Light for Children

MDGs-HIV/ AIDS, Education

About Us

Light for Children is a child centered non-governmental organization in Ghana. Working in the city of Kumasi and nine surrounding rural regions, particularly supporting HIV positive children who need support. Our programmes include education outreach geared towards HIV and malaria
prevention, supporting Voluntary Testing and Counseling (VCT) Centers and child sexual abuse preventative programs. Partnering and supporting with orphanages, schools for the deaf, and other education programs, our broad work encompasses many of the diverse scopes of child needs in our region.

Our Community

Kumasi, the second largest city in Ghana, has a population reaching near 2 million. The city is referred to as ‘the Garden City’ because of the variety of plants and flowers. Major exports being hardwood and cocoa, and keep a bustling economy, despite present health, poverty, and other pressing social issues in the town. The rural communities we work in have electricity and roads, but lack running water and plumbing infrastructure. Our services reach over 2500 people combined in these communities.

History

Our organization was founded in 2005 to respond to the growing AIDS epidemic in the region and the influence it was having on children, either orphaned, being raised by unsupported grandmothers. Taking lists of children from the HIV Clinic in Kumasi, we took it as a challenge to begin offering a few basic services, particularly providing anti-retroviral therapy, matched with good nutrition and education. Beginning with an original eight children meeting under a mango tree, we have broadly expanded our scope and dreams for providing a ‘light for children’ here needing support in their early years so they can flourish as adults.