After months of preparation and planning, AfriKids 10 Year Ball took place on September 20th at the Natural History Museum, and what an incredible event it was! From the drinks reception and the gospel choir performance right through to the ‘Azonto’ dancing in the early hours of the morning, the night was a joyous celebration of all that has been achieved these past ten years.

The magnificent Natural History Museum with its stunning Victorian architecture provided an impressive backdrop to the evening. Five

OCTOBER 2012

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

hundred guests dined in the Central Hall around Dippy the Diplodocus, on tables decorated with orange trees. On the trees hung beautiful personal messages from the guests to AfriKids Ghana.

The evening maintained a warm, intimate feel, particularly thanks to the presence of thirteen beneficiaries and staff members from Ghana who were able to attend the ball. Gifty (11 years) warmed the guests’ hearts with a performance of ‘The AfriKids Song’ and later Ayinde and Juliana shared a few candid words about themselves and their stories.

Towards the end of the evening, the guests from Ghana put everyone to shame showing off their ‘Azonto’ dance moves on the dance floor. The beneficiaries and staff from Ghana

appeared perfectly at ease during the evening, and their confident smiles and warm nature made the evening an unforgettable one.

We would like to thank you so much for your support on the night. What an incredible way to mark ten years’ achievement! We were completely overwhelmed by the generosity in the room, with the event raising just over £165,000!

Thank you all, on behalf of us here in London, and over in Ghana.

Click here to see a list of Emman’s eleven favourite things during his stay in London!

AFRIKIDS IS TEN

PROJECT FOCUSAfriKids Ghana are sponsoring Samuel’s Physician Assistant courseSamuel ,who came to Mama Laadi’s Foster Home in 2005, is to become the first AfriKids beneficiary to be supported during a four-year physician assistant course at university, before going on to become a permanent member of staff at the AfriKids Medical Centre when he graduates.Samuel was brought to Mama Laadi’s by some older boys for some respite from life on the streets, and because he was desperate for the chance to go to school. Samuel has always taken his studies very seriously and is an excellent student. Last year he completed Senior High school with fantastic grades, enabling him to continue his studies.

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

“Samuel will serve as an inspiration for the other children who will see that he has a life worthy of emulation.”David PwaluaDirector Of Programmes, AfGh.

In the Upper East Region of Ghana there is a huge shortage of young people with good grades in science, so Samuel’s grades are particularly exceptional.

Samuel was offered a place at university in 2011, but had to turn it down due to the high tuition fees. The physician assistant course is only offered at private universities, and is very costly due to its hands-on nature. However this time around AfriKids will be sponsoring Samuel’s tuition fees, as well as supporting him by providing him with a bursary to cover his living costs.

Samuel will be the first to benefit from AfriKids’ long-term strategy, wherein those beneficiaries who are strong in science will be supported to pursue a career in this field, and then employed at the Medical Centre.

AfriKids Ghana feel that Samuel will be an asset to the team thanks to his hardworking, dedicated nature.

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01: AfriKids 10 year Ball at the Natural History Museum

02: Gifty, one of the guests from Ghana singing ‘The AfriKids Song’

03: The IDMC Gospel Choir performing

04: A smiling Samuel

05: Samuel in his room at Mama Laadi’s

06: Emman dancing Azonto at AfriKids ball

AFRIKIDSONLINE

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

Raymond Akolbire AyinneHurray!!!!!!!!! AfriKids is 10 years old!!! It’s been an exhilarating experience working with Afrikids and through Afrikids to bring relief to my own very people...

AfriKids@AfriKids And here we all are! AfriKids (UK) and AfriKids Ghana together in London!

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GUBA AWARDS UKVOTE: Best Charitable Organisation @WAMCampaign @HC4A @AfriKids @ADAP_INT and STaSS Guba Voting

24 Sept

During their trip to the UK in September, beneficiaries and staff members from Ghana visited the Chalfont St Peter Montessori School in Buckinghamshire who raised money to send books over to Ghana a few years back, and have since had strong links with AfriKids. The guests enjoyed a sing song, and the teachers and children at the school were treated to a traditional Ghanaian dance by Ayinde.

Head teacher Jacqueline McCarthy said: “The AfriKids staff were bowled over with our facilities and how much teaching equipment we have here, and we were able to give them lots of equipment to take back with them.”

Next year Jacqueline McCarthy and deputy head Debbie Lomax are set to visit Ghana as part of the Experience challenge in April.

19 Sep

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Nicholas Kudjoe Kumah What a gargantuan smile!!

FUNDRAISEFORAFRIKIDS

On 13th September one pan of donated blood was used in a blood transfusion for a little boy admitted to the AfriKids Medical Centre who suffered from anaemia.

AfriKids Ghana is hoping to repeat this exercise in the coming months, to save lives in Bolga and elsewhere in the Upper East Region.

www.afrikids.org

Have you ever wanted to take part in a trek but not known how to go about organising it? Want to see how hard you can push yourself to reach the summit? AfriKids are offering you an exciting opportunity to do a sponsored trek in the Simien Mountains in Ethiopia. This vast and exceptional mountain range with its jagged peaks of volcanic rockmakes for breathtaking surroundings.

Along this unique, challenging route you will see many endemic species of flora and fauna, including the Gelada Monkey, you will go through the Amhara villages, and down the 900m descent of the near-vertical ‘Devil’s Staircase’. There are only a few spaces left on the trek, so if you are interested in joining this hardy group who have already collectively climbed three mountains for AfriKids, please visit the website to find out more.

Simien Mountain Trek

Volcano NightLesley Greenwood organised a ‘Volcano night’ in Northumberland in August. Fourteen teams had twenty minutes to build a sandcastle. A fire was then lit on top of the sandcastles, and whichever one stayed alight the longest once the tide came in was the winner! The evening raised £345. THANK YOU!

AFRIKIDS NEWSAfriKids Medical Centre’s ‘Give Blood’ DayOn 12th September, AfriKids held a ‘GiveBlood Day’ during which AfriKids staff donated blood to the AfriKids Medical Centre. Thirty-five people were screened, and twenty-one people donated blood! Those donating blood included AfriKids Medical Centre Staff, AfriKids Ghana Head Office staff, two Dutch volunteers and five relatives of a patient who then received a blood transfusion using his relatives’ donated blood.