The Girl in Need Foundation (GiNF), is a charitable organization that seeks to raise money to support Girls 18 years and below who are having to endure all forms of abuse, all because they need money or someone to see them through school, that is, paying their school fees and providing other necessities or to learn a trade.
As a country, Ghana has done well in drumming home the need for girls to go to school and stay in school. Unfortunately, as a country we have not walked the talk of supporting girls to go to school or stay in school.
To say that poverty is endemic in Ghana will be an understatement, especially among women. Single motherhood is also a common phenomenon in our society. We, as Ghanaians, have often heard and read stories of young girls who have been subjected to all sorts of abuse and inhuman treatments, all in the name of wanting to go to school or learn a trade.
People travel to rural or deprived communities and families to go for girls to live with them in the cities, with a promise to take them to school, while the girls help them at home. However, these girls, most often under 18 years of age, virtually become slaves, with no hope of ever being taken to school or to learn a trade when they get to the cities.
Aside being overworked and exposed to many hazards, some are beaten, raped, abused and subjected to all sorts of inhumane treatments. These girls will be identified or recommended to the Foundation and upon investigation, the Foundation will support these girls as best as possible and take them away from the abusive environment.
The GiNF, will then take them to their parents and take them to school or learn a trade of their choice and pay the necessary fees. If they are orphans, the Foundation will liaise with an Orphanage and keep them there while the Foundation caters for their basic needs.
There are also situations where the girls live with their parents or parent but are not in school due to financial constraints or abject poverty. Some of these girls are made to engage in activities that put them in “harm’s way” or once again engage, willing or unwilling in sexual activities with or without the knowledge or consent of their parents or parent.Once again, the Foundation will seek help for these girls, psychological help and pay for the necessary fees needed for school or to learn a trade.There are circumstances where the mother of the girl may also need assistance to trade in other to cater for her other needs. In such circumstances, the Foundation if POSSIBLE, will help set up the mother.
5TH ANNIVERSARY - GIRL IN NEED
The Foundation is asking Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians to contribute one Ghana cedi or more to help the Girl in Need. The Foundation will use The Standpoint platform to solicit funds to finance the Girl in Need Foundation project through adverts and appeals. The Girl in Need Foundation boxes will also be placed at various vantage points: Supermarkets, Banks, Fuel stations etc. Occasionally, the Foundation will go to churches, schools and other institutions and organizations to solicit for funds for the GiNF.
The Girl in Need Foundation is a registered charitable Organization. It has a three member Board, made up of
- Oheneyere Dr. Gifty Dansoa Anti – Founder and President of the GiNF,
- Madam Patience Dapaah – Board Member,
- Ms Akosua Ntiriwaa Anti – Secretary.
The Foundation also has a three member Vetting Board.
- Dr Ebo Koma Jehu Appiah,
- Madam Patience Dapaah
- Oheneyere Dr. Gifty Dansoa Anti.
The role of the Vetting Council is to sift through the various applications and recommendations and decide who really needs to be assisted due to the limited resources we have.
Mode of Identification
Eligible candidates can apply to the Girl in Need Foundation and neighbours and concerned citizens can also recommend eligible candidates to us for assistance.
“When you educate a woman, you educate the whole nation” is a well-known parlance in Ghana. But we of the Girl in Need Foundation, believe that this has been a “talk” for too long and various governments have failed to set in motion social interventions specifically to help the education of the Girl Child.
We believe that formal education or skill is one of the most powerful tools that you can give to a girl. Enough to have some confidence, focus, determination, self believe and faith to set her up for life.
It is our hope and believe that if Ghanaians contribute even GHC 1 each, we can help redefine the future of many of our girls who are bleeding inside because of the abuse they suffer in their attempt to raise funds to go to school or learn a trade.