By Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo
The Strategy and Integrated Programmes Director (SIPD) at World Vision Ghana (WVG), Joshua R. Baidoo, has reiterated WVG’s commitment to transforming lives and building resilient communities that uplift the most marginalised and vulnerable.
Mr. Baidoo was speaking at Wechiau during the commissioning of a new office complex for the Wa cluster of WVG, which is made up of the Wa West and Wa East Area Programmes.
Hammering on WVG’s devotion to child welfare, Mr. Baidoo told the gathering that: “At World Vision Ghana, our vision is to see every child thrive in a just, caring, and inclusive society. Our work in the Upper West Region embodies this vision through dedicated efforts to improve access to quality education, healthcare, clean water, and sustainable livelihoods.”
The Director of Strategy and Integrated Programmes indicated that since the beginning of the Wa West Area Programme in 2019, WVG has made waves in reaching out to vulnerable communities by directly impacting the lives of over 46,000 people.
Mr. Baidoo pointed out that in 2022, WVG upscaled its operations to Wa East, where it is currently providing support to over 26,000 vulnerable children and their families through its technical interventions.
The interventions, which include Livelihood Improvement and Family Empowerment (LIFE), Healthy Environment and Wellness (HEAL), and Community Engagement and Sponsorship Plan (CESP), are designed to address the specific needs of the target communities, he added.
In order to further enhance the standard of living of the people WVG is serving, it is equally implementing complementary projects such as Everyone Thrive, Let the Children Come, and the Border Project.
“These initiatives are a testament to our commitment to creating lasting positive change in the lives of the most vulnerable members of our society,” Mr. Baidoo emphasised.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) of Wa West, Richard Wulo, doffed his hat for WVG, saying the inauguration of the new office complex in the District “marks a significant milestone not only for World Vision, but also for our district, which has over the past years benefited greatly from the noble work of this distinguished Non-Governmental Organisation.”
Commenting further, Mr. Wulo indicated the new office complex “symbolizes WVG’s deep-rooted commitment to the sustainable development” of Wa West.
He made reference to a number of impactful interventions WVG had rolled out in Wa West District, ranging from education, health, economic empowerment, water and sanitation to agriculture and food security.
The DCE observed that Wa West is predominantly a rural district which needs critical development support in order to catch up. Mr. Wulo therefore reaffirmed the District Assembly’s unwavering commitment to working closely with World Vision for it “to improve the lives of our people, especially children and the most vulnerable groups, who deserve our utmost attention and care.”
The Regional Operations Manager, Northern Operations, Bugre Rexford Yamdorg, expressed appreciation for the continuous support from partners to the Wa cluster office over the past five years.
He pointed out that WVG sees itself as an integral part of the District Assembly because of its objectives, working in tandem with the Assembly by providing technical support and resources within its capacity for the Assembly to deliver per its mandate.
Mr. Yamdorg told the gathering that “WVG is currently working with the District Assembly towards Universal WASH Service Delivery, where we are targeting 90% coverage in the entire district.”
He stressed that in the partnership, the District Assembly will take the lead and World Vision will be behind to provide support when needed.
Mr. Yamdorg disclosed that they are at the point of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and expressed the hope that the MoU will be signed pretty soon.
The Wa Cluster Programmes Manager, Sergious Before, expressed appreciation to the Wa West District for helping his team with an office initially and later offering them a parcel of land for office construction.
He was equally thankful to the leadership of WVG for their guidance during difficult times.
Mr. Before was excited that the Assembly’s support has led to WVG putting up its own office complex, marking a significant step forward in their collaborative efforts.
He announced that the Wa West Area Programme (AP) has made significant efforts to improve the well-being of vulnerable children and families in the District.
Key initiatives include donating 5,000 tablets of Vitamin A supplements and rehabilitating 12 malnourished children using the Positive Deviance/Hearth (PD/H) model.
Touching on education, Mr. Before noted that the AP provided classroom furniture, school supplies, and personal items to 3,060 children in 17 communities. Water systems and boreholes were also constructed for schools and health facilities.
In 2024, the Wa West AP responded to the drought by providing unconditional cash transfers to 100 vulnerable households, reaching 1,012 individuals, including those with disabilities. Each household received GHS 3,000 over three months.
WVG considers the opening of the Wa cluster office at Wechiau in the Wa West District a significant milestone in its journey to serve the most vulnerable children, their families, and communities across the Upper West Region of Ghana.
