MICROFINANCEThe AfriKids way...Microfinance plays a key role in seven of our 17 projects in Ghana. AfriKids Ghana has now created the ‘Livelihoods Department’.

A microfinance loan is given to a beneficiary in order for them to invest and develop a self sufficient way of life. One example is for them to buy maize or rice for resale at the market. Once enough profit has been made, they will repay AfriKids and carry on with their new found business and improved credit rating.

As soon as a loan is repaid, it is used to help another beneficiary start out in life.

June 2011

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

The clear success of these loans has lead to a formation of the ‘Livelihoods Department’; a project solely based on microfinance loans, run by a team of three, led by Didas Azanoore, Head of Microfinanace and Sustainability.

How it worksLocal people have mobilised themselves to come together as collectives and each of these groups will be assessed before a loan is offered. The Livelihoods team want to see that they will be able to manage their loans and make all of their repayments. These groups receive bespoke training in business management, credit management and customer relationships. They are trained up and empowered to understand business so that they can remain competitive in their own ventures.

AfriKids has high aspirations for the new department and would like to see it progress with more collectives and larger loans. We will keep you posted!

• Currently there are 21 microfinance groups which support 1,400 people across AfriKids’ 17 projects.

• The loan recovery rate across the projects is high, with AfriKids’ Operation Sirigu generating a 99% recovery rate.

A woman from the Natuginya branch of the ‘AfriKids Daughters’, a microfinance collective that produces Shea Butter

PROJECT FOCUSAfrikids Social Investment ClubIndividuals investing to make a collective difference; an innovative approach to aid. The AfriKids Social Investment Club (ASIC) was formed in late 2009 and is aimed at developing the AfriKids projects and sustainability initiatives. Members buy a share at £1,000 each - individuals and groups can raise this money however they wish and with as much imagination as they like! In return, AfriKids provide regular feedback and members see their investment become an enterprise whilst observing the change made possible only by their support in Ghana.

Since its inception in 2009, ASIC has already funded a specific ward in the AfriKids Medical Centre as part of larger scale developments to expand to three new wards.

ASIC’s second venture is an investment in the surgical theatre

AfriKids AcademyAfriKids Eco VillageAfriKids Ethical TradeAfriKids Medical CentreBolga Area ProgrammeEducational fundKassena Nankana Area ProgrammeMedical fundOperation BolgaOperation Mango TreeOperation SINGhOperation SmilesOperation ZuarunguStreet Mothers AssociationTalensi Nabdam Area ProgrammeYoung Entrepreneurs

at the medical centre. When AfriKids bought the clinic in 2007, which is now well known and fully established as the AfriKids Medical Centre, there was a small room used for theatre, however it was not built for purpose. Funds raised will be used to refurbish the theatre and will give us the opportunity to step up as a primary health care provider and offer surgery three to four days a week.

In April 2011 work on the refurbishment of the theatre began and so we are gearing up for more fundraising and enticing more members. The annual ASIC reception will be held in September 2011 and all members will be there to celebrate their collective achievements. It is the perfect opportunity for anybody who is interested to come along and find out more.

Please contact Ama Atteen if you would like to find out more or attend the reception:amaatteen@afrikids.org

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01: A new ward at the AfriKids Medical Centre, with beds donated from the UK

02: A member of staff from the AfriKids Medical Centre

03: Sample tubes ready for use at the AfriKids Medical Centre

04: A member of the ‘AfriKids Daughters’, a microfinance collective that produces Shea Butter

05 & 06: Some microfinance collectives use their microfinance to brew pito; a local beer. These women are taking millet (06) and malting it at the start of the brewing process (05)

AFRIKIDSONLINE

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AfriKids Thank you Gareth - amazing stuff!! How did it go? Have you fully recovered? :)

www.facebook.com/afrikids Let’s tweet @AfriKids

AfriKidsWe have 3 volunteers in Ghana at the moment - 2 Midwives and 1 Anaesthetist, training medical staff in 7 hospitals in the Upper east Region :)

Gareth PettySouthampton to Brighton and back (140 miles) charity bike ride complete!!!£375 raised so far for AfriKids.

danielapapiSo excited to learn from/with @sydneyschaef of @Kujali , @daviddamberger of @EthicalOcean & Andy Thornton of @AfriKids - via @SkollCentre

PeterjHollandSo my week and a bit of being out everynite takes me to the @AfriKids pub quiz tonight! Great Charity... im unlikely to win though x

AfriKidsWe’re all buzzing in the office after a fun filled pub quiz, raising £1776.40! Thank you to everyone who came and already looking forward to the next one x

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27 May

The AfriKids ‘Experience’ is reviewed and discussed by Dave Brown, a.k.a Bollo from ‘The Mighty Boosh’, in an interview by The Velvet Onion. It becomes clear to me as Brown talks passionately about AfriKids that this is far from your standard celebrity endorsement of a charity campaign. Dave genuinely loves the work they do, and he has clearly learnt so much from his experiences with them.

“I went and lived with a family in this tiny little district called Talensi-Nabdam and there were about forty to fifty people outside the house every night dancing and singing in celebration of me being there. It was incredible, and you’ll be pleased to know I busted some moves for them and they were very impressed… They gave me a Ghanaian name, Yentotah – which meant ‘a gift from God’. Well, that’s what they told me it meant, although I couldn’t help but wonder why they would all laugh so much when I was introduced. It probably means ‘Sweaty Ginger Bearded Freak Nut’ or something! But they were incredible people. What I came away with most was an amazement at how these communities with relatively nothing; with a lack of food, running water, sanitary conditions, access to medicine etc were all so welcoming, caring, loving and happy. It blew me away to be honest. I can’t wait to go back!”

In this interview Dave Brown is specifically referring to the AfriKids ‘Experience’ which is running again this October. If you would like any more information on it or wish to sign up, please contact Katie Arnold: katiearnold@afrikids.org

www.thevelvetonion.com

The AfriKids Summer Pub Quiz has now been and gone and as you can see from the photo to the left there were high spirits in the room that evening! We were delighted with the generosity of our quizzers and made a grand total of £1,776.40. Special thanks go to a team of volunteers from Goldman Sachs who came to the AfriKids offices and spent the day coming up with the tough questions to test our crowd.

The Christmas champions failed to defend their title, but graciously handed over the shield to our new champions, The Big Dream Trekkers.

Congratulations and we are already looking forward to the next one!

FUNDRAISEFORAFRIKIDSYou are invited to... (if you are a teacher!)an informal get-together on Wednesday 29th June, 5 - 6.30pm at Hyde Park by the bandstand on Serpentine Road. We’re bringing the beer and wine!

We’re in the process of redeveloping our school fundraising materials, with the aim of creating a range of informative resources for teachers and pupils that will be downloadable from the website. We want to make these documents really engaging so if you’re a teacher or have experience in the education sector, we’d love to get your thoughts.

Do you want to...RUN TO THE BEAT?This is a unique sponsored event - a music half marathon. Starting and finishing at London’s O2 Arena, you will run a half marathon in time to the music! 25th September, 2011.

13.1 miles17,000 pairs of feetExclusive performancesMusic to motivate youGet grimey down in GreenwichDub step through DocklandsRock round Royal Artillery BarracksHip hop down Ha Ha RoadRun to the Beat

Contact Ama for more information: amaatteen@afrikids.org www.afrikids.org

Hyde Park Bandstand