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progress
Before March 2007, members of St. Ann’s Parish in Nyack, New York
became aware of the needs of residents in farming communities in
Ghana, West Africa. The needs of those residents was made known
through Catholic Priests from Ghana, West Africa that were serving
the St. Ann’s Parish Community. In 2006, members of St. Ann’s
Parish with the support of St. Ann’s Pastor, Father Robert Henry,
began working with Father Joseph Domfeh who was assigned to St.
Ann’s Parish. Father Joseph was born and raised in Ghana and St.
Ann’s Parish Members and friends contributed funds to help construct
three “bore holes”. A “bore hole” is a deep well constructed to
provide clean drinking water for residents in Ghana.
People in Ghana and elsewhere in sub-Sahara Africa who do not have
access to clean water can suffer from an incurable parasite. Having
a “bore hole” constructed prevents people from being subject to this
parasite. Moreover, the World Health Organization has determined
that 80% of all sickness in countries like Ghana relates to drinking
unhealthy water. In the photo album section of the
www.givingtoghana.com website are pictures of one such bore hole
and the community that it serves in northwestern Ghana in a Village
called “Badu” in the Brong Ahafo Region.
Realizing that next to clean drinking water, medical care was
equally as important to residents in Ghana, Father Joseph Domfeh in
coordination with Bishop Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi from the Catholic
Diocese of Sunyani, Ghana, began working with friends and members of
St. Ann’s Parish to provide assistance in a more organized way. The
collaborative effort resulted in establishment of the non-profit
entity known as Giving to Ghana Foundation, Inc. (the
“Foundation”). The Foundation was incorporated as a non-profit
entity in New York and has filed for recognition under Internal
Revenue Code Section 501(c(3) as entity where contributions are tax
deductible.
As the Foundation’s first effort to address the medical needs of all
residents (Catholic, Muslim, Protestant, Native Religion and
others), a Medical Clinic is planned. This Project is known as
“Project St. Matthew’s Clinic”. Fundraising efforts are now
focused on raising $250,000 to construct and equip St. Matthew’s
Clinic. Construction of the Clinic is planned to enable it to be
extended and converted at a later date into a full service Medical
Hospital in the years ahead. This immediate Project is only for the
medical clinic to be built.
On March 21, 2007, four volunteers with the Foundation traveled to
the Catholic Diocese of Sunyani, Ghana to “break ground” for the
Clinic. Photos of the ground breaking for St. Matthew’s Clinic are
included in the www.givingtoghana.com website.
Bishop Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi of the Catholic Diocese of Sunyani
arranged for the cooperation of local officials and Chiefs for a
site to be secured consisting of approximately 50 acres for St.
Matthew’s Clinic and future construction of St. Matthew’s Hospital.
Within the Diocese of Sunyani, St. Matthew’s Clinic will be
constructed and will serve the needs of everyone of every Faith.
The Foundation will be working with health care professionals to
determine how St. Matthew’s Clinic can service the needs of other
nearby Villages. After the Medical Clinic is established, the second
Phase of this Project will be to extend the Medical Clinic into St.
Matthew’s Hospital that will provide greater service and work in a
model program with the Village of Badu and then other Villages to
care for the needs of all people in this Region.
With the necessary support and prayers, St. Matthew’s Clinic is
scheduled to open during the Celebration of Christ the King which
takes on 25 November 2010.
Click on photos below to enlarge
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St. Matthew's Clinic
