Yakote Community Center – At the heart of Yakote is the community center.  Building it was our first major project and was based on what the women we met with requested.  Once built, other health, sanitation, and education projects were  started with the Community Center as the hub.

Communities are eager for their children to attend school. To meet the needs for education, YWF has constructed two primary schools with latrines in Nabdam communities without good access to schools. Details at www.gone2ghana.com.

An over the counter pharmacy.

Grain grinding mill

Construction of new Nabdam District primary schools with latrines in Piitanga and Zeemboug (4/2020, underway), partnering with Framework International.

Lunch programs at targeted primary schools and an all-girls middle school.

Ongoing construction and delivery of desks to schools. (seating for 600 students by 4/2020)

In the “Goats for Girls” program, 12-15 young girls from needy families receive a goat to raise. YWF provides initial vaccines, a goat stake, and a guide to goat care created by a girls 4-H goat club in Dallas, Oregon. The girls raise their goat and sell its offspring in order to pay school fees and uniforms. Each goat costs $30.

One of the first uses of the Yakote Community Center was opening of a health clinic inside the building with two nurses seeing patients daily. About half of the patient visits are for children’s health care and vaccinations.

An ambulance was provided by the Health Service and the community funds the maintenance and fuel. Because of this, women in labor are able to be transported to the clinic with a midwife.

At the request of the Health District, YWF provided 38 bicycles for trained community health volunteers who visit remote family compounds to deliver polio vaccines, malaria drugs, pregnancy care, and check on nutritional status.

Women carrying water before the bore hole was drilled.

During our first visit to Nabdam in 2005, community elders identified school lunches as their top priority. Since that time, YWF has purchased food staples for lunches at 4 primary schools and 1 junior high. The cost is 20 cents/meal.

The nutrition center in the village of Logre conducts a feeding program for malnourished babies and toddlers. With over 100 young patients in a year and unreliable help from larger aid organizations, YWF has stepped in to provide a 6-month supply of nutritious food staples each year.

Subsistence farmers are the backbone on which Nabdam society functions. With local experts, YWF has visited farms and organized workshops on composting, insect control, crop selection, and “green” fencing with a particular bush, jatropha.

Two basket-weaving cooperatives have been formed in Nabdam villages. YWF has helped provide training, basket storage, work benches, and has also marketed these colorful, artistic baskets. Women spend the much-needed income on school uniforms for children, health care, and household needs.

Development of a cooperative savings program or “susu” in which the woman deposit small amounts of money. It has been used to provide small microloans for petite trading ventures.

Community donkeys and donkey carts have been purchased for villages. Many have farm plots far removed from their home compounds. The donkey carts allow them to more easily transport water to the fields and bring the harvest back to their homes or market. A donkey and cart costs $350.

Dry season farming with foot irrigation pumps.

Soccer balls and volleyballs for schools.

Donkey and cart.