’s All Food Northern Ghana has a hot and dry climate and food is often scarce. Since 2014, USAID’s Resiliency in Northern Ghana (RING) project has provided support to 17 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to address this challenge. RING is an integrated Feed the Future…
Read MoreBreaking the Glass Ceiling in Ghana
Breaking the Glass Ceiling in Ghana How one program is changing incentives to help women enter non-traditional occupations By Karla Yoder, Economic Development and Workforce Technical Specialist for Global Communities | This article first appeared in Medium. Ruth Medufia at her training site. Ruth Medufia is a trailblazer. The 24-year-old from Sekondi-Takoradi had always hoped…
Read MoreA Role for Social Protection Investments to Support Food and Nutrition Security: Lessons from Ghana
A Role for Social Protection Investments to Support Food and Nutrition Security: Lessons from Ghana By Reid Hamel, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Executive Summary Social safety net programs have expanded rapidly in recent decades as an instrument to combat extreme poverty and food and nutrition insecurity. In 2008, Ghana launched its Livelihoods…
Read MoreNlangmal and the Bicycle: Small Investments Making a Big Difference
Nlangmal and the Bicycle: Small Investments Making a Big Difference By Bethany Davidson,Programs Manager for Resiliency in Northern Ghana (RING) Project Nlangmal and her daughter Joyce pose proudly in front of the bicycle that she was able to buy with her first loan. Photo credit: Mohammed Ali Ibrahim, RING Project. Not long ago, Nlangmal didn’t…
Read MoreA Community Approach to Preventing Cholera in Ghana
A Community Approach to Preventing Cholera in Ghana Volunteers comb the marketplaces of Cape Coast, Ghana educating stall owners on how to prevent the spread of cholera. These efforts led to a dramatic drop in cholera incidence from 735 cases in 2016, to just 9 cases since January 2017. Spread by water or food contaminated with…
Read MoreVIP: Milan Bala, Accra, Ghana, Factors Impacting the Effectiveness of Program Interventions
VIP: Milan Bala, Accra, Ghana, Factors Impacting the Effectiveness of Program Interventions 24 May-28 July 2017 Access to water and sanitation are still serious challenges in Ghana, where 25% of urban households live without access to piped water and only 18% have access to adequate sanitation. The situation is similar in rural areas. Global Communities…
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