Community development in Ghana

The livelihoods of people in Northern Ghana’s rural communities are dictated largely by their relationship with the environment. Farming and food production depends on the seasonal rains, fuel for cooking comes from firewood gathered from the surrounding area, water is collected in rain-filled dams and houses are constructed using locally available materials. Rural communities are therefore vulnerable to the changes in environmental conditions that are taking place. Soil infertility and erosion, sporadic and unpredictable rains, and the increasing force of seasonal storms are making it more difficult for households to sustain their livelihoods.

Africa 2000 Network (A2N), a pan-African non-governmental organisation, uses a unique asset-based approach to development aimed at helping communities counter the many of the challenges before them. By capitalizing and emphasizing the strengths of communities, A2N promotes ecologically sustainable strategies for human development at the community level. Their work focuses on rural communities with special emphasis on alternative income generating activities for women and children.

EWB’s role:

EWB volunteer Liz Ashby is working in partnership with A2N on their Sustainable Livelihoods Project. The project, currently in its second year, introduces an asset-based framework to government field workers to encourage community-driven development. This project has the potential to impact both impoverished rural communities, as well as the public sector.