UNICEF& Korea sign 4,500,000 US dollars for Northern &Upper east regions poverty project

The Record of Discussion on the Project for Human Development through Life Cycle Approach has been signed on July 5th 2013 at KOICA Ghana Office between the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Total amount of 4,500,000 US dollars would be provided by KOICA for the implementation of the project. The project, entitled; Human Development through Life Cycle Approach which is developed by UNICEF is designed to improve access to better Health and Education services depending on the life cycle in the Northern and Upper East Regions of Ghana.

The project, which is to be executed within a time frame of three years (2013-2015), aims to break the vicious cycle of poverty that creates and recreates undernourished infants, poorly educated young children, marginalized adolescents, and unsafe and young motherhood in 6 districts within the Northern and Upper East Regions of Ghana.

UNICEF expects the project to improve Health and Education services in the two regions. Resident Representative of KOICA Ghana Office, Cho Kwang-Geol disclosed this at the official signing ceremony. “Around 1950s, Korea’s living standard was below that of Ghana.

However, Korea has transformed into a donor from one of the poorest countries. Furthermore, the Korean Government held the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF-4) in Busan December, 2011. This was followed by the Accra Agenda for Action of the Third High Level forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF-3) which was held in Accra, Ghana September, 2008.” Mr Cho said “In the lapse of forty years, they hope to share Korea’s development experience with international society and try to make their efforts diversified with multilateral cooperation.

For this, we cooperate with international organization including UNICEF.” “We hope to contribute to the economic and social development of Ghana and its achievement to become a middle-income country. In this sense, KOICA is focusing on education, health and energy sectors.

The project focuses on health and education sector which are common priorities of KOICA–UNICEF in Ghana.”Ms. Namondo Ngongi, the Country Representative of UNICEF in Ghana said the program is based on a ‘life cycle approach’ that aims to create a positive cycle through which each generation can realize a significant leap in the situation of children and achieve sustained progress in human development.

Six districts in Northern and Upper East Regions will benefit from the program, in partnership with the Government of Ghana.

They were chosen because their neonatal mortality and education outcomes lagged behind the rest of the country. “This funding will support the Government of Ghana in providing the best possible start for young children in their birth and early years, a good quality basic education for every child, and an enabling environment for adolescents as they develop their capacities,” Ms. Namondo Ngongi said. “Deaths of new borns in their first 30 days of life contribute to more than forty percent of under-five mortality and sixty per cent of infant mortality.

Over the last decade, we are seeing stagnation on reduction of neonatal mortality. New born health care needs to be prioritized to achieve the Millennium Development Goals for decreasing child and maternal deaths in Ghana.” Districts in the Northern and Upper East Regions are among the most deprived in terms of quality education.

The program works to increase access to pre-school and primary education, improve teaching and learning and equip adolescent students with appropriate life skills including HIV prevention and reproductive health. “We look forward to working with the Regional Ministers and the District Assemblies to champion this life cycle approach.”