Paulina Opoku-Gyimah says: As regular readers of Ghana Rising will attest, I have a real soft spot for northern Ghana -and see its prosperity/development -as one of the major solutions/answers to Ghana’s myriad of problems.. So the following taken from the telegraph is some of the best news I’ve heard -for some time!!!!! Ghana Rising blog is beyond excited….and feels that this venture will inspired others to follow the lead set by AfriKids and help to make a real difference to said region.. This is a wonderful, alternative and clever way help northern Ghana…Bravo AfriKids, Bravo…..
Why charity is beginning at a luxury hotel
The construction of a luxury hotel in Ghana promises to give hundreds of African children the chance of a better life.
Some of the people who have been
helped by AfriKids outside a traditionally painted home Photo: Georgie Fienberg
AfriKids, one of three charities supported by the Telegraph Christmas appeal,
turns 10 this year. It is marking a decade of successful work in one of the
poorest regions of the world in a rather surprising way – by building a luxury
hotel.
The child-rights charity operates 16 projects in the impoverished Upper East
Region of Ghana, helping more than 100,000 people a year. Street children are
taught marketable skills and those born with deformities, who once were at risk
of being ritually killed, are cared for.
AfriKids wants its Ghanaian arm to be self-sustaining within another decade.
With this in mind, in 2006 the charity established the AfriKids Medical Centre
in the region. The success of this award-winning health care institution, which
generates a profit of £100,000 a year, is now prompting investment in tourism.
Tourism is developing well, though it is concentrated in the centre and
south. Forbes magazine last year named Ghana the "most friendly" African
country to visit, and the guidebook publisher Frommer's recently listed it as
one of the top 10 holiday destinations for 2012, praising the country for its
stability and saying that its varied landscape made it the "perfect introduction
to African travel".
AfriKids believes the north presents a great opportunity for responsible
tourism that will generate financial, social and environmental returns. Work
begins this year on the AfriKids Blue Sky Lodge, which is due to be completed in
2013. The 23-acre resort, which will be promoted to both domestic and foreign
tourists, will have 33 rooms, a restaurant and bar, a conference centre and the
area's first swimming pool.
It has been designed by a non-profit consultancy, Architecture for Humanity, and a local firm, Gabcon, to complement the local vernacular architecture and the landscape while offering world-class accommodation.
Sally Eastcott, UK director of AfriKids, says: "The lodge will make visitors to the region feel that this is a good place to be. It will make the community feel more proud of their world and of their traditions in architecture and lifestyle, and provide innovations they can emulate in their homes."
It is hoped the lodge will generate a profit of £180,000 a year, one third of the total annual budget AfriKids Ghana needs to run independently. This is enough to ensure that 150 children who were risking their lives in gold mines have the chance to go to school, 1,800 mothers are empowered to generate their own income or 150 schools are helped to make improvements.
Pears Foundation, a long-term supporter of AfriKids and a key ambassador for the Blue Sky Lodge project, has offered to match up to £50,000 donated to AfriKids through the Telegraph appeal. The foundation is specifically focusing this funding on AfriKids' core costs, covering the hard-to-fund but essential day-to-day running costs of the charity that enable it to keep developing its innovative and inspirational work.
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/9013011/Why-charity-is-beginning-at-a-luxury-hotel.html
It has been designed by a non-profit consultancy, Architecture for Humanity, and a local firm, Gabcon, to complement the local vernacular architecture and the landscape while offering world-class accommodation.
Sally Eastcott, UK director of AfriKids, says: "The lodge will make visitors to the region feel that this is a good place to be. It will make the community feel more proud of their world and of their traditions in architecture and lifestyle, and provide innovations they can emulate in their homes."
It is hoped the lodge will generate a profit of £180,000 a year, one third of the total annual budget AfriKids Ghana needs to run independently. This is enough to ensure that 150 children who were risking their lives in gold mines have the chance to go to school, 1,800 mothers are empowered to generate their own income or 150 schools are helped to make improvements.
Donate to the Telegraph Christmas appeal
The Telegraph Christmas appeal runs until January 31. To donate, please call 0870 043 3759, or go to telegraph.co.uk/charity.Pears Foundation, a long-term supporter of AfriKids and a key ambassador for the Blue Sky Lodge project, has offered to match up to £50,000 donated to AfriKids through the Telegraph appeal. The foundation is specifically focusing this funding on AfriKids' core costs, covering the hard-to-fund but essential day-to-day running costs of the charity that enable it to keep developing its innovative and inspirational work.
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/9013011/Why-charity-is-beginning-at-a-luxury-hotel.html
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