Hi Everyone!

Just wanted to let you know that I used some of my pictures taken in Hohoe to enter a competition in the UK. I have been shortlisted and have to submit details about the story behind my picture. I am hoping that should i be luck enough to win that it might get some publicity for Hohoe Orphanage! Will keep you updated!!!

[img]http://www.hohoeorphanage.com/blog/photo/images/201009/36789_1283421049.jpg

I have been away from the orphanage for 4 months, the longest break in 3 years, even though I was in contact daily it is just not the same as being here!
It has been a very busy time, not just with building works, but also with volunteers. We have had over 30 independent volunteers working with us at different times in the past 3 months plus volunteers from CCS and Projects Abroad.
There have been very generous donations of goods including clothes, underwear, flip flops, toothpaste and brushes, reading books, footballs and football kit, school supplies and last but not least as far as the children are concerned a table tennis table! There have been some fierce competitions between the children and Nicholas taking place  He is still able to beat them but only just…..yesterday I went to check how they were going and he was fast asleep on the floor…..they might not have beaten him but they’d worn him out!!
The girls have moved into their new dormitory which is divided into 2 rooms, a large room for the older girls which as well as beds has room for work desks and a reading “corner”(they also have their own CD player!) and a separate room for the smaller girls and house mother. Funds permitting it is hoped the similar building for the boys will soon be completed.
Sisters Yayra and Mansahs adoption was completed and they have gone to live with a family in Michigan. There are several other adoptions “in the pipeline”.
Two more children have been fully sponsored, however, 2 sponsorships were discontinued so the number of children fully sponsored remains at 20. Sponsorship continues to be the only consistent source of income and is used to fund the food and wages, with 30% put aside for the child’s future education (after they leave the orphanage school). It is our aim to have ALL the children sponsored. If you are interested or have family, friends or work colleagues who may be interested please contact Nicholas or myself for details of the program.
The schools continue to go from strength to strength and we are now registered with the Ghanaian Private Schools Association. With the original girl’s dormitory now being available for use as a school room (after their recent move to their new building) P5 have moved back from their temporary classroom “down the road”. This week sees the end of the academic year and the children will be writing their exams.
It never ceases to amaze me the progress that has been made in just 3 years, none of it would have been possible without your support. As we look to a bright future I hope you all continue that support, and if it is at all possible it would be wonderful if you could come back and see just what you have contributed to!
Lindy, Nicholas and the children

A donation to Hohoe Christian Orphans’ Home, where does it go?
To think that your donation is simply helping 40 needy orphans, is wrong! Here is what it has really done.
Consider that every cent of funding for this project comes from abroad, individuals from some 10 different countries have in the past 2.5 years donated approximately $US250,000.
With this money we have constructed a new orphanage/ school and a new town school, employing all local trades people and laborers and purchasing all the building materials locally.
Between the two schools we educate 100 local children from families too poor to send them to Government schools, plus the 40 orphanage children. Our schools employ eight local full time teachers.
The orphanage cares for 40 children sent to us by the Department of Social Welfare, two full time and one part time house mother are employed, they all come from the local area. The orphanage administrators offer their services for free.
1250 hot meals are served to the children (orphanage and day students) every week, all the produce is purchased locally.
All the school uniforms are made by a local tailor.
Health cards have been purchased for all the children giving them free access to medical care and drugs for 5 years.
To service the new orphanage water and electricity had to be supplied from the town, your donations supplied the money for the necessary infrastructure. This has meant that these services are now available to the local community. To this end the administrators of the orphanage have helped the local Kitkpa community (where many of our day students live) start a Community Project Development Group. A community that 2 years ago did not have access to power, water or sanitation are now working towards having all three. Already they have installed street lighting and a community water outlet.
So you can see, although the donations are made to the Hohoe Christian Orphans’ Home to help 40 underprivileged children, in fact a whole community in one of the poorest areas of Ghana has benefitted!
You’ve heard of the “ripple effect “? ………………. Well this is it and YOU are a part of it.
Spread the word and get others involved and let’s keep making a difference.
Lindy & Nicholas

Sponsorship of the children plays a vital role in the continued viability of the orphanage. It not only provides regular income for the orphanage and funds for future education or vocational training for the individual child but also helps the sponsored child's self esteem, they just love to know that there is someone "out there" who cares enough to sponsor them and care about their future.
At present 20 children are fully sponsored, only half of the children in the orphanage, if you are interested in finding out more about sponsoring a child contact Nicholas at hcoh123@yahoo.com or myself lindyadam@hotmail.com

Update time again, already we are well into the new year!
We continue to move forward at the orphanage and 2 schools, of course it is not always easy and occasionally we have a couple of backward steps (like when the building collapsed!) teaching staff have been a concern and some changes have been made. Our 3 stalwart teachers Ivy, Micky and Felix continue to be motivated and enthusiastic members of staff and I just wish I could find more like them!
Recently we employed a new teacher, Edam, who has experience teaching upper primary and Junior High, we have now divided P4 and P5 and he is teaching P5, the children are so impressed with him that they have asked for Saturday classes!! The division of the two classes will mean that Felix can devote his time to just P4, all round I think this will be a big advantage.
Teaching staff now fill in a report for each child at the end of each term. It is a terrific guide to just how the individual children are coping and who needs a little “parental encouragement”. Generally the children are progressing very well.
The “town school” is fantastic, to think that just 6 months ago it was a heap of rubble! It is now a smart school, day care centre with terrific facilities.
Late last year a Ghanaian friend of Nicholas’ living in the Netherlands arranged the donation of a used Toyota Van. Nicholas decided that we would endeavour to run it as a trotro between Hohoe and Accra and the income help fund expenses at the orphanage. We have tried a couple of business ideas in the past with no success, however, although there have been teething problems, especially in finding a competent, honest driver, we are starting to see a small return. The van has also been convenient in transporting the children to different activities.
We often have emails asking, how is Lee going? To see her now you would have no idea it was the same child that arrived here in such a terrible condition only a couple of months ago. She has put on weight , is lively, speaking Ewe and English and is completely involved in orphanage life!
The child sponsorship program continues to expand and we now have 20 children fully sponsored. Our aim of course is to have all 42 of the orphanage children sponsored, as well as the regular income and money for future education or vocational training, it helps with the children’s self esteem to know they have a sponsor.
There has been strong enquiry for volunteering and a few confirmed bookings, it is always a pleasure to have “live in” volunteers and the children love being able to interact with them in their free time.
Our big project for this year is Stage 2 of the orphanage, at a cost of approx $US75,000 it requires serious funding and we will be looking for everyone’s support in helping to raise it. Remember lots of small donations can add up to a “big one”. We have managed to achieve so much with all your individual help!
Lindy, Nicholas and children

YEAR END UPDATE!
the first half of the year saw us struggling to have enough money for food and wages and it was a constant worry as to how we would make ends meet!! I am relieved to say that the second half of the year saw a big improvement in that situation. It has been a very active time with major building works at the town school, which are now completed. New staff for the town school and new equipment...actually all that has remained the same are the children!!! and it is wonderful that they are now enjoying a proper education in excellent facilities.
The orphanage saw a dramatic increase in numbers, now 40. New mattresses, uniforms, clothes, play equipment and more money for food has meant all round improvement there too. The school has benefitted from donations allowing us to buy more school supplies, textbooks & employ another teacher.
Most recently we have been able to purchase another large water storage tank for the orphanage because of a generous donation from Spain, this will give us a bigger emergency supply for when the town water gets cut off in the dry season (not uncommon!)
ALL OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS HAVE ONLY BEEN POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE GENEROSITY OF INDIVIDUALS.
In the past 2 months the number of children sponsored has more than doubled, great news for their future!
The xmas drive, although slow to get off the ground, ended up being very successful and the children had a FANTASTIC day (this year I am back in Australia so didn't get to experience it first hand, however, all Nicholas kept saying was IT WAS FANTASTIC :-)
We are now in a position to be thinking about building Stage 2 of the orphanage, which will consist of new dormitories (allowing the existing ones to become classrooms) a sickbay/office, and best of all a large common room! We are already raising funds and I have had an expression of interest from an individual who is interested in funding the whole project! ...as Nicholas and I say "time will tell"... watch this space!!! Very exciting times.
As the year comes to a close and we head confidently into 2010 Nicholas, the children and I want to express our sincerest thanks to all of you who have made 2009 a wonderful year for the Hohoe Christian Orphans' Home....it has been amazing. Our children have HUGE smiles!!
Lindy