Short Profile Chance for Children

It is the goal of Chance for Children to provide an opportunity to the street children in Accra so they can take control of their lives through experiencing love and safety, and receiving an education and professional training.

The street children project «Chance for Children» was founded in 1999 as an international non-governmental-organisation (NGO) with its headquarter in Switzerland and its field work in Accra, Ghana. The founders Daniela Ruedisueli Sodjah from Gommiswald (Switzerland) and Amon Kotey from Accra are leading the project together with Awuley Nartey and 40 native Ghanaians.

A managing board with six members is responsible for Chance for Children.

Chance for Children is being financed by 2500 private donors, church congregations, associations, schools and companies. The CFC staff and children can contribute to co-financing with their handicrafts, which are sold for the benefit of the project.

In order to guarantee long-term financial planning, the group «CFC Friends» organizes several voluntary activities that benefit the organization.

Our work

Chance for Children serves approximately 130 children and youths at one time.

• Drop-In Center in Jamestown
  Opened in November 2008, Drop-In Center provides up to 40 street children with relief from the struggle of surviving in the streets. The children receive a hot meal, medical and psychological care, and the opportunity to participate in lessons as well as various handcraft workshops. In this way, CFC is able support street children in their current situations and work with them to develop short- and long-term perspectives.

• Support of children in their families of origin
  CFC supports up to 30 children in their families of origin by providing financial assistance and guidance through a social worker.

• Girls’ Group Home in Jamestown
  Since November 2009, CFC has been able to offer housing for up to ten formerly homeless girls in a supportive cooperative living situation. The girls attend public school or complete a job training program.

• Hebron-Home for boys and girls
  First opened in 2002, the CFC dormitory in the outskirts of Accra (1 hour drive by car from Accra) is home to up to 30 boys and teens. 20 girls live in the girls-home, which is situated right behind the boys-home. In February 2013, new construction works began, so that presumably in June 2013, 10 more girls will be able to move into the third chalet, so in total there will be 30 girls as well. As members of a community, these boys and girls learn to take responsibility for their behavior. They attend school in the neighboring villages.

• Youth in professional training
  Youths who have finished their required primary schooling are enrolled in job training programs or further academic study. They receive regular visits, both in their cooperative living quarters and at the boarding school, from CFC’s youth workers, who accompany and guide them on their journey to independence.

• Workshops
  The children and teens take part in a variety of regular tasks and educational workshops. Through the process of manufacturing batik fabric, greeting cards, wood carvings, baskets and jewelry, they discover and further develop their talents for handwork.

• Completed training
  Over the years, 32 CFC youths have completed their education and now live independent and self-sufficient lives.

• CFC-Team
  40 Ghanaian women and men and two European women currently work as part of CFC’s team. The team is assisted by trainees. CFC places great importance on fair wages, appropriate social security benefits, and good working conditions.
  For years our team has been benefiting from volunteers, each staying for 6 months.

• Networking
  CFC sets great value upon a good collaboration with the local social welfare and other NGOs.
  Some of the CFC-supported children were allocated to us by "Shelter for abused children" or the social welfare and some of the children came to us through "SAP" (Special Attention Project).

Current news

• The construction work for the third girls house in Hebron has began, so that presumably in June 2013, 10 more girls will be able to move in.

• According to a study conducted by the Ghanaian Social Welfare and three NGO’s, there are currently more than 60‘000 children living on the streets of the ‚Greater Accra Region‘. Of these children between 1 and 18 years, more than half (57%) are girls. These figures of 2011exceed previous estimations by far and indicate the urgency to tackle this issue.