GhanaHIH

Projectplan Ghana project NKoranza 2006

Support to operation Hand in Hand!

Written by: Annemieke Adams, Marije Companjen, Piet van Mierlo, Jasper van Santen, Merellijn van der Schaaf en Annemiek van Zantvoort

The Charity " Hand in Hand", is situated in Nkoranza, a small village in Ghana, and it accomodates disabled and orphaned children. There are about 50 children and adolescents living in this community. Esther Blom, the representative of Movendi Foundation visited Nkoranza last year and as a result, six volunteers will leave for Nkoranza during the next nine months, beginning in June 2006. These volunteers will share their professional knowledge and skills as their main goal.

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Paa yaw en Amma

The non-governemental foundation "PCC/Hand in Hand community" is now a small village itself. It provides games, practice, music, parties, dance, sports such as swimming and group dinners. For all their inhabitants the community strives to teach capabilities relating to work, education and recreation, as well as building up on peoples personal development.

Projectgoals

The following targets will be achieved;
  1. To train the local students, so that they will be able to create, manufacture and maintain equipment for disabled people in future
  2. To develop and manufacture equipment for the children in the "Hand in Hand" community, enabling disabled children to be as independant as possible
  3. To transfer actual knowledge about Physiotherapy and educate caregivers so that they exercise with their disabled child in a correct manner
  4. To find a local solution for financing all the material necessary
Het projectteam

Two Human Kinetic technologists; Jasper van Santen and Marije Companjen, and their Mechanical Engineer; Piet van Mierlo, will train the local students in utilising orthopaedical equipment. Unfortunately, the use of specialised wheelchairs has been incidental and poor, as good knowledge about technical and specific adjustments has been absent untill just recently. The three leaders will convey knowledge in such a manner that; in the long term, the students will be able to learn their responsibilities concerning acquisition, adjustment and maintenance.

The Physiotherapists; Merellijn van der Schaaf, Annemieke Adams and Annemiek van Zantvoort, will teach the caregivers within the community about kinetics and bodymechanics. Aiming to enable these local people themselvcs to use therapy, then the individual disabled child will get the best physical care he or she deserves.

Finances

In order to succeed we will need financial support. According to our calculations we estimate it for this to be € 22.000. Expenses in Ghana can be low as it is relatively cheap and we will give our knowledge and time voluntarily. Various people, companies and organizations are going to be approached to make this all possible. If you are interested in this project and you would like to sponsor us, or donate a gift; then we would be pleased to discuss and give you an explanaton of our aims. We will keep you informed of our ongoing progress in Ghana and we will present an evaluation and justification of our expenses on our return, alongside with a final show of our achievments, if you wish.

Thank you for your time in reading this page and we look forward to hearing back from you. We hope that you can give your invaluable support for this vital project.

Yours faithfully,

Annemieke Adams, Marije Companjen, Piet van Mierlo, Jasper van Santen, Merellijn van der Schaaf en Annemiek van Zantvoort

Financial support is most welcome!

Bank account: 3034 (giro Movendi Foundation)

mentioning:"Hand in Hand"