Ghana, Volunteer Abroad, Uncategorized, Volunteer Abroad, Volunteer In Ghana, Child Sponsorship, Ghana Travels, Orphanage Work, Medical/Healthcare Volunteering/Internship

The Critical Role Exceed Trust Played In Building Orphanage Home In Ghana

Giving back

Social responsibility is integral to the work we do and we want to give back to the communities in which we work.

The Exceed Trust was set up in 2008 with the goal of making a meaningful and lasting difference to the lives of children who have been marginalised by socio-economic circumstances.

Projects are funded by a combination of direct company contributions and a variety of staff fundraising activities. To date, we have managed to raise and donate in excess of $250,000.

Our primary project since 2014 has been Becky’s Foundation, a Ghanaian orphanage aimed at protecting and providing a future for vulnerable children.

Other causes we have supported over the years include Save the Children, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Canyon Acres, Reaching Youth through Music, Juvenile Diabetes Research, UNICEF, Wildhearts, Botshelbo Orphanage, Maggies, Macmillan Cancer Support and many others.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

Becky’s Foundation

Located in a small coastal fishing village in Ghana, Becky’s Foundation was established in 2012 when teacher Seth Asiedu and his wife Vivian set out to protect and improve the quality of life of Ghana’s most vulnerable children. The foundation now manages its own orphanage, school, and soccer academy and relies on the support of volunteers and organisations who share its vision.

Our involvement with Becky’s Foundation started towards the end of 2014 when its 54 children faced the prospect of being left homeless after the orphanage lost its premises. The orphanage has meanwhile been completed and the children moved into their new home in September 2015.

Having worked in Ghana for over six years, this is a project close to our hearts. Our plans for 2017 include support with the on-going running costs of the orphanage and special projects to help Becky’s Foundation increase its impact in the local community.

When Becky’s Foundation lost their premises at the end of 2014, the children ended up in temporary shelter sleeping on the concrete floors of a cramped 1-room local day care centre. Exceed became aware of the project and decided to make Becky’s Foundation its primary project. Over the course of 2015 and 2016, Exceed pledged over $125,000 to this project, funding the design and build of a new orphanage.

With separate dorm rooms and study accommodation for the boys and girls, a large kitchen and a courtyard for laundry facilities, the building was completed in September 2015.

Since then, we have also been able to support the drilling of a new water well, install a filtration system, and enable the purchase of a minivan to drive the younger children to and from school and hospital appointments – a 2-mile journey they would have previously walked.

Visiting Ghana

Fiona van der Vossen, Exceed Head of CSR, visited the orphanage in October 2015 to be part of its official opening. Bringing along copious amounts of sweets and school supplies, Fiona also handed out new football strips, sponsored by Exceed and new T-shirts for all children sponsored by Aberdeen-based Serv Group.

The face-to-face visit also provided a great opportunity to interact first hand with the children and the staff and to discuss the best way for Exceed to support the orphanage in reaching its goal of becoming increasingly self-sustaining.

As the orphanage is set on a few acres of land, the land in itself provides the children and staff at Becky’s Home with a potential opportunity to grow crops for their own use and to raise funds.

The drilling of a water hole was a first step towards not only providing drinking water but also enabling them to progress this initiative.