GRID and NEA

Sustainable Development in Ghana

GRID

Increasing Women’s Income

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women with harvestWomen experience a dramatic boost in income when they participate in NEA’s co-op programs.

Before they participate in NEA’s cooperative program, women earn on average $20 per year.  But women who participated in the co-operative program earned an average of $360 at their last harvest.

$360 isn’t a lot to earn in a year.? In fact, it’s a little bit less than $1/day, which is the world’s standard for measuring extreme poverty.

But these women are making the most of that income, and they rejoice in the new opportunities that open up for them as a result.? Many are using some of their harvest income to start small businesses that will provide them money year-round.? A lot of them have been able to purchase clothing for themselves, and some have even been able to put tin roofs on their homes.? Many are investing in their children’s education so that they, too, have opportunities for the future.

We rejoice with these women as they see their hard work bringing such benefits to themselves and their families.

Fish Farming: A first in Northern Ghana

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The first harvest from fish ponds in Ghana

In 2009, GRID and NEA reached a milestone in their aquaculture program. Two of the ponds that had been stocked by NEA were harvested for the first time, proving that against all odds, fish can be raised in Northern Ghana!

Harvest time was an exciting community event. NEA staff and the village pond management committee conducted the harvest with most of the community watching. Teachers found it impossible to keep children in class as they didn’t want to miss seeing the harvest. People were laughing, clapping and cheering as the nets came to the shore, laden with a good catch.

One pond yielded 1600 lbs of fish; another yielded 1800 lbs. Fish were shared among the residents of the host community, who rejoiced to be able to eat so well.

The fish ponds can be harvested several times a year, which means that they will be an ongoing, sustainable source of protein for communities who would otherwise endure severe hunger.

Thank you to our supporters, and to the Canadian International Development Agency, for making this important initiative possible.

Harvesting was done with loosely woven nets that allow small fish to remain in the pond.
Harvesting was done with loosely woven nets that allow small fish to remain in the pond.

Protecting the Black Volta River

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Ghana_WaterfallDid you know that GRID and NEA have facilitated the protection of over 250 km of the Black Volta river in Ghana? By organizing a team of over six hundred volunteers, we have been able to virtually eliminate the use of chemicals and illegal nets on this stretch of the river. Fishermen are noticing a return in the quantity of fish that they are catching, and are even seeing some species of fish that they had believed were extinct. We’re excited to hear this, and excited to think that poisoned fish are appearing less frequently in the markets.

We have plans to expand this protection another 40 km along the main river. We should point out that for every kilometer of the main river that we protect, there are at least as many kilometers tributaries that we also protect. This means that by the end of 2011, we hope to see 290km of the main river protected, and 350 km of its tributaries similarly protected.

On the map below, you can see highlighted in blue the waterways that we have been able to protect. The waterways highlighted in purple are those that we hope to protect by 2011.

Use the hyperlink at the bottom of the map to see a larger version of it.


View NEA Program in a larger map

Uxbridge Medical Team

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A team of 46 medical professionals departs for Ghana on October 31st.  During their two weeks in Carpenter, this group of surgeons, physicians, and nurses will be performing surgeries that are otherwise unavailable.  They will also train local health professionals and lead some community health education sessions.

This is an exciting and busy time for everyone — we would appreciate your prayers for safety, stamina, and health.  Stay tuned for more updates.