Needy Education Programme

Introduction:

The general idea that all mankind are equal before God Almighty and stand the chance of enjoying the same privileges of God’s natural gift like favourable weather conditions, sunshine, and air/life to exist etc. Ironically, this does not happen to status of mankind living in various African Societies in terms of education.

 

Whilst many children are enjoying riches,  have means of living good and also attaining basic educational/institutional training to the highest level by the effort of their parents or otherwise, other children are also highly deprived of access to education as if they are not part of our developing societies. Some of the situations are due to poverty being experienced among their parent(s) or guidance, and some children have lost their parent(s) for one reason or the other. These unfortunate children A.Y.O.C refer to as needy children/youth who need care and support since it is no fault of theirs to experience “right for education not reaching them”.

 

It is highly sorrowful to meet these needy children/youth who for see no brighter future, being hopeless and helpless, and strangely they are found in all corners of society irrespective of being urban or rural area. In what direction are these children heading towards? Would they be assets to the entire continent or liabilities to Africa?

 

Now, the only hope, inspiration and property mother Africa can give to her children is education. On basis of the above, the existence of A.Y.O.C project called Needy Youth/Children Acquiring Education Project have come so as to extend education to unfortunate children. This all-important project needs support and funding, heartfelt donation, financial contribution to the project, etc. with education, Africa has a future, and without education there will be no future for our continent.

 

It is an indisputable fact that Africa Governments have some education policies in place to curb this situation of high rate of illiteracy among children in general. Together we raise the image of Africa, reduce and relieve burden of these children.

 

God bless youth and children in Africa, long live A.Y.O.C. Donors and all donors contributing to any project in the interest of mother Africa and long live wonderful continents, Africa.

 

A.Y.O.C welcome you to join hands in making this project become a reality.

Thank you.

  

 Joseph Opoku Anaman

 (The Executive Director, AYOC)

 

 

Title of Project: Needy Youth/Children Acquiring Education Project

 

Specific Project Objectives

 Enrolling 5000 poor children/youth in school to attainment of formal education within the next 21 years.

 

Target Group:   

This project target group are children/youth ranging from 4 years to 17 years

 

Pilot Place of Project Implementation

§         Name of Town: Beposo

§         District: Sekyere West District                      

§         Region: Ashanti Region

§         Country: Ghana

§         Sub-region: West Africa

§         Continent: Africa

 

Project Allies

GES:           Ghana Education Service

      Ministry of Local Government & Rural Development.

ILO:            International labour Organisation

UNESCO:   United Nation Edu, Scientific & Cult. Organisation

UNICEF:    United Nations Children Fund

 

Specific Problem on Ground.

A.Y.O.C Survey and other reports shows that 30% of children/youth who are school going age do not have access to education due to extreme poverty being experienced by parents and guidance as well.

 

Though, some African Governments have educational policies to ensure the extension of education to poor children yet the impact is insignificant. In Ghana, the government has Free Compulsory Universal Basic Educational (FCUBE) as a policy aimed to relief parents from education expenses in order for them to cater for many children as possible, yet little impact has been realised so far.

 

1.         Still with real situation on the ground, at the rural areas, it is an “eyesore” and more petty to find a number of children following parents/guidance/relatives to farm during weekdays (Monday to Friday) instead of being in the classroom learning. Investigation on this issue outline that either the children are already enrolled in school but daily expenses and buying of learning materials have serve as impediment for parents and guidance which lead them to the only option of taking the children to farms.

 

2.         On the other section, some children have lost single or both parents and the only way family members could assist such children is to ensure that they serves as labourers. Hence, the child labour instead of acquiring education for his personal benefits the society and the nation at large.

 

3.         More importantly, unlike the rural areas, in the urban areas, many children/youth roam about in the streets and corners within our vicinities virtually hoping for nothing. No schooling, no job or farming as compare to the scene in the rural areas. Sometimes, these hardships end some poor children to sell items (hawkers) with profit margin less than $0.063 instead of acquiring education to earn a meaningful income for living, and nation building through taxation, etc.

 

4.         In addition, female children/youth who look mature (adolescent age) are being deceived by irresponsible people (males) by means of giving them few amount of money in ex-change for sex. This situation might lead most of them into early teenage pregnancy, rape, acquiring of sexual transmitted disease(s) and possibly HIV could be contracted while even the money gain would not be enough for medical check-up or buying drugs. Where lies the faith of poor youth/children in Ghana? Can Ghana boast of all her children while some go down the drain?

 

5.         On more serious note concerning the specific problems, males (youth/children) who are out of school for long with no job and no future eventually end up being criminals and armed rubbers who are threat to our individual African countries.

 

6.         As citizens and considering this lack of access to education, some youth/children who are victims of it become ignorant and even express disbelieve that HIV/AIDS is real so care must be taken. This lack of education would affect the future of our developmental programmes and projects, democracy, etc since there will be no full understanding, maximum co-operation and participation to the direction at which our developing economy is being steered towards. where lies the hope of African Human personnel’s or manpower, understanding of our developing democracy etc

 

7.         Some children/youth have parent(s) alive but the general poverty in Ghana bound these parent(s) to offer their wards education.

 

These are the main problems on the ground, which call for A.Y.O.C Needy Youth/Children Acquiring Education Project.

 

 

Specific Activities To Be Performed Considering Above Stated Situations/Problems

With respect to poor children lacking education, though it cannot be solve entirely within the shortest possible time, yet A.Y.O.C believe that this project in action would reduce the problem to some extent while other organizations and governments contribute in such direction.

 

1.         Specifically, an activity to be performed is to enrol mass number of poor children in school and their entire cost of schooling are catered for by project. Thus, payment of school fees, cost of learning materials, daily amount for feeding all at the cost of $5,052 on each beneficiary for the next 16years as direct project expenses.

 

The project is in 4 phases;

·         1^st phase will last for 6years

·         2^nd phase will last for 3years

·         3^rd phase will last for 3years

·         4^th phase will last for 4years

 

At the end of the sixteenth year of the project, estimated;

(a)       500 people would have completed university

(b)      400 you/children would be highly trained from technical and vocational institutes (skilled youth/labour force)

(c)      100 youth/children would be project drop out due to natural course like death, award of government and organizational scholarship.

 

This trend is expected to follow for 17^th, 18th, 19th, 20th and 21^st year of operation. Hence, 1000 youth/children will be enrolled in each year within the first five years of opoeration.

 

In totality, 2500 youth/children will be university graduate, 2000 being trained youth from institute and 500 being project drop out within the next 7years.

 

 

How to Get the Direct Project Beneficiaries Activitively Involve in This Project

·         In collaboration with Ghana Information Service Department, the existence of this project would be made known nationwide in Ghana. People would be educated and sensitised to draw AYOC attention when such a child needs assistance from the project. Any child presented for application to benefit from the project, his/her background would be thoroughly investigated to confirm that indeed the child qualifies to benefit.

 

·         In collaboration with Local Government and Rural Development, one project focal person will be selected and train from the entire District in Ghana. A.Y.O.C will also have personnel’s (direct project co-ordinator) on the ground who will work hand in hand with Project focal persons. These A.Y.O.C personnel’s would be require to go down villages and deprive children in various towns etc. the search will also continue at the urban areas as well.

 

·         In collaboration with ministry of education, children enrolled under this project benefit would be given close supervision in terms of academic so that the financial resources invested in their education could be seen more resourceful. In view of this, an average academic target would be ensured for beneficiary children to attain at the end of every academic year.

 

NOTE: Children/youth who parents are poor, these parents would be given consideration under AYOC youth employment project as indirect beneficiaries. So that at a point in time when their financial stand become good then their children be would withdrawn from this project since the parents can now care for their educational expenses.

This method will enhance many children opportunity to benefit from this educational project.

 

 

Expected Impact/ Output of the Project.

Hopefully, this Needy Youth/Children Acquiring Education Project will have great deal of impact on children who are less unfortunate in our various African societies and the continent at large directly and indirectly. Among the expected impacts are as follows;

 

Free Access to Education, and Signal As Hope for Better Ghana.

A lot of poor children would have free access to formal education, which will add to the existing number of children who are already acquiring education.

 

This signal that the children who are the future of Africa would now be enlighten so as to understand what is meant by democracy how to operates, this will in the long run end tribal war, political differences, build national and continental unity, peace and stability in all endeavours.

 

Again, to some level this project will reduce child abuse and child labour, the beneficiary children would in future contribute meaningfully to national and continental development, lay good foundations for unborn children and all the good things education can bring to the people of Africa. 

 

Relieve Governments, Contribute to UN and Other Agencies Effort Geared towards Children.

The operation of this project would relieve Africa government to concentrate on other equally pertinent issues affecting the progress of our individual Africa countries and the continent as well.

            Finally, existence of the project will contribute to United Nations effort, World Bank, other agencies, organisations, local and foreign governments laudable efforts to assist children or youth.

 

Service to Humanity

On humanitarian grounds, care and support of poor or needy children/youth se