When an orphanage is forced to say “no” to its hungry, thirsty children the picture is bleak. Fortunately for two orphanages in Kumasi, Ghana, they knew where to find a ray of sunshine.

Mother Cares Orphanage and Cherubs Orphanage were running out of food, water and rent money when they turned to Pastor E.Y. Ghansah. Pastor Ghansah has worked with the International Children’s Fund for decades, and has relied on ICF’s assistance to establish 26 churches and bring Christian faith to thousands around the region. Pastor Ghansah contacted ICF as soon as he learned about the plight of these orphanages. As they have so many times before, our volunteer staff responded very quickly to meet the most pressing needs:

• The lack of transportation at Mother Cares meant they couldn’t reach farms that supply food. Could ICF provide a truck, and help with long-term food needs?
• Cherubs had no local source of clean water, limited food, and their landlord was threatening eviction because of rent that hadn’t been paid in over a year. Rent meant survival, and sources of water and food were essential to sustaining themselves. Could ICF help?

Beyond aid to solutions

When the resourceful volunteers at ICF got to work, things started to happen. Soon they found a donor with a pickup truck, which they rolled into a shipping container packed with tons of food, clothing, farm implements and other relief supplies for Kumasi. Other donors helped with cash contributions, which allowed Pastor Ghansah to move forward on water wells and farming projects for both orphanages.

Today, Mother Cares and Cherubs are centers of support instead of locations in distress. Mother Cares meets its food needs from the produce of its own successful farm. Healthy chickens now peck around the yard of the Cherubs farm, where water is a source of cleanliness and refreshment rather than disease.

Will optimism be rewarded?

Nations like Ghana are making great progress, yet they still struggle with a lack of resources to care for infants and children. Pastor Ghansah is doing everything he can, looking forward to the day when fresh financial resources arrive. Will you help us encourage him to perform good works in Jesus’ name? Help now with a tax-deductible donation to the International Children’s Fund.