On April 15th, Mike Owusu (our Project coordinator) and Yaw Otchere (our Executive Director) attended a meeting of the Ghana Anti Corruption Coalition (GACC) in Atonsu. The meeting gave representatives of four districts an opportunity to report on progress to date, discuss challenges, and make plans for future actions of the Coalition.
GACC representatives at April's meeting
In May, Light for Children once again placed local student interns at the Education Center to help teach Information and Computer Technology to high school students. During this session, the interns also assisted Lisa Parsons in working with younger children at the Education Center library. They helped the children read stories and make their own illustrations.
Interns Elliot and Erica with children at the Education Center library
Lisa reading with the children at the library
Also in May, Mike Owusu travelled to Uganda to attend GlobeMed's annual Partners' Meeeting. Light for Children began a partnership with GlobeMed last summer, when six students from Spelman University in the US came to work with us. Five new students will be arriving in June to continue this program.
Mike at the GlobeMed Parters' Meeting
In Uganda, delegates discussed their experiences to date and got valuable feedback and suggestions about moving forward with this program.
During this time, we learned that a family that Light for Children helped out in the past is still struggling. The four orphaned children are staying with their grandmother, who was not able to care for them effectively. When Mike visited them, the grandmother in desperation was about to give up the youngest child in an illegal adoption procedure. Light for Children’s generous sponsors have donated enough money to the family that they were able to cancel this process and begin the process of making a feasible plan for their future.
Mike with the sponsored family
Also in May, the Street Children Project (with whom Light for Children has partnered in the past) held a graduation ceremony at their Vocational School for seven young women who have completed training as seamstresses. Mike Owusu was invited to attend the ceremony, in which the graduates modelled clothing that they had designed and made themselves.
Graduation ceremony at the Street Children Project's Vocational School
A graduate models wedding wear that she designed and made.