Ghana project
When you see the poverty Hayley's seen, you'll want to help provide solutions too.
Hayley, UNICEF's youngest-ever ambassador, wants you to work with her on a project that will bring clean water and education to thousands of children and their families in some of Ghana's poorest areas.
You can donate to this project now using the form on the right.
She recently visited Ghana and while she was there she recorded a daily video diary. Find out more about her visit and view her video diary.
Water
Water-bourne Guinea Worm is a major problem for children in parts of Ghana. Anyone getting water from a pond or well previously used by a sufferer of Guinea Worm can be infected. Little children are the most common victims, accounting for two thirds of cases. If they're thirsty, they naturally drink whatever is handy. Once in the body the worms grow (sometimes up to a metre) and create painful swelling and blisters where they lodge just under the skin. It takes months to get rid of them, a tiny bit at a time. The pain is intense and children are not able to go to school.
To protect young children from Guinea Worm and other diseases in unsafe water, Hayley is supporting UNICEF NZ in bringing safe water to 30 pre-schools in one of the worst-affected areas. This includes training caretakers and mechanics so that the provision of safe water is a sustainable solution that can be looked after locally.
Education
Girls in rural communities face major challenges to attending school, including long distances between home and school; time and energy taken to commute daily; and risk of sexual abuse and other forms of violence during travel.The provision of bicycles, along with other interventions, has contributed to the improvement of girls' enrolment, attendance, academic performance and retention at school. UNICEF has purchased 5,700 bicycles and 60 tricycles for disadvantaged girls and children in rural communities in deprived districts. The bicycles were for school girls between 12 and 20 who have to commute long distances (more than 5km from home to school). The tricycles help children with special education needs.
UNICEF has also worked with the Government of Ghana to abolish school fees in Ghana, removing a significant barrier for poorer children's access to education.
UNICEF NZ has provided training for 141 kindergarten teachers and attendants in the Afram Plains District as part of a nationwide UNICEF programme. The training included preparation of lesson plans, a new national kindergarten curriculum, and provision of teaching materials. More than 6,000 children will benefit from having better prepared teachers in the UNICEF NZ-supported project. UNICEF has also provided kindergartens with teaching and learning materials. These are comprised of 500 Universal Reading Kits and 100 laminated teaching materials.