COVID-19 STATEMENT
The Covid-19 crisis is bringing about huge change to all of our lives, to our work here at ATE and the charity sector, whose role as society’s lifeline is now more vital than ever. With coronavirus being a truly global pandemic, we are extremely concerned about the people of Lawra Municipal in Upper West, Ghana, where the crisis continues to exacerbate the extreme poverty that many live in. We will continue to be agile and to use creative ways to continue our work remotely; particularly to ensure the most vulnerable people we support have access to food, healthcare and other essential basic needs. See our statement , Covid-19 Response Timeline and read about our appeal here.
Transforming communities through empowerment
We work to reduce poverty in Lawra, rural Ghana, where the majority rely on subsistence farming and food is scarce for months at a time.
What we’ve been up to
Special Needs Awareness Programme
Our normal SNAP activities may be postponed, but the needs of our members are more vital than ever. Our SNAP team have been making regular distributions of food, soap and masks to the families of disabled children, and providing hygiene demonstrations – in April they reached 76 families.
Small Business Development Programme ATE seamstresses Mercy and Theresa have made a total of 790 masks so far which have been distributed to ATE staff and the most vulnerable in the community. We’re thrilled to be able to support businesses to adapt, and even thrive, in such difficult circumstances.
Access to Education Programme We have distributed food, soap and masks to students at our most rural schools who have been significantly affected by the school closures. In rural communities, with the lean season in full swing, most children are only eating a maximum of once a day. Thanks to donations to our Emergency Appeal, and funding from Ghana School Aid, we’ve been able to support these communities.
Meet the team
Looking after our fantastic staff, particularly during this difficult period, remains our priority. We’ve ensured all staff have hygiene packs to make sure that they are as safe as possible whilst at work, and have weekly (online!) full team meetings to check in.
Our Impact
Provide 1000+ free
school meals per day
Helped 160+
disabled children
Provided over 100
business grants
How we work
We’re implementing a strategy of integrated programmes to tackle the cycle of poverty, which reach a broad cross-section of the community in defined rural areas. We call this strategy our ‘Hub Model’.
Our latest posts
Earlier this month, we were delighted to win silver at the Global Good Awards! Our award was in the Community Partnership category, for our innovative BizATE programme working with entrepreneurs in rural Ghana, supported by our partners Commercial Education Trust.
Here are our Ghana Team in Lawra celebrating the win!
#globalgoodaward #entrepreneurs #smallbusinesssupport
"Paulina is now 8 years old and living with special needs. She is one amongst the many beneficiaries of ATE that was sent into main stream education in 2018. Just like her peers, she was also enjoying some of the interventions, until the recent coronavirus menace."
We’re proud to share first hand stories of how the people of Lawra have been impacted by the pandemic. Read Kaamil’s piece on Paulina and other families like hers, here bit.ly/35gVsP0
#RebuildLawra #ourpandemic
We're writing thank you letters in the office this morning!
Thank you so much to everyone who has donated to our Rebuild Campaign so far, we are so grateful. With your help, we will repair the damage made from the pandemic in Lawra, and Rebuild for better.
To support the campaign, see bit.ly/aterebuild
Where does your donation go?
84p of every pound donated goes directly towards our project costs in Ghana, and the rest goes on making sure the charity runs effectively so that all that can happen. We are financially transparent and carefully monitor and evaluate our work to ensure that the money you donate is used in the best way possible.