Community Development Alliance - Ghana

The Community Development Alliance (CDA) has facilitated a community engagement meeting at Kumbieh aimed at strengthening collective efforts towards child protection and the welfare of children in the community.

The meeting brought together parents, caregivers, community leaders and members of the Community-Based Child Protection Committee (CBCPC), where participants were reminded of their shared responsibility in ensuring the safety, wellbeing and proper upbringing of children.

During the engagement, parents and caregivers were encouraged to provide the basic needs of children, including education, care, guidance and protection from all forms of abuse and neglect.
Members of the Community-Based Child Protection Committee highlighted some interventions they have undertaken to address child protection concerns within the community.

According to the committee, efforts have been made to tackle issues such as truancy and school dropout through regular sensitization and community engagements.

However, the committee expressed concern over the growing issue of drug abuse among youth in three camps within the community. They noted that several engagements with both the youth and community elders had yielded little results and appealed to the CDA team to support efforts aimed at addressing the situation.

The CDA team acknowledged the concerns raised and assured the community that the issue would receive the needed attention and intervention.

As part of the meeting, members of the Community-Based Child Protection Committee were formally introduced to the wider community to enable residents to identify and support them in carrying out their responsibilities effectively.

Community members commended CDA for the engagement and pledged their support towards protecting children and promoting their wellbeing.

Community Development Alliance (CDA), in partnership with APFG Burkina Faso, has supported 14 former excisers in Wa West District to transition into alternative livelihoods as part of ongoing efforts to eradicate female ge***al mutilation (FGM).

The event, held at the forecourt of the Wechiau Naa’s Palace, celebrated the women for voluntarily abandoning the practice and embracing new roles as advocates for its elimination.

To sustain their transition, the beneficiaries received goats and pigs for rearing, while others were provided with tools and equipment for shea butter processing—offering viable income alternatives to replace earnings from FGM.

The women pledged to completely abandon the practice and committed to working with the Ghana Health Service, CDA, and other stakeholders to help achieve zero FGM prevalence in the district.

The Wa West District Director of Health Services, Madam Cicilia Kakariba, commended the former excisers for their bold decision, noting the serious health risks associated with FGM and calling for collective action to end the practice.

Also addressing the gathering, the Upper West Regional Director of the Department of Gender, Madam Charity Bature, encouraged the women to remain committed as change agents.

She emphasized that although FGM is prohibited under Ghanaian law, eliminating it requires sustained behavior change and collaboration among all stakeholders.

She further stressed that no girl should be subjected to the harmful practice and urged communities to support the campaign against FGM.

The initiative highlights a growing community-led shift toward protecting the rights, health, and dignity of women and girls in

On Tuesday, the community of Katua came together in a powerful show of unity and shared purpose.

Using the Circle of Support tool, our team facilitated an engaging session focused on strengthening parental responsibility and deepening community support for the upbringing of every child.

The durbar brought together over 60 community members parents, caregivers, and local leadersall committed to shaping a safer and more nurturing environment for children.

The session was expertly led by the Gender Equality Officer for Wa East, Madam Rafikata, who guided discussions that encouraged openness, reflection, and collective action.

Through meaningful dialogue, participants recognized that raising a child is not the sole responsibility of parents, but a shared duty that requires the involvement of the entire community.

By the end of the session, there was a strong sense of consensus: every child deserves protection, guidance, and support—and everyone has a role to play.

Together, Katua is taking bold steps toward building a community where every child can thrive.

Today at Boli in the Wa Metropolis, we engaged parents and caregivers as part of the ongoing Project funded by Plan International Ghana to discuss practical ways of protecting children.

A major concern raised was the increasing rate of teenage pregnancy and its impact on girls and the community. Together, participants identified key solutions, including improved access to family planning services, stronger unity among parents, better monitoring of children’s mobile phone use, and continued counselling and mentorship for girls.

The community reaffirmed its commitment to working together to safeguard the future of every child.