Empowered to impact a whole community
Reverend Sam is the Minister of the Methodist church in Krabonso. He has gone a long way as a faith leader to educate over 200 church members, as well as community members, on the need to take initiatives, to improve the livelihood of the people in the community. Reverend Sam got these ideas when he visited an Empowered World View workshop. This has in the long run impacted the lives of the people in the Krabonso community.
One way World Vision Ghana ensures the people who join the Empowered World View workshops have a sustainable impact is by encouraging them to join the Savings for Transformation Groups (S4T) in the community. Through the teachings they received, many have joined the savings group and changed their family’s financial situation. The increase in revenue that church members in the community have experienced has changed the way church members view themselves. They no longer see themselves as poor people who have no power over their future. They now have a better sense of purpose and feel confident about their future and that of their children. One church member stated that “I now know that I can improve my life and that of my children because of the workshops”.
Due to the training, the community is embarking on developing a ginger farm and other joint business ventures as a way of raising money for community projects that need urgent attention. Before the training, the community relied heavily on government interventions which took years to manifest. They also had very few options for income generation, making it hard for parents to effectively educate their children. Now that the lives of so many members have been improved, they can provide for the basic needs of their children and provide a better future them. The money from the sales of the ginger can also contribute to improving the needs of the church, without putting too much burden on the members.
The church on its own has started producing ginger powder and trying to expand production by producing in large quantities. They have also started a ginger farm project of one and a half acres. They will use the money to support vulnerable people in the community, further the education of students and support girls who need assistance. For example, the church recently supported a member who got admission into the College of Health in Kintampo by paying his fees.
The Empowered World View (EWV) approach, which is well-aligned with World Vision Ghana’s Livelihood and F&D models, seeks to engage communities to identify and define their development path through their indigenous resources and efforts with a high biblical foundation and standpoint. It focuses on effecting mindset change as well as the transformation of the heart and ultimately the pocket of the individual, communities, and institutions. Households have, therefore, been empowered to improve their livelihood.