TRANSFORMED

BAPTIST RELIEF AND 1st Edition DEVELOPMENT AGENCY April 2016 THE NGO SUBSIDIARY OF GHANA BAPTIST CONVENTIONTRANSFORMED A quarterly periodical for BREDA In this Edition Baptist Relief and Development Agency Quarterly Newsletter Rovaughna with some of the girls at BVTC during her visit 1 ROVAUGHA ON A MISSION 2 INSIDE STORY: SMILES OF HOPEROVAUGHNA ON A MISSION: Quest toheal victims of Trokosi WORD FROM DIRECTOR SUPPORTING GIRL-CHILDThe Baptist Vocational Training Centre (BVTC) had the privilege of hosting RovaughnaRichardson, a missionary from the American Baptist Churches, USA during the month EDUCATIONof February 2016. Rovaughna was in the country to prepare the grounds for her fulltime ministry at Frankadua for the next four years. Ms Richardson has been endorsed 3 BVTC REST-STOP PROJECTby the International Ministries of the American Baptist Churches to partner with theGhana Baptist Convention to serve the girls at BVTC. BREDA TO THE RESCUEMs. Richardson has a dual Masters in Education as well as Human Development andFamily Studies in addition to her Bachelors Degree in Social Work. She has worked 4 VICTOR WRITESwith young adults with mental issues and dysfunctional families. She has had missionexperiences in Jamaica and Southern Africa. NOTICE BOARDMs. Richardson believes she has been called to use her passion, skills and professional PRAYER BULLETINtraining in counselling and social work to serve young women who have been abusedand are in such great need of seeking and knowing God’s love.Through her engagement CONTACT INFOwith these women, she hopes to provide guidance and support especially in the areaof mental health in order to empower the individual. OFFICEIt is with this background that Rovaughna comes to BVTC to serve. She would be Baptist House, 11 Yiyiwa Drive, Abelenkpe, Accracomplementing the efforts of the staff at BVTC to provide counselling and guidanceto help the girls, build their self-confidence and self-esteem. Her rich experience in the (+233) 30 276 9417/8field of counselling will be at hand to deal with some emotional and spiritual trumathe girls rescued from the trokosi shrines go through during their training at BVTC. The EMAIL: [email protected] being sought by GBC and BREDA for these girls would be accomplishedwith her presence at the Centre. Baptist Relief and Development Agency - GhanaFor Rovaughna fulfillment in life hinges on working for God, helping others and BaptistReliefDevtAg. @breda_ghanaexploring other cultures. GBC/BREDA is very much appreciative of her desire to serveat BVTC and we are ready to support her achieve her goals. EDITORIAL STAFFGod willing, Rovaughna will begin her work at BVTC in July 2016. EDITOR - Isaac DonkorApril 2016 - Transformed 1st Edition WRITERS - Victor Aku -Emmnauel Obani - Isaac Donkor 1

Inside Story: Smiles of Hopebelow are stories of two girls who were rescued recently from the Trokosi shrines inMafi area. It tells you how traditional justice system of a community is infringing on therights of some young girlsHear Emefa Normasi’s Story: Rejoice Sosu’s Story WORD FROM BREDA“At age 8, I was sent to the Koklofu For Rejoice Sosu, it’s been 12 years of DIRECTORshrine to atone for the crime committed servitude at the Badzi shrine whereby my father. My father is said to have she had no access to education and By the Grace of God, the Baptist Reliefstolen the fishing net of his senior was confined to a life of fetching water, and Development Agency continuesbrother. The brother sought redress farming and caring for livestock with to be the channel through which thefrom the gods and my father was asked no end in sight. She suffered sexual Ghana Baptist Convention fulfils itsto offer a virgin girl to serve the gods or harassment and currently has a child holistic ministry agenda.face their wrath. To avert any calamity, I with the priest of the shrine. Rejoice It’s been sixteen years since the creationbecame the sacrificial lamb of the family recall how she got to the shrine. She of the agency as the social servicesfor the retribution of my father’s crime. says, “At age 12 my grandmother stole wing of the Convention. The impactMy fate at the shrine knew no end since beads from the market. To avoid any of the interventions undertaken byit was the preserve of the shrine priest repercussions for the family, I was asked BREDA cannot be overemphasized.to determine whether I have appeased to move into the shrine to serve the This periodical has been introducedthe gods enough to warrant my release. local priest and I was banished from my to highlight some of the activitiesIt was therefore a joyous moment for family home.” By virtue of her stay at being undertaking by BREDA. It is ame when I was told that I was going to the shrine, Rejoice’s childhood liberties way to project the social interventiona place to study for a vocation. At long were curtailed. She thought all was lost activities of the Convention. This willlast my 10 years stay at the shrine has but today she smiles with hope, for her aid in engligthening the vision of thecome to an end. No more farming and future has been changed as she pursues Convention and make its activitiescaring for livestock on empty stomach. a vocational training in hairdressing visible to local churches and ourThe physical and emotional abuse is at the Baptist Vocational Training partners.over. God bless Pastor Emmanuel and Centre, Frankadua. Thanks to Pastor It is my prayer the news and articlesthe Ghana Baptist Convention who have Emmanuel Obani and the Ghana Baptist in this periodical would increasemade this possible. Convention for this wonderful gesture. awareness about the work of BREDAWith my short stay at the Baptist and serve as a means to generate theVocational Training Centre, I have been SUPPORTING GIRL CHILD needed interest and support for theintroduced to the word of God and the EDUCATION work. BREDA is determined to be thedevotional times have opened my eyes hands and feet of the Convention andto a lot of truths. Now I can enjoy three The Baptist Relief and Development to carry the gospel to the lost throughsquare meals, clothing to cover myself Agency is currently supporting 20 its intervention programmes. Like theand freedom from all the harassment needy girls at different levels of senior believers in the book of Acts, we hopeat the shrine. I pray God will enable me high education to pay their school fees. to mobilize enough resources to meetcomplete my three year apprenticeship For the 2015/16 acadamic year, BREDA the needs of those who come to faithtraining in Dressmaking at BVTC. There has paid a total of GHC7,500.00 as edu- in Christ Jesus and other people whoafter I hope I will be able to open my cational support for these girls. This sup- may need our assistance.own shop to earn a living and train port has been made possible by funding Again our goal is to harness theothers.” from the Baptist World Aid. cooperative efforts of the Baptist family in Ghana through our social interventions. This periodical from time to time would bring to its readers information on social action activities in our local churches. Together with our local churches we can celebrate our common effort to bring hope and transformation to many who benefit from our social action activities. TRANSFORMED, will be the platform to honor God for the accomplishment of the Ghana Baptist Convention in its holistic ministry. Come join us explore the work done so far in the first half of 2016.2 April 2016 - TRANSFORMED 1st Edition

BVTC REST-STOP PROJECT BVTC REST STOP UNDER CONSTRUCTIONThe Baptist Vocational Training Centre Eastern Corridor of Ghana. USA, Karios 10 Group, USA, Midlandstarted in a rented facility at Frankadua. BVTC is taking advantage of this location First Baptist Church, Michigan and localHowever in 2010, it moved to its to provide a rest-stop facility for the individuals like Dr. and Mrs (Justice)current location at Fintey Dorfor after numerous vehicles and passengers and Sittie of Tesano Baptist Church, Accra. ItThe American Baptist Churches of all who ply this route on daily basis as is estimate that the project will be openMassachusetts (TABCOM) funded the a way of generating additional funds to to the general public by the end of Mayconstruction of two dormitory blocks support the activities of Centre. 2016 after the tiling and painting workson a 10acre property acquired for the To date, the Centre has spent about have been completed.centre’s development. $15,000 (GHC 60,000.00) on the facilityLuckly, this Fintey Dorfor property is to reach it current stage (see picturelocated along the Accra-Akosombo-Ho above). This was made possible throughhighway, an arterial road to the capital internally generated funds with supportof the Volta Region and the North from Southern Hills Baptist Church, OK,BREDA TO THE RESCUE:GBAGBAVINU BAPTIST SCHOOLThe 9th of February 2016 was not a the medical bills and care packages to construct a new classroom block.good day for the local baptist church in were given to those hospitalized. By BREDA is committed to make thisGbagbavuinu, located at the banks of the the grace of God all those who were possible and we are counting on theVolta River in the North Tongu District. admitted have been discharged and benevolence of our partners to provideA natural disaster hit the community on they are doing well. the financial resource needed to helpthe said day and destroyed the Church’s The challenge now is how to get a this school. This Baptist school serves 4mud structure which serves as a school decent classroom faciities for these communities which have no educationaland a auditorium. Unfortunately there children to obtain basic education. facility. Improving infrastructure for thewere casualities who were mainly Tesano Baptist Church and the Women school will go a long way to offer manychildren between the ages of 3 and 6 Missionary Union have paved the deprived children access to education.years. A total of 16 kids got injured and way by providing GHC4,850.00 and WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE THIS9 whose conditions were very critical GHC1,000.00 respectively to support POSSIBLE.were admitted at the Battor Hospital. the construction of a new concreteThe Convention through BREDA made building for the school. It is estimated toavailable GHC 2,000.00 to cater for cost about $20,000.00 ( GHC80,000.00)after the disaster Temporary Structure for the SchoolApril 2016 - Transformed 1st Edition 3

VICTOR WRITES: ensure the full enjoyment of benefits of women and also that of the girl-child to all human rights and fundamental freedomsCreating Opportunities for Women and Girls as part of making possible an effective socio-economicSociety must make firm commitments to eliminate all forms development programme for tackling poverty in the area ofof discrimination against women and the girl-child The gender development. Women too deserve prestigious andobvious measure necessary to achieve this is to put in place highly rewarding jobs and professions. They should be givenfirm legislation that will not only remain in our statute books opportunity to achieve these.but are enforced to the letter. Such legislatative measures, Gender Participationwill go a long way to remove all obstacles to gender equality, It is normally agreed that creating opportunity for effectiveadvancement and empowerment of women and ensure their individual, social and community participation in developmentgeneral development now and forever. processes tend to lead greatly to the success of communityHowever, there are other approaches that are equally necessary development projects. The levels of participation cut acrossto offer women opportunities for development in our society. various levels to include project identification, planning,Some of these equally important approaches are shared in this implementation, monitoring and evaluation.article. It is in this vein that, encouragement should be given to menIntegrating Millennium Development Goals and to participate fully in all actions towards gender equality. InSustainable Development Goals As Development the same way involving women in decision-making wouldStrategies make them make meaningful differences in local and national development. They have the physical, mental, social,The Sustainable Development Goals (2015-2030) have been economic etc capacities to participate in decision-making andformulated to ensure better life for all manner of people. It leadership positions. Further to this is the need to increasefollows the fairly sucessful Millennium Development Goals the participation of women in conflict resolution and disaster(2000-2015). Creating opportunities for women will require mitigation decision-making processes at all levels of nationalthe adoption of an Integrated Approach which factors in the development. Further to the above is the fact that, physical andideals of both the MDGs and SDGs. It is only when this is done mental health states of women in particular are vital for thethat women’s equality and empowerment would be enhanced. wellbeing of women. Let’s help create enabling environmentEach of the 17 goals of the SDGs cannot be achieved without for these.focusing on the needs of women. When key issues confrontingwomen (poverty, inequality, and violence against women) are Women are very central to achieving developmental goals.addressed in line with the SDGs our world would experience We should therefore uphold all effort that ensures theiran accelerated sustainable development. The MDGs inclusion empowerment and progress. Making law to safeguard womenin this ideal approach will consider the goal of reducing child interest may not be enough. We need to adopt an integratedmortality and improving maternal health. development strategies which recognizes the role of women in development, as well as pursue a technical educationMainstreaming Technical Education for Girls programme which provide enough space for women. We canTechnical education plays a critical role in human capital also create opportunity for women by breaking the viciousdevelopment. Within this context, women should be given cycle of poverty and ensuring men’s participation in genderenough space to access this critical type of education and issues that affect women.training opportunities. This will help eradicate illiteracy andequip women with hands-on practical experience and skillsfor development. When opportunities of this nature is given to The writer is the Programmes Officer for the Baptist Relief and development Agency andwomen, it helps to develop their fullest potentials and provide a passionate advocate for women and children rights . breda.progs@gbconvention .coman avenue for them to fully and equally participate in buildingbetter communities.Breaking Vicious Poverty CircleWomen and girls make up more than half of the world’spopulation and more deeply imparted by poverty. We need to PRAYER BULLETIN SUPPORT US • Pray for protection for the girls at BVTC • Teaching and learning materials for the against spiritual force. Early Childhood Development Centres in the Mafi area of the Volta Region. • Pray for financial resources to com- plete infrastracture development at • Funds is needed to complete a class- BVTC room complex for Baptist Vocational Training Centre, Frankadua • Pray for all other activities of BREDA especially the Early Child Project for Contact us to find out how you can support enough funds to provide adequate [email protected] classroom facilities for all 9 communi- +233 20 835 2573 ty-based ECDCs April 2016 - TRANSFORMED 1st Edition4