Ghana Country Information

FACT AND FIGURES

Location - Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo

Capital - Accra

Population - 24.3.8 million

People - Akan 45%, Mole-Dagbon 15%, Ewe 12%, Ga-Dangme 7%, Guan 4%, other 17%

Language - English (official language), Asante, Ewe, Fante, Boron, Dagomba, Dangme, Dagarte, Akyem, Ga, Akuapem, other

Religion - Christian 68.8% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 24.1%, Protestant 18.6%, Catholic 15.1%, other 11%), Muslim 15.9%, traditional 8.5%, other 0.7%, none 6.1%

Literacy rate - 57.9%

Life expectancy - 60.5 years

% Living below $1/day - 30%

Sources - The CIA World Fact Book 2008, Compassion International, www.news.bbc.co.uk

GHANA

In 1957 the British Gold Coast colony merged with the Togoland Trust Territory to form Ghana, the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence from its colonial masters.

After a long series of coups, the political situation settled in 1981 when Lt. Jerry Rawlings took power, succeeded in 2000 by John Kufuor and in 2008 by John Atta Mills, with the country experiencing political stability and a growing economy.

Despite the relative prosperity, poverty remains pervasive, leaving many children vulnerable to, amongst others, malnutrition, malaria and HIV/AIDS.

Ghana is also a source, transit, and destination country for children trafficked for sexual exploitation and forced labour. Ghanaian children are trafficked internally as labourers in fishing villages and cocoa plantations, and to urban areas in the south to work in exploitative conditions as domestic servants, street vendors, and porters.

Compassion’s work in Ghana began in 2005. Currently, over 20,320 children participate in more than 96 child development centres. Compassion partners with churches around the country, to help them provide the children of Ghana with the opportunity to rise above their circumstances and become all God has created them to be.

Compassion Ghana does not have any Child Survival Programmes yet.

Over 20,320 children are currently being assisted in more than 96 Child Sponsorship Programmes in Ghana.

Compassion Ghana does not have any Leadership Development Programme students yet.