After months and months of collecting donated clothing, shoes, braille materials, hygiene supplies and medical supplies and equipment, the Ceciyaa Foundation shipped its first 40 foot container to Tema, Ghana on April 24, 2010. The container arrived in Tema on June 16th and after a bit of paperwork and clearance time, was cleared to leave the ship.
Our team on the ground in Ghana then unloaded the container, dividing out the medical supplies, braille textbooks and Ceciyaa Care Kits from the rest of the items. The medical supplies, braille textbooks and Care Kits were picked up by representatives from the hospitals and schools they were intended for and then the remaining items were loaded onto trucks and delivered to Kumasi, about three hours away. Once there the community came out in full force to assist with the unloading and storage of the items.
Many people are being blessed by receiving new clothing, shoes, diaper, and toys!
We are extremely excited and grateful for all of the support we have received in order to make this happen. Without the countless hours of work by our volunteers, we certainly could not have done it!
We have already begun planning the shipment of our second container of donated items in September, 2010. If you would like to get involved, please contact us at ceciyaafoundation@gmail.com or visit our website at www.ceciyaafoundation.com
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Friday, April 2, 2010
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired Donates Braille Books!
The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired of Austin, TX has made a donation to the Ceciyaa Foundation! The books and materials which have been donated are for elementary and middle school students and will be given to the Akropong School for the Blind on behalf of the TSBVI. The materials are expected to leave the states for Ghana at the end of April, 2010.
Ceciyaa Foundation boardmember, Hunter Smith, has been in contact with several members of the TSBVI staff, including Jim Durkel, Susan Mattson, and Diane Nousanen in order to facilitate a series of donations of retired materials to the Akropong School.
Ceciyaa Foundation is working to establish a relationship between the two schools that will allow the school in Akropong to receive much needed braille textbooks and other materials for the new library which is being constructed on the campus.
Ceciyaa thanks the TSBVI on behalf of the Akropong School for the Blind for their generosity!
Ceciyaa Foundation boardmember, Hunter Smith, has been in contact with several members of the TSBVI staff, including Jim Durkel, Susan Mattson, and Diane Nousanen in order to facilitate a series of donations of retired materials to the Akropong School.
Ceciyaa Foundation is working to establish a relationship between the two schools that will allow the school in Akropong to receive much needed braille textbooks and other materials for the new library which is being constructed on the campus.
Ceciyaa thanks the TSBVI on behalf of the Akropong School for the Blind for their generosity!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Vocational/Technical Training Program Now Underway
The Ceciyaa Foundation is proud to announce that our Vocational/Technical Training Program is now fully underway. This program focuses on offering young women in rural villages the chance to learn a trade. Completion of this program will not only allow them to earn a living and help their families, but it will open up doors of opportunity and blessings which will serve them well in the future. Mr. George Adu Korantang is now acting as Program Director in Ghana and is in charge of coordinating the selection and placement of students as well as the oversight of student progress in the program.
The first phase of the program is focused on instruction in sewing. A two-year program has been developed which will consist of one year of instruction followed by a one year apprenticeship. This has been instituted to offer the students a full course of study and training. Sewing machines are provided for each student and if they successfully complete the program, the machines are theirs to keep.
The Foundation has contracted with seamstresses in several communities to act as instructors for the program. These instructors will assist Mr. Korantang in identifying possible candidates for the program. Once identified and accepted into the program, the students are placed with their instructor and given their machines. The instructors will be responsible for the daily education and assessment of the students and will report regularly to Mr. Korantang regarding their progress.
Adansi Anhwiaso in the Ashanti Region, was chosen as the location to introduce this program. Our first two sewing machines were taken to Ms. Rosemay Appiah who agreed to join Ceciyaa Foundation in this vision. Ms. Appiah is currently instructing two young ladies there.
Asafo-Akyem, in the eastern region of Ghana, was the second location chosen to offer the program. Three young women there have been chosen so far and are already hard at work. Vida Gyan, the instructor there in Asafo-Akyem, is extremely excited and has more young women waiting for the chance to get involved!
Four more machines, made possible by the generous donations of sponsors in the United States, have recently been purchased. Two machines will be sent to Atebubu in the Brong Ahafo region and two will go to Ashanti-Koforidua in the Ashanti region. Instructors in these two regions are in the process of selecting the students who will receive the first of the machines we are sending to bless the young women there.
We have been blessed and humbled by the reaction we have seen in these communities as we bring this opportunity to them. Ceciyaa founder, Francis Aduoffei says, "They are excited and the seed of hope has been sown for the fruit of assurance in Christ and progressive prosperity in those communities." We have been especially blessed by our instructors, who were so moved when we brought this vision to them that, though they understood that this is a paid position, they agreed to begin instructing students immediately without concern for when they would be compensated.
Donations from sponsors are needed as we seek to give more young ladies the opportunity to participate in this program. Sponsorship is only $70 and will cover the cost of purchasing the sewing machines each student will receive. If you would like to participate in this life-changing program, please send your check for $70 to First Christian Church, 214 N. Avenue D, Burkburnett, TX 76354. Please be sure to write "Ghana Mission- sewing machine" in the notes.
May God bless you as you give.
For more information on how you can get involved in all that Ceciyaa Foundation is doing in Ghana, please contact us a ceciyaafoundation@gmail.com.
We're on Facebook! Please visit the Ceciyaa Foundation page and become a fan!
The first phase of the program is focused on instruction in sewing. A two-year program has been developed which will consist of one year of instruction followed by a one year apprenticeship. This has been instituted to offer the students a full course of study and training. Sewing machines are provided for each student and if they successfully complete the program, the machines are theirs to keep.
The Foundation has contracted with seamstresses in several communities to act as instructors for the program. These instructors will assist Mr. Korantang in identifying possible candidates for the program. Once identified and accepted into the program, the students are placed with their instructor and given their machines. The instructors will be responsible for the daily education and assessment of the students and will report regularly to Mr. Korantang regarding their progress.
Adansi Anhwiaso in the Ashanti Region, was chosen as the location to introduce this program. Our first two sewing machines were taken to Ms. Rosemay Appiah who agreed to join Ceciyaa Foundation in this vision. Ms. Appiah is currently instructing two young ladies there.
Asafo-Akyem, in the eastern region of Ghana, was the second location chosen to offer the program. Three young women there have been chosen so far and are already hard at work. Vida Gyan, the instructor there in Asafo-Akyem, is extremely excited and has more young women waiting for the chance to get involved!
Four more machines, made possible by the generous donations of sponsors in the United States, have recently been purchased. Two machines will be sent to Atebubu in the Brong Ahafo region and two will go to Ashanti-Koforidua in the Ashanti region. Instructors in these two regions are in the process of selecting the students who will receive the first of the machines we are sending to bless the young women there.
We have been blessed and humbled by the reaction we have seen in these communities as we bring this opportunity to them. Ceciyaa founder, Francis Aduoffei says, "They are excited and the seed of hope has been sown for the fruit of assurance in Christ and progressive prosperity in those communities." We have been especially blessed by our instructors, who were so moved when we brought this vision to them that, though they understood that this is a paid position, they agreed to begin instructing students immediately without concern for when they would be compensated.
Donations from sponsors are needed as we seek to give more young ladies the opportunity to participate in this program. Sponsorship is only $70 and will cover the cost of purchasing the sewing machines each student will receive. If you would like to participate in this life-changing program, please send your check for $70 to First Christian Church, 214 N. Avenue D, Burkburnett, TX 76354. Please be sure to write "Ghana Mission- sewing machine" in the notes.
May God bless you as you give.
For more information on how you can get involved in all that Ceciyaa Foundation is doing in Ghana, please contact us a ceciyaafoundation@gmail.com.
We're on Facebook! Please visit the Ceciyaa Foundation page and become a fan!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Ceciyaa Foundation introduces "GhanaGirls", Feminine Hygiene and Menstruation Education for Ghana Teens
The Ceciyaa Foundation is committed to bringing food, medical care and clothing to the women and children of Ghana and to spreading the love of Jesus Christ, through the provision of the basic needs expressed in their communities. One such need is the need for adequate feminine hygiene, particularly among school aged girls.
A recent study, led by Oxford University professor, Linda Scott, found that the rates of absenteeism among school-aged girls decreased sharply when free sanitary protection was provided to them. Please see article at http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/health/decapua-ghana-sanitary-protection-1feb10-83245322.html. This study found that due to cost and lack of availability, rural girls in poor countries go without sanitary protection which leads to a wide range of problems and usually ends up causing many to leave school and abandon the pursuit of an education entirely.
To combat this, Ceciyaa Foundation is introducing the GhanaGirls program. GhanaGirls will provide free feminine hygiene supplies and menstruation education to girls in rural areas. Here’s how you can help! We want you to donate a small bag for storing feminine hygiene supplies so that these young ladies will have a discreet way to store needed supplies while at school during that time of the month. If you sew, it would be great if you’d consider designing and making a bag or two from your left over material. If not, purchase a bag and donate it to us. We would also appreciate your donation of feminine hygiene supplies (pads, not tampons, feminine cleansing products, etc.). We have begun purchasing some supplies, but many more are needed.
Finally, if you can recommend a good resource for us to gather our educational materials, we would appreciate your suggestions. If you are interested in working with Ceciyaa Foundation's GhanaGirls program send an email to ceciyaafoundation@gmail.com for information on how you can get involved.
A recent study, led by Oxford University professor, Linda Scott, found that the rates of absenteeism among school-aged girls decreased sharply when free sanitary protection was provided to them. Please see article at http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/health/decapua-ghana-sanitary-protection-1feb10-83245322.html. This study found that due to cost and lack of availability, rural girls in poor countries go without sanitary protection which leads to a wide range of problems and usually ends up causing many to leave school and abandon the pursuit of an education entirely.
To combat this, Ceciyaa Foundation is introducing the GhanaGirls program. GhanaGirls will provide free feminine hygiene supplies and menstruation education to girls in rural areas. Here’s how you can help! We want you to donate a small bag for storing feminine hygiene supplies so that these young ladies will have a discreet way to store needed supplies while at school during that time of the month. If you sew, it would be great if you’d consider designing and making a bag or two from your left over material. If not, purchase a bag and donate it to us. We would also appreciate your donation of feminine hygiene supplies (pads, not tampons, feminine cleansing products, etc.). We have begun purchasing some supplies, but many more are needed.
Finally, if you can recommend a good resource for us to gather our educational materials, we would appreciate your suggestions. If you are interested in working with Ceciyaa Foundation's GhanaGirls program send an email to ceciyaafoundation@gmail.com for information on how you can get involved.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Mentoring Organization Partners with Ceciyaa Foundation
The Young Women and Young Men of Destiny organization has begun partnering with Ceciyaa Foundation by adopting two of our initiatives as the program's community service projects beginning this month. We are pleased and excited to have them join our growing network of supporters.
The participants, mentors and even board members will be collecting new and gently used clothing and shoes as well as diapers and other hygiene products in support of The Children's Closet. The group will also begin putting together Care Kits for our Ceciyaa Care Kit program which supports the students at the Kibi School for the Deaf and the Akropong School for the Blind. The project is slated to culminate on April 10, 2010 when all of the donations will collected and transported to the foundation's storage facilities in Wichita Falls, TX to await transportation to Ghana.
YWOD and YMOD are companion leadership and debutante programs based in Pflugerville, Texas and serving the central Texas area. These programs are open to high school students and place emphasis on offering Christ-centered education, training and preparation to young men and women as they approach the transition from high school to college, from the teenage years to adulthood. The programs offer instruction in personal development, college and career counseling, spiritual development, cultural appreciation and relationship building. If you live in the central Texas area and would like more information on YWOD/YMOD go to http://www.ywod-ymod.com/. To donate to either of these fine programs, contact Mrs. Estelle Brooks at (512) 775-4753 or Mr. Jonathan Brooks at (512)785-0361
The Ceciyaa Foundation would like to thank the participants, mentors and Board of Directors of Young Women of Destiny and Young Men of Destiny for their support!
The participants, mentors and even board members will be collecting new and gently used clothing and shoes as well as diapers and other hygiene products in support of The Children's Closet. The group will also begin putting together Care Kits for our Ceciyaa Care Kit program which supports the students at the Kibi School for the Deaf and the Akropong School for the Blind. The project is slated to culminate on April 10, 2010 when all of the donations will collected and transported to the foundation's storage facilities in Wichita Falls, TX to await transportation to Ghana.
YWOD and YMOD are companion leadership and debutante programs based in Pflugerville, Texas and serving the central Texas area. These programs are open to high school students and place emphasis on offering Christ-centered education, training and preparation to young men and women as they approach the transition from high school to college, from the teenage years to adulthood. The programs offer instruction in personal development, college and career counseling, spiritual development, cultural appreciation and relationship building. If you live in the central Texas area and would like more information on YWOD/YMOD go to http://www.ywod-ymod.com/. To donate to either of these fine programs, contact Mrs. Estelle Brooks at (512) 775-4753 or Mr. Jonathan Brooks at (512)785-0361
The Ceciyaa Foundation would like to thank the participants, mentors and Board of Directors of Young Women of Destiny and Young Men of Destiny for their support!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Sample bags
These bags were available for potential donors to take a look at so they could get an idea of what the Care Kits should look like.
Promiseland Care Kit Table
01/12/10 Ceciyaa Foundation Care Kit Drive table- Promiseland Church, Austin, TX
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Ceciyaa Care Kit Drive Promiseland Church - Austin, TX
The Ceciyaa Foundation is currently conducting a Care Kit Drive at Promiseland Church in Austin, TX. Promiseland has agreed to partner with Ceciyaa Foundation to provide basic hygiene necessities to the students at the Kibi School for the Deaf and the Akropong School for the Blind.
The congregation is being asked to fill a reusable shopping bag with the items on the Care Kit supply list and return the filled bags to the church. The bags will be collected packed and stored to await shipment to Ghana in March. Our goal is to collect 300 kits, one for each student at the schools.
Similar campaigns are being held in Dallas, TX and several other cities in the U.S. If you want to get involved, contact us at ceciyaafoundation@gmail.com.
The congregation is being asked to fill a reusable shopping bag with the items on the Care Kit supply list and return the filled bags to the church. The bags will be collected packed and stored to await shipment to Ghana in March. Our goal is to collect 300 kits, one for each student at the schools.
Similar campaigns are being held in Dallas, TX and several other cities in the U.S. If you want to get involved, contact us at ceciyaafoundation@gmail.com.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Ceciyaa Foundation Board of Directors Formed
Ceciyaa Foundation founder, Francis Aduoffei recently met with a small group of interested parties to form a Board of Directors for the organization. This move was the next step in becoming a formally recognized non-profit and in applying for and obtaining 501c3 tax exempt status.
The Board currently consist of three founding members who will meet on a regular basis to conduct the business of the foundation. The Board members are: Francis Aduoffei, Founder & CEO, Felicia Akhianyo, Director of Marketing and Communications and Hunter B. Smith, Director of Operations.
The first regular meeting of the Board was held on January 29, 2010 in Austin, TX.
The Board currently consist of three founding members who will meet on a regular basis to conduct the business of the foundation. The Board members are: Francis Aduoffei, Founder & CEO, Felicia Akhianyo, Director of Marketing and Communications and Hunter B. Smith, Director of Operations.
The first regular meeting of the Board was held on January 29, 2010 in Austin, TX.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Mission Ghana Newsletter Launches
Ceciyaa Foundation is proud announce the launch of our new publication, "Mission Ghana" on January 4, 2010! Our inaugural edition, which has been mailed to locations across America and Ghana, is loaded with insightful news and information about Ceciyaa Foundation and its efforts to bring food, clothing, clean drinking water and medical care to rural Ghana.
This quarter's feature article is written by Pastor Judy Burke of First Christian Church in Burkburnett, Texas! Pastor Burke gives readers an insider's view of FCC's partnership with Ceciyaa Foundation. Also included are articles on The Children's Closet, the Women's Health Initiative, and "A Note From Francis" which will be a regular contribution by Ceciyaa founder, Francis Aduoffei.
The newsletter will be published in January, April, July and October and is available for subscription. If you would like to receive "Mission Ghana" on a quarterly basis, please contact us at ceciyaafoundation@gmail.com to begin receiving your newsletter now.
Mission Ghana is a publication of the Ceciyaa Foundation.
This quarter's feature article is written by Pastor Judy Burke of First Christian Church in Burkburnett, Texas! Pastor Burke gives readers an insider's view of FCC's partnership with Ceciyaa Foundation. Also included are articles on The Children's Closet, the Women's Health Initiative, and "A Note From Francis" which will be a regular contribution by Ceciyaa founder, Francis Aduoffei.
The newsletter will be published in January, April, July and October and is available for subscription. If you would like to receive "Mission Ghana" on a quarterly basis, please contact us at ceciyaafoundation@gmail.com to begin receiving your newsletter now.
Mission Ghana is a publication of the Ceciyaa Foundation.
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