Africa Self Help Initiative is a Texas based, not for profit organization, established to aid and assist through multiple directives the people, particularly women and children, of Sub-Sahara Africa. Consensus of world thought is that the key component of that aid and assistance will be founded on education in its various forms. Preparing people to sustain themselves holistically requires training for occupations, through the fundamentals of reading, writing and arithmetic, technical training for various trades and the teaching of ethics and morals. Though not always the case, behavioral problems do contribute to poverty. At a future point in our present program we will introduce micro loans to create new opportunities for those who qualify and or in need.ASHI is the result of our combined experiences and observations over the last 30 years in East and West Africa.
Our present board of directors is made up of Dr. Sherry Dingman, Leanne J. Braddock, Augustine Tawiah, Ken Bolden and Gordon McElvany.
Presently, ASHI is involved in the Lamplighter Rural School project in Western Ghana, Bia district, among the Sefwi tribe. The first phase was the construction of a building to accommodate children from age three to age five. That building was completed in September 2006 and opened on September 25 with 329 children enrolled. Current enrollment is 391. With sufficient funding we began construction of building two in January 2007. In phase two we will expand our classes to accommodate children from age six through the sixth grade. Phase three facilities will expand to a Middle school and will prepare students for the national exams.
Depending on the availability of capital, concurrent with the above development we will construct a medical clinic and laboratory. This facility will not only diagnose and treat various life threatening maladies, but will hold health educational seminars to educate villagers.
Our 28 acre site has sufficient room to develop an experimental farm on which we will help local farmers learn how to more effectively use their land in the growing of various local crops. We would hope that they would then be able to grow greater quantities and at the same time improve the quality of their product.
ASHI's long-range goals include developing projects in Tanzania as well. One project already in the planning stage is a Neo-Natal clinic in the town if Tanga, Tanzania. We have already secured an agreement from the local city officials in which they propose to give us two acres of land for that clinic. We presently have individuals in Tanga, Anne Bumpas, R.N., who will have the oversight of that operation. Anne's father was a well known physician in Tanzania.
Additionally, ASHI has agreed in principle to help further the work of the Tumaini Orphans' Children Center in Bagamoyo, Tanzania. This project to date has helped 300 primary school children, 50 secondary school children and one at the university level. TOCC will seek to offer necessary and relevant basic needs for identified vulnerable children and their families. It will provide school fees, learning materials, uniforms and in some situations food and shelter.
To date, ASHI has been funded by individuals and churches known by the directors. With additional outside funding we will be able to accelerate our efforts and move forward in a professional manner.