Lifestyle

There are four places to go where you can sponsor a child online:

1. Sponsor a child with World Vision

2. Sponsor a child with Plan UK

3. Sponsor a child with Action Aid

4. Sponsor a child with Everychild

While Ghana is, in some senses, one of Africa's success stories, it is still a very poor country where many people lack basic health, education and agricultural provisions. The average life expectancy is 58% years, one in ten children die before their fifth birthday and 40% of people are illiterate.

Ghana suffers from severe drought in its northern regions, and the already parched land suffers from excessive deforestation, overgrazing and widespread water pollution. The high number of adults living with HIV/AIDS (300,000) has resulted in lower life expectancy (59.9 years) and higher death rates.

ActionAid is a development charity with a strong commitment to working alongside local people and organisations in order to establish better rights for the world's poorest people, and the provision of basic needs that most in the developed world take entirely for granted. More than that, the charity is committed to tackling the root causes of poverty and have made education, HIV and AIDS, food, emergencies, women and girls their main priorities.

You can sponsor a child today through ActionAid, and support the vital work they are doing in Ghana. It is very easy and can be done quickly by visiting their website.

Since 1990 ActionAid has been working to establish informal education centres that fit the program of study around the various farming responsibilities that many children in Ghana have. They also provide teacher training and materials to local people, and assistance for the improvement of state school buildings. Their innovative adult learning scheme, Reflect, has successfully incorporated education with the organisation and planning of community initiatives.

ActionAid has also worked tirelessly to improve farming conditions in Ghana. This has included the installation of many handpumps that ensure clean water supplies. Their Seed Credit program invests in business start-ups by providing savings and credit facilities to the very poor. Working closely with the Ministry of Health, ActionAid has succeeded in improving education in matters of basic health, hygiene and sanitation.

In the 37 years since its inception, ActionAid has reached many millions people in Africa, Asia and the Americas, and it has developed a wealth expertise in fighting poverty. ActionAid partners with local organisations and recognises the need to work with communities on their own terms, and not to impose solutions. By getting to know the culture intimately ActionAid workers have the best possible opportunity to affect a lasting end to poverty.

Sponsoring a child in Ghana today will cost you only 50 pence per day, or £15 per month. Your money will also go towards development efforts in the town in which the child you sponsor lives. This will ensure the most efficient and effective use of your money.

As a child sponsor you will be able to arrange a personal visit to your child, and communicate with them. You can also look forward to receiving special letters and drawings from them, including a new photograph every two years. Additionally, you get to see where and how your money is being spent by keeping in touch with your child's local ActionAid office, and through regular editions of Common Cause, ActionAid's newsletter.

Support the vital work of ActionAid today, and sponsor a child here

You may also like to consider sponsoring a child through the following trusted agencies:

Sponsor a child with World Vision

Sponsor a child with Plan UK

Sponsor a child with Everychild