The Glimmer of Hope Foundation is a non-governmental organization that seeks to shape the future of the less privileged in society.
The organization desires to create and preserve the heritage of young children by offering and inspiring hope.
In light of this, Glimmer of Hope Foundation wants to team up with relevant institutions individual philanthropists to quicken progress towards easing the predicament of the poor in society.
The foundation’s focus is bringing together all interested parties to build a more sustainable future by addressing the issue of hunger, poverty inequality amongst others.
Glimmer of Hope Foundation (GHF) and its associate members extended a hand of gratitude to an identified group of Kayaye. The engagement also served as the official launch of the foundation.
The launch was in partnership with other benevolent institutions like Core Care – Ghana, Local Brew and, Rebecca Agroh Memorial Foundation.
The help needed to be given to the young child, however, cannot be given in isolation because of their mothers who are usually vulnerable women. By saying vulnerable we mean women who come from the Northern part of Ghana to seek greener pastures in the capital, having no places of shelter, difficulty in making money for their daily needs, having little or no education be it formal or non-formal, having little or no proper healthcare and lacking basic amenities for survival.
Before launching the GHF, some level of stakeholder engagement had gone on to ascertain the real needs of the people. Prominent amongst their issues are lack of jobs and decent accommodation for them. They are also faced with the issue of lack of clean water and sanitation.
“We believe this is alarming since the Ghanaian educational system is such that an individual is supposed to be at the tertiary institution, be it formal or informal education at least by 24 years. The data, however, does not represent such facts because these girls, ladies, and women are here in Accra engaging in kayayie business instead of being in school.
Further interrogation with the women, showed that most of them did not have basic education which shows a huge problem in the educational sector affecting the northern part of Ghana. With little or no form of education, these women practically give up in life and perceive it as the best alternative to come to Accra as Kayayies to enable them to survive.
We again sought to find out the number of kayayies who had given birth and vice versa. The data showed that 49% representing 24 out of the 50 had given birth. This is almost half of the respondents who have to deal with carrying babies at their back whilst carrying heavy loads on their heads as well.
We believe these people need serious assistance, and we are positive their situation is not beyond redemption. These girls, ladies and women also have nowhere to sleep since they migrated from the northern part of Ghana to Accra in search of greener pastures. They currently sleep in-front of a classroom building at Makola.
Our aim is to end the vicious cycle of poverty amongst these girls, ladies and women because as observed, they give birth at early ages and their children also usually grow up to do this same business and also live in poverty.
“We believe with the assistance of the government, Non-Governmental Organizations, Corporate Organizations, Philanthropists, Donors, interested persons and the whole public supporting Glimmer of Hope Foundation; this cycle of endless poverty would end. This will put these girls, ladies and women with their children into meaningful and more profitable ways by going to school, learning a vocation or setting up businesses for them, which will impact their lives.”
Items were presented to a number of these ladies including pampers, pad, provisions, clothes, toiletries, cooked and uncooked food etc. There was also a medical team present to do several tests on the ladies, including breast screening, malaria test as well as sugar test.
“We also presented a number of books and a calculator to one of the ladies who has a dream of becoming a nurse to enable her to write the 2021 NOV/DEC. We will continue to support her to make her dream a reality by means of other financial support as well as guidance and counselling sessions.”
Speaking at the event, the CEO and founder of Glimmer of Hope Foundation, Madam Ernestina Mensah held the view that “one needs the slightest hope to believe in themselves again, to strive to become better and to be what they truly are supposed to be.”
According to her, these women and young girls can also dare to believe in themselves that their dreams that are hidden in their hearts are still possible to see the light.
“We challenge the government, donors, NGOs and the whole world to support us extend sustainable help to the needy and to make the world a better place for all of us,” she added.
