Community Facilitation and Participatory Activities for Targeted Communities – Implementation of Component 3 of the GARID Project
The Government of Ghana secured funds from the World Bank for implementation of the GARID Project with the aim of supporting critical investments to cope with increased urbanisation pressures and disasters and climate change impacts in Greater Accra Region. The project’s core objective is to improve flood risk management and solid waste management in the Odaw River Basin of the Greater Accra Region and improve access to basic infrastructure and services in the targeted communities within the Odaw River Basin. The SWS Consulting Engineering of Italy has been engaged to implement the Component 3 of the Project. The assignment involves Consulting Services for the Preparation of Community Facilitation, Planning, Preliminary and Detailed Engineering Designs and Construction Supervision and Contract Management for three Communities.
The Consortium of Cooperazione Internazionale Sud Sud (CISS) and NECPAD assumes the NGO face of the project intervention for component 3 of the GARID Project. Specific assignments being carried out include community facilitation and project awareness raising, conduct of participatory actions and meetings with targeted communities and related stakeholders, conduct of socioeconomic surveys, among others
Client’s Name
SWS Engineering Consulting Italy
Project Cost
USD ***.**
Address
The Managing Director,
SWS Engineering Consulting Italy
Contact:
SWS Engineering Consulting Italy
Email: [email protected]
“Sustainable Nets” – Building a Sustainable protection Network to eliminate child labour as a result of human trafficking in the fisheries of Lake Volta
The Project is funded by the European Delegation to Ghana with the overall objective of contributing to the elimination of the worst forms of child labour (WFCL) as a result of human trafficking in the fishing sector in Ghana. The action thus seeks to build a sustainable protection network directed to eliminate child trafficking in the fisheries of Lake Volta. The Project is being implemented in the 6 regions (Bono East, Eastern, Central, Greater Accra, Volta and Oti regions) involving 13 districts (Pru/Yeji, Sene East, Atebubu, Asuogyaman, kwahu Afram Plains, Awutu, Mfantsiman, Ada East. Ningo, Kpando, Jasikan, Biakoye and Krachi East districts) and spanning across 30 communities.
Broad project activities establishment of Sustainable Nets Steering Committee and working units. Main outputs include: a multi-stakeholder network to fight child labour as a result of human trafficking in the fisheries of Lake Volta established; capacity building programme targets the members of the DCPCs/CCPCs; social workers and law enforcement agencies at the district level within high-risk selected communities receive technical assistance; establishment of a child-friendly legal aid itinerant service; a sustainable livelihood scheme is experimented to reintegrate the children rescued from labour exploitation and child trafficking in the Lake Volta fisheries; and community-based campaigns are carried out to raise awareness.
The Project is implemented by a Consortium led by the lead applicant/implementer Network for Community Planning and Development (NECPAD) and 2 co-applicants/co-implementers being an Italian NGO Cooperazione Internazionale Sud Sud (CISS) based in Palermo, Italy and a Kumasi-based NGO Rural Development and Youth Association (RUDEYA), Ghana.
The Project has been implemented for 6 months and all expected outputs planned for the period have been achieved.
Client’s Name
Delegation of the European Union to Ghana
Project Cost
USD ***.**
Address
Finance and Contract Section
The Round House 81, Cantonments Road
Contact:
P. O. Box 9504 KIA Accra, Ghana
Support to establish networks for the implementation of Child Labour Action Plans, Child Labour Monitoring, Reporting and Law Enforcement under the CARING Gold Mining Project in Ghana and the Philippines
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is implemented a five-year United States Department of Labour (USDOL) funded CARING Gold Mining Project entitled “Convening Actors to develop and implement strategies to reduce child labour and improve working conditions in Artisanal and Small Scale Mining (ASGM) in Ghana and the Philippines. The Network for Community Planning and Development (NECPAD) is a key partner in the project implementation with the responsibility of establishing networks for the implementation of wide range of activities including child labour action plans, child labour monitoring, development and operationalisation of standard operating procedures and child labour monitoring framework and operational plans in ASGM.
NECPAD has led the establishment of the Child Labour and Responsible Mining Network (CLaRM-Net) and is providing technical support to enable the network implement child labour actions outlined in the National Plan of Action against the worst forms of child labour (NPA:2017-2021), child labour free-zones and the project pre-situational assessment study. NECPAD is working with the ILO to link the CLaRM-Net as a national network to global networks working around issues of child labour and working conditions in ASGM.
Client’s Name
International Labour Organisation/International Program on Elimination of Child Labour (ILO/IPEC)
Project Cost
USD ***.**
Address
Address:
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) Headquarters 4, route des Morillons CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland
Contact:
ILO Ghana Office
Head of Civil Service Annex Ministries Accra, Ghana
Learn4Work targets one of the root causes of child labour: lack of both income and economic opportunities. By investing in Technical Vocational Education and Training, Learn4Work ensures that people get the knowledge and skills which are useful to obtain a job or start a small business. When parents or caretakers have a sustainable income, they can support their children, younger siblings or other dependants to go to school. But Learn4Work also targets the victims of child labour themselves: children are trained and supported to get an income, provided that these income-generating activities can be combined with schooling.
A special feature of Learn4Work is that numerous and diverse organisations work together to improve vocational education. Not only development organisations, but also schools and training institutes, central and local governments and knowledge institutes share their expertise. Projects supported by Learn4Work have an international dimension. Linking the Dutch society to Learn4Work projects enhances mutual learning and increases the awareness of the importance of international
On the basis of the above unique opportunities that learn4work offer to children and youth in the world of work, NECPAD and its southern partners are implementing the project entitled “Child Labour Elimination and Youth in Agri-Business Project in 3 districts in the Western Region of Ghana co-funded by Learn4Work of Netherlands with funding from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The project is managed by Edukans nl. (Netherlands) and seeks to place children in schools, informal TVET training and in agri-business to improve food security.
The Project seeks to do the following:
– Contribute to progressive elimination of child labour in agriculture (cocoa sector) through withdrawal and rehabilitation processes, school placements (including transitional education/levelling), and informal/apprenticeship training etc.
– Reduce poverty through improved incomes to the youth
– Promote Food security
– Link TVET to the Labour Market
– Improve attractiveness of TVET
– Supporting and linking beneficiary youth to financial services towards self-employment
The Long term of the Project is to contribute to the substantial and sustainable improvement in the quality of life of children and the youth through increased access to education, improved incomes and food security.
The Medium term objectives include:
– to raise awareness of child labour issues and decent Work amongst
farming communities.
– to contribute to progressive elimination of child labour in agriculture.
– to enhance access to knowledge and skills through formal
education and TVET.
– to work alongside other partners to advocate for actions to help
make a positive difference to cocoa farming families.
– to contribute to food security through youth in agri-business
Project Results and Outcomes
i. A total of 306 children (168 boys and 138 girls) withdrawn and
placed in formal schools. These children have been provided with
school supplies including school uniforms, sandals, school bags,
exercise books and assorted stationeries
ii. 75 youth (40 males and 35 females) placed in Technical, Vocational
Education and Training (TVET)
iii. 268 youth (195 males and 73 girls) provided with agri-business
opportunities
iv. 121 family members of beneficiaryyouth provided with
skills/livelihood employment training
v. 62 Teachers trained on Learn4Work Agenda
Project Results and Outcomesroject Results and Outcomes
Others Activities accomplished under the Project:
– 12 Communities in 3 districts sensitised, educated and provided with
awareness on effects of child labour and importance of TVET
through community durbar and local broadcast devices.
– Panel discussions and FM radio programs organised on district FM
radio stations to reach a larger audience
– Traditional TVET providers are being supported through training and
orientation to increase their capacity in delivering TVET services to
beneficiaries in local communities.
– Arrangements have been finalised between the Lead Partner
(NECPAD) and TMF towards linking beneficiaries to micro-financial
services.
Client’s Name
Learn4Work
Project Cost
Learn4Work Contribution (34% of project cost) = €199,050
NECPAD and local Partners contribution = €386,473
Address
Edukans Foundation
P. O. Box 1492
3800 BL Amersfoort
The Netherlands
Contact:
Tel:+31(0)33 460 60 10
Fax: :+31(0)33 460 60 20
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.edukans.nl/learn4work
The project is part of a Multi-bilateral Programme of Technical Cooperation under the Project titled “Eliminating the Worst Forms of Child Labour in West Africa and Strengthening Sub-Regional Cooperation through ECOWAS. NECPAD is implementing the mining and quarry intervention in Ghana in collaboration with the Minerals Commission, Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs and other CSOs.
NECPADs key intervention strategies are:
Advocacy, direct action and social protection
- Advocacy for improvement in social welfare, education and relevant legal systems
- Direct action to withdraw and rehabilitate children
- Social protection (including family empowerment) towards securing better livelihoods
Awareness raising and community education
- Awareness raising to improve families resolve towards educating children
- Community education to improve knowledge and appreciation on importance of education
Promotion of behavioural and attitudinal change
- Media programmes to change attitudinal and behavioural change
- Sensitisation to influence community perceptions
Institutional strengthening
- Capacity building for relevant institutions (including DAs, CCPCs etc)
- Mainstreaming child labour into local government systems
Key Project Outcomes include the following:
i. Withdrawal of Children from work, Rehabilitation and Provision of satisfactory and sustainable alternatives to work
NECPAD employed participatory and right-based approaches and through community education, sensitisation, advocacy and direct action withdrew a total of 1297 (as against a target of 1138) working children from work (comprising 574 boys and 723 girls), provided psycho-social, moral and educational counselling services and placed them in formal school system and information apprenticeship training in 30 communities within 7 Districts.
ii. Non-formal education for working children
A total of 455 children have been counselled and placed in informal apprenticeship training in the 30 communities.
iii. Family and Skills Empowerment and Livelihood Provision through Social Inclusion Transfer Interventions
A total of 300 parents/guardians/caretakers of withdrawn children have been identified, counselled and provided with empowerment/entrepreneurial skills and management training to empower them assist their children to go and remain in schools and informal apprenticeships.
iv. Strengthening local level institutions
NECPAD strengthened a number of Community Child Protection Committees (CCPCs) through capacity strengthening to enable them contribute to the implementation of the intervention
v. Awareness Raising, Community Education, Social Mobilisation and Advocacy for improvement of social welfare educational system and law enforcement actions
Throughout the implementation of the intervention, NECPAD carried out awareness raising on child labour to inform communities about the dangers of subjecting children to work as against sending them to school or learning a trade. The organisation has also embarked on community education programmes as well as social mobilisation for communities toy fight and resist child labour in all endeavours. Additionally, intensive efforts have been made to push institutions to act towards improving social welfare systems and law enforcement
Client’s Name
International Labour Organisation
Approx. Value of contract sum
US$ 451,925
Address
International Labour Organisation/International Program on Elimination of Child Labour (ILO/IPEC)
Address:
The International Labour Organisation (ILO)
NECPAD’s role included:
Community Education and Advocacy
- Community sensitization, education and mobilisation to fight against WFCL in the Wassa West District
- Advocacy towards prevention of 600 children from engaging in illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) activities
Direct Action for Withdrawal and Prevention of Children from illegal small-scale mining (“Galamsey”) Activities
- Direct Action for the identification and withdrawal of 324 children (aged 12-15 years) engaged in illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) activities
- Rehabilitation, counselling (educational, career, moral and psycho-social counselling) and placement of withdrawn children in transitional, levelling, formal, vocational and skills training
Family Capacity Building, Life Improvement and Economic Empowerment Initiatives
- Identification of 125 parents/guardians, provide them with entrepreneurial and managerial skills and link them to micro finance institutions to enable them support their children in school and skills training
Addendum to the original scope of work was on investigating relationship between forced labour and Commercial Sexual Exploitation of girls and its impact on HIV/AIDS and child labour
Client’s Name
(ILO/IPEC)
Approx. Value of contract sum
US$ 89,256
Address
Headquarters
4, route des Morillons
CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland
Ghana Office:
International Labour Office
Head of Civil Service (Annex Block)
Prevention and Behavioral Change Communication (BBC) and Mitigating the Economic Impacts of HIV/AIDS with support from the GAC’s MSHAP, the East Akim Municipal Assembly (EAMA) worked with NECPAD towards contributing to the halting of the spread of HIV/AIDS in the Municipality by:
- raising the ranking of issues that provide hope and life to the PLWHA and their families
- promoting drastic changes in behaviours, attitudes and perceptions of the general public on HIV/AIDS victims
- reducing the percentage of adolescence sex and curtail the number of multiple sex partners among the youth
- empowering PLWHA to earn a decent living to reduce their vulnerability
- empowering the youth and young adolescence to become self-reliant
The set of activities NECPAD is providing to help achieve results include:
i. planning and organisation of sensitization workshops for policy/decision makers, traditional authorities, youth, young adolescence, PLWHA and families affected by AIDS to create awareness on high-risk behaviours in the society
ii. conduct of public sensitization campaigns and information dissemination to create awareness and solicit communal support to fight the spread of the epidemic in the district
iii. development and implementation of communication strategies that send strong messages about the socio-economic impacts of HIV/AIDS
iv. development of strategies to train women in alternative livelihood potentialities and to assist them access micro-credit to reduce their vulnerability
v. identification, selection and training of out-of-school youth in income generating activities to empower them become self-sufficient and reduce their dependency on men.
Client’s Name
(GAC/EADA)
Approx. Value of contract sum
GH ₵11,018
Address
East Akim District Assembly (GAC/EADA)
P. O. Box 50 Kibi – E/R