Out of AfriKids - September 2009

Out of AfriKids

September 2009

AfriKids is a Child Rights Organisation working to improve life for Ghana’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged children in a holistic, inclusive and sustainable manner

Mama Laadi Needs You!

Watch Laadi’s video appeal

For most of you Mama Laadi will need no introduction; a former street child who has dedicated

her life to helping the most vulnerable children in her society, Mama Laadi counts among her family HIV/ AIDS orphans, ‘spirit children’ and those with special needs. Under her loving care and in the warmth of ‘Mama Laadi’s Fos‐ ter Home’ they are growing to be happy, rounded individuals with a sense of self worth and the confidence to take up the opportunities in life they now have.

AfriKids is careful that every activity we fund in Ghana can be sustained and it is our goal to help AfriKids Ghana become entirely self sustained by 2018. One of the greatest challenges is ensuring that Mama Laadi’s Foster Home can continue to run into the future. Caring for vulnerable children takes time, patience and resources.

The family want to know that their future is secure and that they are able to stand on their own two feet. This year we have been presented with a fantastic opportunity to make this a reality.

We have been offered first refusal on a large family home ready for conversion into a guest house that has the potential, according to expert feasibility studies, to raise most of Mama Laadi’s Foster Home running costs

through profit. It will also provide training and employment for the older children of the home interested in hospitality.

Thanks to the generosity of a few individuals, those who attended Burns Night supper 2009 and a new corporate donor we have raised and paid for most of the cost of the home, but we have £10,000 outstanding to be paid this

autumn. If everyone who receives this newsletter gave £14.20 towards the project we would achieve this. Read more about how you can help on page four.

Watch Laadi’s video appeal

“I want to say thank you to the country that gave me life. It is my proudest moment to say I am part of the British military.” Paul Apowida speaks to the Northern Echo, 08‐08‐09

Above left, Paul receives a prize for ‘best all round’ in Physical Training

Out of AfriKids inside stories One of the first children AfriKids supported, Paul Apowida has come a long way since Georgie Fienberg, AfriKids’ International Director met him 11 years ago when he was just 13 years old. Read below to see the extraordinary life he’s led and the amazing hurdles he’s gone through to get to where he is today.

Paul was born in the village of Sirigu 24 years ago, tragically his father died shortly before his birth and his mother shortly after of an epidemic sweeping the area.

Believing Paul to blame, his father’s second wife arranged to have Paul killed as a ‘spirit’.

Paul was rescued by Sr Jane, the indomitable lady who was our first ever partner in Ghana and who ran a babies’ home nearby. He was cared for by her and later sent to one of the best schools in Accra under scholarship.

Paul poses for the press with his art

Paul has so far raised over £30,000 for AfriKids through the sale of his paintings By the age of 21 Paul had already done more than he had ever hoped

supported to move to Accra. This

was not enough for Paul who had set his with his life; completing school, sights on the British Army, driven by the belief in working for a better world, holding excelling in art college, his own head up in society and finding an raising over £30,000 for outlet for his ever increasing fitness AfriKids in sales of his fanaticism!

paintings and being surrogate father to the four younger boys AfriKids had

The Northern Echo caught up with Paul at the beginning of August

On the 7th August 2009, Paul passed out as Rifleman Apowida!

Three years on after hurdles and set backs that would have tried the patience and most self assured of souls, Paul passed out as

Rifleman Apowida of the First Battalion, The Rifles on a sunny August afternoon in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire.

Congratulations Paul!

AfriKids staff and supporters attended, proud as punch!

Patience, Bridget, Mary, Isman and the famous Guest House chef, Mr Barry

Fundraising We need you to help us to raise money for Mama Laadi’s Guest House.

Thank you! £14.20 could go a long way......

A share of £14.20 will help AfriKids raise the final costs of buying Mama’s Place, the Guest House that will help make Mama Laadi’s Foster Home sustainable

The Guest House has been running a skeleton service for AfriKids staff and visitors since April 2009 and is already providing some

fantastic opportunities for Mama Laadi’s older children. Kwesi, who has several learning difficulties and never managed to cope in school was last year given a placement with the department of Parks and Gardens where he is flourishing. He has been working on the Guest House garden and it will be his first major project using the skills he has learned. Bridget is the older sister of Kennedy, both of them are orphaned and Kennedy falls under Mama Laadi’s care. Through the week he lives with Bridget who was keen to keep the family together and supplements the feeding allowance she receives for Kennedy through work as a seam‐ stress and now as the mistress of the Guest House. She’s a natural host and organises the other staff and volunteers at the home with a sense of pride. Mary and Vida and are both spending

their school holidays being coached in cookery by Mr Barry and this will set them apart from the crowd when applying to catering college next year.

£465 to pay for salaries for one year £436 will pay the salary of the Guest House’s cook and caretaker for one year whilst business develops

Mr Barry cooking up a storm

£740 for kitchen equipment £740 will buy all the kitchen equipment needed to serve the Guest House’s customers and train Mama Laadi’s older children in catering under the tutelage of Mr Barry, Bolga’s best chef The guest house could provide a permanent job for Mary

Bridget takes a rare Sunday off for a walk in the Tongo Hills

“You people are so wonderful, when I was first told we would have a home I could not believe it, now to be given this new place, I don’t know what to say. This gives us the opportunity to work hard and earn our own keep. I was never a big person in society, al‐ ways begging from others, but now I can make my own way and cater for my children independently. Thank you” Mama Laadi, Project Manager of Operation Mango Tree