Charity: Giorgio Armani’s ‘Acqua For Life Campaign’ -provides clean drinking water for children in Ghana

A big thanks to the ever fabulous, Giorgio Armani from Ghana Rising -for his ‘Acqua For Life Campaign’. This wonderful campaign provides 100 litres of clean drinking for children in rural Ghana every time you purchase a bottle of Acqua Di Giò and Acqua Di Gioia from the Armani fragrances range. A collaboration between Giorgio Armani and Green Cross International -this campaign goes way beyond the ubiquitous ‘feel good’ charity thingy that are forever endorsed by Celebes and offers real practical help. Folks -I’m off to buy a bottle of Acqua Di Gioia. Why not join the Acqua For Life movement on Facebook via: http://www.facebook.com/acquaforlife
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On World Water Day Giorgio Armani joined with Green Cross International in an effort to promote clean drinking water for people in need. The main goal of the new Acqua for Life campaign is to provide a minimum of 40 million liters of drinking water to populations lacking an essential part of life — clean water. Take a closer look after the jump!


“Water is such a simple word, but like all simple words it has a profound significance because where there is safe water, there is life, energy, wellbeing, a serene encounter with nature, and a marvelous sense of freshness,” stated Giorgio Armani.

The Acqua For Life campaign (http://www.acquaforlifechallenge.org/) is supported by two Armani fragrances, Acqua Di Giò and Acqua Di Gioia. For every bottle of the luxury fragrances sold, the iconic designer will provide 100 liters of clean drinking water per year to children and their communities.

“The cooperation between Green Cross International and Giorgio Armani is an innovative partnership model. This is not another ‘feel good’ campaign but a practical step to help make the Right to Water a reality. It is a pleasure to welcome Giorgio Armani as our partner on this important mission,” stated Alexander Likhotal, President of Green Cross International.
The humanitarian project has already been initiated in Ghana where over 40 percent of the rural population lacks proper access to clean drinking water.

All money raised for the Acqua for Life project will be used to finance similar operations in other countries in the future. For more info visit: http://www.acquaforlifechallenge.org/

(Credit: http://theluxbeat.com/2011/04/giorgio-armani-aqua-for-life-humanitarian-campaign/)

Charity: The Akua Kuenyehia Foundation (AKF)

"The Akua Kuenyehia Foundation (AKF) is a Ghana based not for profit organisation founded by the children of H.E Judge Akua Kuenyehia, first Vice-President of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, in her honour.

It is a private foundation committed to the development and empowerment, through formal education, of women in Ghana. The overarching purpose is to nurture and develop a passion for knowledge in Ghanaian girls, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds, and a zeal for service to the society by enriching the lives of these young women through educational scholarships and mentorship programmes."  www.akuakuenyehiafoundation.com

****Judge Akua Kuenyahia’s an incredible woman and role model. An author, teacher and philanthropist, - Akua Kuenyahia has set up a not for profit organisation –to educate and empowerment young girls in Ghana. For more information about The Akua Kuenyehia Foundation or to donate please visit: http://www.akuakuenyehiafoundation.com/

More info about Judge Akua Kuenyahia
Akua Kuenyahia is a Ghanaian judge and first-vice president of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague , Netherlands.


Professor Kuenyehia was elected for a nine-year term from the African Group of States, and is assigned to the Pre-Trial Division.

She was Dean, Faculty of Law of the University of Ghana before her election as a judge. During her time at that university, she taught criminal law, gender and the law, international human rights law and public international law.

She was co-ordinator of a research project entitled "Women and Law in Anglophone West Africa", which covered Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and The Gambia. She has written three books and numerous academic publications on gender and the law, family law and international human rights.

Judge Kuenyehia is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Ghana. She has experience as solicitor, advocate and human rights expert, and in criminal law and procedure. She also has experience as an administrator and has expertise in gender and the law, international human rights issues and was a member of the Committee on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). [credit: http://www.africansuccess.org/visuFiche.php?id=717&lang=en]

Charity: Ghana Rising says a big thanks to Lynne Symonds

*Lynne Symonds is another unsung hero -making a big difference in the lives of our people back home in Ghana. The following is more information about this incredible woman. Be inspired and donate. Thank you.................x

Title: Norfolk woman's fresh plea over Ghana charity By: Tara Greaves / Last updated: 07/05/2010 15:00:0
A Norfolk woman who has been honoured for her work helping to transform the lives of children in poverty-stricken Ghana has urged people to continue to support her charity after being turned down for a much needed Comic Relief grant for the third time.

Lynne Symonds has helped thousands of deprived children by improving education and health through the Wulugu Project she set up more than 16 years ago - even being honoured by being made the chief of two remote tribes for her tireless work.

But she appealed for people in East Anglia to continue to support the project after once again being turned down for funding.

“Wulugu has helped many thousands of kids in Ghana and quadrupled the numbers of girls in Wulugu schools in the remote north as well as rescuing hundreds of older girls from slavery,” said Lynne, who lives in Great Melton.

“We are now starting to extend one of our vocational schools for girls, it is the only lifeline for many with huge waiting list for girls to have education. They learn about nutrition, health and family care as well as a locally marketable skill. Before we came along, they were really without hope. Now the whole community is working with us to change so many lives.

“We have just been turned down by Comic Relief for a grant to help more women and girls. They say: 'It is not clear that this approach will bring about long term sustainable change in the lives of women and girls in northern Ghana' - this, despite our enormously successful track record, all achieved without employing anyone. I know that we are competing with large charities that can employ professionals to raise funds and this is a real problem.”

Though disappointed Lynne, a retired teacher, said the Wulugu Project had managed to do so much in the past without the grant help and will do the same again, if local fundraisers continue their generosity.

A spokeswoman for Comic Relief said: “Comic Relief has a robust process for assessing each application against set criteria. We cannot comment on individual cases but offer a telephone appointment with unsuccessful applicants to offer feedback.”

Lynne, who made the national headlines in 1996 when she became the first white woman to become a tribal chief in northern Ghana, is not only planning to go ahead and extend the vocational school but also push on with another scheme to make dilapidated schools useable again.

“Over the years we have been able to make enormous improvements to schools that have been damaged by the weather,” she said.

“Relatively small amounts are needed to put the buildings back into use. The areas we work in are so remote that the children are likely to be left without a building for many years. This means that most drop out of education completely.”

Currently, top of the list are: Kubori Primary - West Mamprusi which has major cracks in the walls that are falling down and needs flooring and windows at a cost of £3,500.

Yagaba Primary - West Mamprusi which needs roofing, floors, new walls, plastering and painting. This is a major project and will cost £4,000.

“We have had so much support in the past from local people, everyone who has given should feel very proud of themselves. It doesn't matter how small the donation, every little helps and 99p out of every £1 goes directly to changing lives,” said Lynne, who runs the project with help from an eight-strong committee.

If you would like to help, write to:
Wulugu Project
Church Farm, Great Melton
Norwich, NR9 3BH
Or call 01603 810748/ 01603 628709.
For more information about the project or to donate visit: http://www.wulugu.co.uk/

[Credit: http://www.edp24.co.uk/content/edp24/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=EDPOnline&tCategory=xDefault&itemid=NOED06%20May%202010%2015%3A59%3A13%3A503]

Charity: The Call 2 Art Exhibition [6th - 19th September 2009] -helps AfriKids

'The Call' started out as a unique 'Exhibition of Contemporary African Art Celebrating 50 Years of Ghanaian Independence'. Patroned by Zetha Annan of UNICEF [Zetha Annan is a serious collector and tireless promoter Ghanaian Art] and sponsored by Wellbeing for Women, Spirituality for Kids & DWIB Leukemia Trust, -it featured works by noted Artists including; Sami Bentil, Wizz Kudowor, Nii T.Mills and Rikki Wemega Kwawu, -as well as the Internationally renowned Percussion Skills of Okyerema Asante (Fleetwood Mac, Paul Simon) -in 2007. Since then the successful exhibition, has run consecutively [at La Galleria, Royal Opera Arcade, PALL MALL, London in 2007 & 2008] and due to be held, -for two weeks in London at, The Smithfield Gallery from the 6th to 19th of September 2009. Artist Paul Apowida’s work is contemporary, bold and beautiful -and all sales of his work -will be donated to AfriKids, as well as any merchandise sold. AfriKids will also receive a percentage of sales from the work of Wiz Kudowor and Sami Bentil. For more information please visit: www.afrikids.org and The Smithfield Gallery at: www.thesmithfieldgallery.com

Doing 'real' charity with 'real' style: Lisa Lovatt Smith

Lisa Lovatt-Smith with Damon Dash and Rachel Roy


Lisa Lovatt Smith and Mr Francis Hurtut [French Ambassador in Ghana]
Lisa Lovatt-Smith and Marcel Desailly
"Our policy, in line with UNICEF guidelines, is to avoid institutional care whenever possible. We believe that the family is the structure most suitable for providing care for children. International research has proven that consigning children to orphanages for long term care can be detrimental to their development and does not respect a child’s basic rights...............Children may be placed in orphanages after loosing a parent, despite having family members who want to care for them but lack the means to do so. Orphanages often represent access to food, clothing, and education, when what really should be done, is make these necessities accessible in the local villages and communities. When an orphanage is treated as the principal solution, it can hinder the incentive for the local population to address the orphan problem and at the same time channel resources into making better orphanages, which encourages parents and families to abandon their children for lack of a better alternative. For all these reasons we channel our resources into supporting families and encouraging family and foster care as opposed to orphanage care for vulnerable children." OrphanAid Africa

A touching piece by uber fashionista, Rachel Roy, -in the May issue of American Vogue,-struck a cord. Moving and inspirational, -Rachel talks about her trip to Ghana -for the United Nations to participate in a fashion show, -benefiting their World Food Program in Accra. She talks about taking her daughter -Ava, who, -like her mother was greatly effected by this humbling trip. Shopping, sleeping off her jet lag on the beach and collecting unique seashell, -Rachel then mentions, an orphanage [that her friend had told her about] called OA (OrphanAid Africa), -run by Lisa Lovatt-Smith. Well, I just had to google her.

Lisa Lovatt-Smith is a 'tour de force'. A mother and author [she wrote 'Paris Interiors' and 'London Living'], -and the hard working founder of, -OrphanAid Africa (OA), this ex Vogue editor -is tireless. Born in 1967 in Barcelona of British parents, Lisa is a well connected, glamorous fashionista, -with a heart of gold. Lisa is passionate about -how to raise orphans [and I totally agree with her philosophy, -'that orphans left in orphanages are not nurtured and that prolong time spent in theses institutions -can be detrimental to their development'] -and thus started, OrphanAid Africa [a NGO that offers support 'to strengthen families and communities so they can care for their own children']. Lisa's OrphanAid Africa works tirelessly to keep families together -enabling extended families to look after orphans -who would otherwise be left in institutions, -sometimes not receiving good care. They also help to send children to school, help mothers and protect children by -transforming their lives. Ghana Rising would like to take this opportunity to thank Lisa Lovatt-Smith, for her tireless work and incredible contribution to Ghana. For more information on OrphanAid Africa or to donate, please visit: http://www.oafrica.org/

WaterAid -fighting 'Guinea Worm' in Ghana...

"This work is vital as inadequate water supply and sanitation services contribute to over 70% of diseases in Ghana, costing the country significantly in terms of healthcare and productivity." WaterAid

"Guinea worms can take weeks and sometimes months to fully leave a person's body. During this time it dangles from where it emerged, usually from the foot or the ankle. If the worm makes contact with water at this stage, it releases hundreds of thousands of guinea worm larvae, re-infesting the water and thus perpetuating the cycle. To help stop its spread, WaterAid also teaches communities how to break the worm's life cycle by preventing people with emerging worms from entering water sources." WaterAid

"The three northern regions are particularly deprived with one in ten children dying before their fifth birthday." WaterAid

I once saw a documentary about 'Guinea Worm' in Ghana -and it was awful (I think it might have been a 'Red Nose Day documentary). Effecting mainly children -"Guinea worm is an intrusive disease where parasitic worms grow up to three feet long inside a person before painfully breaking their way out of the body through the skin" -and, "despite [some] progress, Ghana still remains the country with the third highest rates of infection after Nigeria and Sudan." The disease is spread through contaminated, dirty water [supplies] and is worse in Northern Ghana. Thankfully, in the Upper East Region, -WaterAid with the help of, Rural Aid -are helping to put an end to this problem. Fighting for safer water, sanitation and hygiene -WaterAid is solving the aforementioned problems by installing; clean and safe water [pumps] in rural Ghana. WaterAid is an international charity -with a mission to help the worlds poor to overcome poverty- by giving them access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education. For more information on the devastating effects of 'Guinea Worm' in Ghana or to donate -visit: http://www.wateraid.org/uk/

Charity: June Sarpong models for, 'Fashion Targets Breast Cancer'

Fashion Targets BC - Our Celebrities Talk to the Camera from FashionTargetsBC on Vimeo.

'Our' June is one of the uber celebrities behind, 'Fashion Targets Breast Cancer' ad campaign. The celebrities involved include, The Duchess, Duncan James, Leah Wood, Jade Jagger, Ronnie Wood and Mick Jagger (of the Rolling Stones), Brian Ferry and many more. You can support the charity via the, 'Million Model Catwalk' website at: www.millionmodelcatwalk.com/

Charity: Lila Macqueen Djaba's Child Care Foundation

Like all Ghanaians, I love Ghana -and find it hard to accept that Ghana is a third World country -and as such, has all the problems associated with it. But when I am faced with a report (by Reuters - I trust them) stating, -'More than a million children in Ghana don’t go to school because they have to work to help their parents pay the bills', -it drives me crazy. It makes me wonder -what the hell is going on? Surly some of Ghana's GDP or GNP -must trickle down (at some level) to education (at least).
The report, also states that, 'Ghana’s constitution forbids children under 15, from working' -and I wonder; -if, this is the case, surly the Ghanaian government would have made provision for all children (under the age of 15)? Because, if a child has to contribute to the income of a 'wanting' household,- the only deterrent is -say, help with the cost of uniform and books -(so that the parent (s) -who is going to loose an income, knows -that they do not have to worry about the aforementioned) -and maybe, 'real' help for 'real' single mothers -(this could be in the form of a -NGO or a co-operative set up by women for women (regionally) -where they can put their money and (skills) together and achieve results).

I wonder also about the government of Ghana -and accountability. Do the people of Ghana not demand results -and if not, surly they must start and set the ball rolling (for the whole of Africa) -by demanding, 'no results, on pay'. The report also mentions the, 'Gbaawe stone quarry' a short distance outside Accra (where children work alongside their parents etc) and I wonder -does this quarry -pay taxes to the Ghanaian government -if it does, can't these taxes be used to send these children to school -but more than that, -can't they stop this quarry (and others like them) from employing children?

I know that my arguments are (probably) over simplistic. That there are many layers to this story and that ultimately -it is the poor mother (if her children are stopped from working at the quarry -who will suffer -but what of her children? Wouldn't this be their fate (working at the quarry)-too, -if they don't get the education they desperately need? I know that poverty and bad governance -means that even though the Ghanaian constitution forbids children under 15 from working' -they (probably) cannot afford to pay people to enforce it. Also, I guess that the Ghanaian government has no way of truly compensating these 'poor' households (that will inevitably loose an income -if their children stop working -but surly, there must be hope -or some answers?

Lila Macqueen Djaba -mentioned in the report, is doing her bit to curtail this problem. Lila runs, 'Child Care Foundation' -a non-profit, non-governmental organization -that provides free education for disadvantaged children (orphans, child workers, street kids and vulnerable children). Child Care Foundation provides a healthy; nurturing environment, quality care, protection, education, -and is currently supported by, 'concerned' Ghanaian families and individual donations from friends of CCF in the United States and Europe. The friends of CCF are made up of visitors -who have pledged to help Lila's school. I look forward to visiting the Child Care Foundation -when I am next in Ghana. You can support Lila and her school at http://ccfghana.blogspot.com/ God Bless Lila and the children (Ghana's future).....

You can read more about this story at: http://blogs.reuters.com/africanews/2009/03/19/getting-children-into-school-in-ghana/#comments