" About 260,000 Ghanaians have been affected by the floods, according to OCHA (the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), which reports that at least nine bridges have collapsed and the water supply systems in many areas have been destroyed, along with roads and schools. An unknown number of crops and livestock have also been lost.
OCHA reports that a major concern is the possible outbreak of waterborne diseases after cases of diarrhoea, dysentery and cholera were diagnosed in the Upper East region, close to the border with Burkina Faso and Togo.
The Ghanaian Government has declared a state of emergency in the three most affected regions and begun distributing relief items to the flood victims while deploying naval equipment and personnel to help with the ferrying of people and goods to and from those areas cut off by the high waters.
In total, some 200 people have been killed and 650,000 others have lost their homes because of African floods, which have hit 17 countries."
And this article was written weeks ago... imagine how the death toll has increased since then...
Our school is making an effort to do our part in the relief... we want to be part of the raining down of relief onto our brothers and sisters in the north
The following is a piece that one of the other teachers wrote for our schools website:
"This fall, Ghana has had a more generous rainy season than in years. This has meant a better electrical situation, but the blessing of electricity has come at much too high a cost. All of the rain has caused flooding in the northern regions of Ghana. This flooding has washed away crops, homes, and other belongings. Two of the AIS staff, Heather Cline, and Sally Clausel recently journeyed to the north and saw the devastation first hand. Storehouses that should be filled knee-high with grain have only a small pile. Trees have been picked clean of leaves, in an attempt to harvest any food possible. One family of nine is sharing one pair of flip-flops. We as a Christian school cannot stand by and do nothing as those in our country are starving, homeless and lacking in clothing. We have begun a drive to provide food and clothing for these in need. Will you join us in our endeavor? We would ask you to please donate money to allow missionaries in the North to provide food, clothing, and shoes for needy children and families."
If you, as my supporter, would like to help us in this effort, there are several ways to do so. If you are in the states, you can write a check to me and pass it along to my mom for her to deposit (and I will withdraw the money and donate it), or for it to be tax deductible, follow the links along the side of this page (How to support my work) and donate online through NICS (please let me know that you would like your donation to go toward the relief fund and I will be sure it makes it there!)
1 comment:
ok so i'm at school right now...going into my 6th hour here. shoot me dead.
i miss you, my little ghanian girlfriend!!
take care of yourself and eat some more yum food for me there!!
kisses,
anna*
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