NUTRITION AND INCOME GENERATION
Access to Life Foundation is currently working in four communities in the Nadowli/Kaleo district of the Upper West region with over 150 women, on the cultivation of orange-flesh sweetpotato (OFSP) towards improving the nutrition of children and the generation of income for the women.Quality Sheanut training of trainers To ensure women sheanut pickers and processors had quality nuts that will attract premium prices and butter, 27 leaders of 11 women’s groups were taken through 2 day-hands-on training in Jirapa district. The training took participants through safety in picking, collection and sourcing of raw nut (de-pulp and parboil); best practices of shea production (hygiene of nuts during drying, shelling, sorting); and good storage and warehousing) The lead trainers have started training their group members (average of 25).
Under Ghana Productivity Safety Net Project in the Upper West region, ALF is supporting groups in eight communities to develop various agro-based value chains. ALF has so far trained the various groups in the following:
a. Dry season vegetable production, packaging and marketing.
b. Groundnut processing, packaging and marketing.
c. Pig farming and marketing.
d. Quality sheanuts and sheabutter processing, packaging and marketing.
GHANA STRENGTHENING ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM (GSAM)
ALF is implementing the GSAM which is being sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in supporting the Government of Ghana to improve local government transparency, accountability and performance in 100 districts of Ghana, under a project dubbed ‟Ghana’s Strengthening Accountability Mechanisms” (GSAM).We work through a combination of top-down and bottom-up social accountability mechanisms; the project seeks to strengthen citizens’ oversight of capital development projects being implemented by their respective district assemblies.
Access to Life Foundation has succeeded in building the capacity of community members in the implementing districts to the extent that they have achieved increasing the quality and quantity of information available to them about capital development projects by their district assemblies and activating platforms for citizens to engage with their assemblies to demand improved performance. Citizens have seen themselves being part of the development processes especially with regard to capital projects. A shiny example is the Wawase community center project in Afigya Kwabre district where the design of the project had to be modified to meet the needs of the community members. This was achieved through the Community and District Assembly engagement. ALF is implementing in four of the districts of Ashanti region.
Reference: Mr. Clement Nana Tandoh, Chief of Party:0246523384
VILLAGE SAVINGS AND LOANS ASSOCIATIONS (VSLAs)
Village Savings and Loans Associations(VSLAs) Access to Life Foundation successfully completed a 6-month contract in June 2017 with ACDI/VOCA ADVANCE project on the formation and training of 100 groups in the South. One hundred (100) self-managed Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) were formed in 20 districts of ADVANCE zones -Ejura, Techiman and Sunyani. A total membership of two thousand, four hundred and seventy-nine (2,479) comprising 1,188 males and 1,291 females were recorded. Cumulatively, an amount of Four hundred and twenty-six thousand, seven hundred and seventy-nine Ghana Cedis (GH₵426,779.00) was saved out of which Three hundred and forty-two thousand, seven hundred and sixty Ghana Cedis (GH₵ 342,760.00) disbursed as loans mostly for agricultural production.Based on the successful completion of the contract, ALF was awarded another contract by the same ACDI/VOCA ADVANCE to facilitate the formation and training of 70 more VSLAs by the end of June, 2018, which has also been successfully executed.
Reference: Madam Doris Amponsaa Owusu-0541614934
Access to Life Foundation is currently into partnership with World Vision International-Ghana for the formation and training of 20 Savings for transformation groups in Jirapa Municipality in the Upper West region.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs)
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ALF is a member of the National and Kumasi Metro SDGs platforms working assiduously towards the achievement of the SDGs by 2030.
DRY SEASON FARMING
Access to Life Foundation has started compiling groups of dry season farmers (gardeners) along the Black Volta and other water bodies in the Nadowli-Kaleo district so as to assist them with some best practices in vegetable production and also some market linkages.
FARMERS' PAYMENT MODEL
We work with Nucleus farmers and their out-growers who live and produce in where financial Institutions are non-existent. These farmers mostly face the risk of highway arm robbery after sales from the big markets.
CARE BANKING ON CHANGE (BOC II)
Implementing partner for CARE International in a Banking on Change Program (2013-2015) to form and train over 400 youth and 200 women groups in Savings and Loans program in Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Regions to improve economic incomes of the youth. Areas of implementation included: group formation and management; savings and loans management; financial education; linkage to financial institutions and banks, and enterprise your Life through livelihood options.
GLOBAL COMMUNITIES (HCF INTERNATIONAL)
Built efficiency and equity of local government capital budgeting and execution while improving citizen perceptions of the quality of governance. 700 electronic waste individuals in the Ga West & South were trained on establishing and registering the businesses and linking them to financial institutions. As a result 500 of the businesses had obtained their TIN numbers and 50% of them registered with Registrar Generals Department. This project was sponsored by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through Global Communities International. (Consultancy from Housing Cooperation Foundation, HCF International).
PEACE CORPS AND BUSINESS SECTOR ADVOCACY CHALLENGED FUND (BUSAC)
Work with 6 groups for access to land and marketing facilities through Advocacy and development of Business Plans to support community members in Peace Corps Volunteers sites.