Mr. Mensah Abrampah 50 years old Community Leader of Akyerekyerekrom who has lived his entire life in the Bonsaaso Cluster describing the change in his life as result of MVP said, "The MVP stands for positive change in individual and community life styles. MVP has taken over the completion of health clinic initiated by the District Assembly. This has significantly improved accessibility to health service as people no longer walk longer distances (45 km) to Agroyesum referral hospital which is the nearest health facility available to them. Distribution of insecticide treated nets (ITNs) has prevented the spread of malaria by mosquitoes. Doctors now provide free medical services: free eye screening or growth promotion (weighing of children) is done as monthly routine activity; free outreach is done through the Ante Natal Care (ANC) (services for pregnant women), and Health Care Assistants support community health interventions. I do not suffer from malaria as frequently as before the distribution of the bednet, and I do not attend the clinic frequently these days. My eye sight has improved, I am learning more from Health Care Assistants on personal and environmental hygiene. The health status for my family (wife and children) has improved.”
Under the education sector, the provision of suitable classrooms, teachers’ accommodation and meals/lunch every day has helped to increase school enrolment and keep pupils in school for full days of learning activities. Between May 2007 and March 2008, enrolment in three schools participating in the School feeding programme increased by about 40%. Enrolment in lower levels of primary schools and in kindergarten doubled. Since 2006, over 1,320 needy children have been supported in gaining access to basic education, 29 students (42% female) have entered Senior High School because MVP established scholarship scheme for brilliant but needy pupils (MVP Briefing at UN Heads of Agencies meeting, 27 November 2008). Qualified teachers have accepted transfer to the Cluster since accommodation has been provided.
In line with the MDG target of halving the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water, and achieving improved sanitation, MVP installed iron and manganese removal plants in selected locations to provide water facilities in small towns, communities, schools and clinics, which hitherto depended on the mineral polluted water.
Government’s contribution to the MVP Cluster continues to grow as the MVP lobbies and appeals to the Government’s support to increase capital investment for the development of the infrastructure. From a situation of zero electricity connection in 2006, 6 communities are now fully connected to the national grid, with 2 others due to be connected after power transmission tests are completed. Furthermore, the Government increased resources for rehabilitation and routine maintenance of roads in the Cluster, with US$2.5m investment in reshaping and rehabilitating 96.5 km feeder roads including construction of 60 culverts.
The Millennium Village initiative is attracting interest and partnerships among the UN System. On the 24 April 2009, Ms. Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) visited the Bonsaaso Cluster. The visit took her to four sites: Tontokrom Clinic, a Mwacafe iron and manganese removal plant at Bonsaaso, palm oil processing at Apenamadi for women’s group and maize storage facility at Dawusaso. The positive contribution of MVP to the social and economic upliftment of the rural people inspired WFP Executive Director to partner with MVP in 5 key areas:
- Maize procurement to enhance market access for maize farmers;
- Provision of the agro processing equipment to oil palm and cassava women’s processing corporative to enhance oil palm production at Apenamadi;
- Access to iodated salt for people in the Cluster;
- Support to female heads of household by equipping them with skills to undertake income generating activities;
- Support economic livelihoods of people living with HIV to live a decent and healthy life.
MVP is steadily putting Amansie West on the map and generating interest for development partners, private sector and civil society. To the UN System, MVP provides a model to “deliver as one” in meeting the MDGs at the grassroots level.
Ghana is among 10 sub-Saharan African countries piloting the Millennium Village Projects. Since 2006, the MVP has pursued transformational interventions to provide decent and sustainable livelihoods for a cluster of 30 rural communities with an estimated population of 30,000 people in the forest margins of the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region.
Reproduced with permission from UNDP-Ghanna
Can Millennium Villages be Panacea for Achieving MDGs at Grassroots Level? -Experience from Ghana, by Akua Dua-Agyeman, MDG Support Advisor, UNDP Ghana, Poverty Reduction News Update No. 29, 18 June 2009.
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Can Millennium Villages be Panacea for Achieving MDGs at Grassroots Level? - Experience from Ghana