SOS Children in Ghana

SOS School Tema Ghana

SOS Children has been helping children in Ghana for around 40 years. During recent natural disasters, like the floods of 2007 in the north of Ghana, we have been there to help. We help families in Ghana stay together and give children loving homes in our children’s villages.

With SOS Children, you can help orphaned and abandoned children in Ghana by sponsoring a child:

Sponsor a child in Ghana

Life in Ghana is improving, but its people still face many challenges

The quality of life for the average Ghanaian has improved as the country has enjoyed economic growth and a reduction in extreme poverty. However, for those marginalised in society, life still presents many challenges. Approximately 260,000 Ghanaians are affected by HIV/AIDS, and some cannot afford anti-retroviral treatment or forgo it for fears of discrimination. In the capital Accra, violence is all too common in the poorest areas. 28% of Ghana’s population still live in poverty and the life expectancy is around 58 years. In rural areas, about 30% of people have no access to clean water drinking sources.

Children in Ghana

  • 27,000 children under the age of 14 in Ghana are living with HIV. Many more have been orphaned due to AIDS. It is estimated that in total in Ghana, over one million children have lost one or both parents.
  • Street children are a common sight in Accra. Many get no education and remain illiterate, leaving them in a dangerous cycle of poverty and neglect.
  • Whilst school attendance rates are fairly high, approximately 1 in 5 children do not attend primary school and it is therefore no surprise that 34% of Ghanaian children are involved in some form of child labour activities.

Ghana mapOur charity work in Ghana

Tema

We opened the first SOS Children's Village in Ghana in Tema in 1974. Tema is an industrial town near the capital Accra.

The Tema community has fifteen family houses and two SOS Youth Homes. Here older children and young people live semi-independent lives while continuing their education or vocational training. The educational needs of both the SOS children and the local community - over 1000 children and young people - are provided for by a nursery, three schools and a vocational training centre for girls.

The schools at Tema include an International College. Established in 1990 it offers courses leading to the International Baccalaureate and IGCSE to SOS children from all over Africa, as well as non-SOS Ghanaian children. Many students go on to university in Europe and the USA as well as Africa.

There are more details on our SOS Children’s Village Tema in the 'projects' section of the website.

Asiakwa

The second SOS Children's Village in Ghana, in Asiakwa, 100 kms north of Accra, opened in 1992. The community in Asiakwa has 12 family houses built in traditional local style on the side of a hill. As well as a community day care centre, the Village has a nursery, primary and secondary schools which are all used by local children as well as the SOS village children. Both Asiakwa and Tema have SOS Medical Centres which between them treat over 2,000 patients a year.

SOS Nursery School Tema GhanaKumasi

Opened in November 2009, SOS Children's Village Kumasi has 12 family houses for 120 children, as well as an SOS Nursery and an SOS School for 210 pupils. An SOS Medical Centre can treat about 12,000 people a year.

Tamale

SOS Children's Village Tamale opened in January 2010.  It consists of 12 family houses for 120 orphaned and abandoned children. There is an SOS Nursery for up to 60 children, and an SOS School which can offer education to 320 children from the Village and the local community. An SOS Medical Centre is also part of the Village, and can treat up to 12,000 people a year.

Aids Orphans in Ghana

There is also information on the Aids Orphan Projects in Ghana, Africa.

Life in SOS Children's Villages Ghana

Emmanuel was born in 1981. He was admitted to SOS Children's Village Tema in Ghana when he was only five years old. The dire conditions he was living in with his grandmother did not allow her to offer him everything he needed for his development. She therefore took the boy to SOS Children's Village Tema, where he was able to experience not only improved living conditions, but also a good education.

Now aged 29, he is about to complete his studies and will soon get his engineering degree before embracing a career that will allow him to make his dreams come true.

Emmanuel lived at the village for 17 years. He had a real family life; a life that marked his childhood. "I had three brothers and five sisters. Christmas and Easter is great when you are a child because you get new shoes and clothes and also go out for parties, but the village also organizes one big celebration where all family houses come together in one location and party; it was fun because there was a lot to eat and drink", he said.

He is grateful for the education received at SOS Children's Village Tema because without village intervention, 'life probably would be very questionable'. The key values that had an impact on him during life at the village are love and sharing.

Local Contact

sponsor a child in Ghana

SOS Children's Village Association of Ghana   

P.O.Box 16657

Accra North   

Ghana 

Tel: +233-302 22 2867

Fax: +233-302 23 3087

e-mail: sosghana@sosghana.org

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Did you know? Child sponsorship with SOS Children costs £20 a month and 100% of that is spent on the care of children.