Young and Lonely Foundation envisions for a world of great opportunities for all people, particularly for women and children development. We want to help them unleash their full potential.

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Proudly, we are also part of the Learn2Change network!

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Newsletter

Kindly read our last newsletter that was published in December 2022.

Sustainable Projects

A member of the Kaya-Kayo term:
Food grown and processed in Africa 🌍
We also promote Afro-Germans who stay in Germany with self-diversity

Find more information on https://www.kayakayo.eu/

Climbing a good tree (documentary)

Watch our trailer for the upcoming documentary film “Climbing a good tree”.

“Connect for Change”

The handbook β€œConnect for Change – Shaping global educational partnerships and projects for change” aims to serve as a source of inspiration and guidance for the establishment, design and further development of global education partnerships and projects. It contains contributions from experts from all over the world

Handbook β€œConnect for Change” – Introduction

Our work is also featured in the handbook, as it was written in collaboration with YLF.
You can find an interview of the founder of YLF, Gilbert Kofi Germain, as well as information about our German-Ghanaian school partnership with the “Berufsbildende Schule 1” (vocational school) in Gifhorn (Germany).

The full book can be downloaded as PDF on the website www.connect-for-change.org.

Local authorities and leaders should participate in global educa-tional partnership because of their important role in good governance for sustainable development. In workhops they can learn more about the important connection bet-ween the educational systems and governance structure. They are exposed to cultu-ral differences and they are forced to be dynamic on how to use their leadership power structure. After a workshop, they are maybe able to to use these partnership experience to develop new cultural poli-cies to control their political leaderships back home. And they can give a bigger chance for the youth who participate in global educational partner-ships to exercise governance power in their home countries and implement the skills and knowledge acquireed.

Gilbert Kofi GermainTeacher at the St. Germain School, Ghana

Our latest activity

Young and Lonely Foundation - YLF

YOUNG AND LONELY FOUNDATION-YLF: ORGANISATIONAL PROFILE, Young and Lonely Foundation (YLF) is a Non-Governmental and Non-Profit Making Organization, the organization was founded on 12th August, 1999 and established in 27th April, 2006 with the Registrar General’s Department RGD Number – CG179582015, TIN – C0005501601(old number G. 17. 715), and the Non-Profit Organization / Department of Social Welfare’s License Number – D.S.W./3842. The organization is also registered with the district assembles, we (YLF) are also on the district GIFMIS (Ghana integrated financial management information system), in its operational areas and a member of coalitions who offer selfless services to improve the lives of individuals as well as communities.Young and Lonely Foundation was formed to assist vulnerable groups such as children, women, widows, persons living with disabilities, persons living with HIV/AIDS, special children such as cerebral palsy (Down Syndrome) etc. to improve their social, cognitive or intellectual functioning among others. At the moment, the organization operates in two regions. In the central region, YLF operates in the Agona West, Agona East and Gomoa Districts, the organization also operates in Bongo District in the Northern Region of the Republic of Ghana. Over the years, YLF has worked with 175 international volunteers to implement diverse activities in Ghana. The volunteers come from Germany, Sweden, Belgium, UK, Australia, Japan, Italy, Holland, Norway, Canada and USA. These volunteers were recommended by individuals to work with YLF. Also, the organization builds it capacity through its partnerships with local and international Institutions, Alliances, Coalitions and Networks (https://learn2change-network.org/our-members/) and other groups also in the communities to find opportunities for some of these volunteers. Other institutions that the YLF connects volunteers to are NGOs, communities, schools, health institutions, Department of Social Welfare, Districts Assembly Departments, etc. and the organization has been corresponding with them on regular basis and sharing ideas on best practices all over the world on how to create, A Just World for Vulnerable Children.The organization has been linking the needy and its beneficiaries to resources where they are given diverse forms of assistance. Also, the organization embarks on various projects like civic educations, educational inter-national partnerships (https://ghanagermanypartnership.wordpress.com/), maternal health, HIV and AIDS, agriculture, women empowerment, COVID-19 and many more so as to cause change in communities in Ghana. Most of these activities are carried out through informal and non-formal education. YLF has been sponsoring vulnerable children with it partner schools (a case in point is St. Germain School Complex – www.saintgermainschool.org) to pursue various programs so that they can become good leaders in the future.Our vulnerable children in various schools can be categorized into three groups of sponsorship: Group 1: They constitute an extremely vulnerable group and have nowhere to go. As such they are identified and kept under the custody of the organization and raised as members of the YLF family. Group 2: This group of vulnerable children who are supported partially by their guardians and the organization takes care of the rest of their upkeep. Group 3: They constitute vulnerable groups that found in abuse homes or children in conflict with their parent or guardian. These vulnerable children (especially females) are removed from their abused homes until the conflict or abuse issues are fully resolved before they are integrated back into their families. The vulnerable children are supported by some few friends of the organization, well wishers, donors and internally generated funds of the organization through small scale farming activities and trading activities by the founder. YLF is looking forward to building a home to accommodate and train more children so that good culture and moral values will be inculcated into them.VISION STATEMENT: To create "A Just world without vulnerable children"MISSION STATEMENT: To improve the quality of life of children in communities by mobilizing the power of volunteers and generosity of donors.AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: YLF believes in the future of vulnerable children irrespective of their age, sex, race and religious affiliation and therefore aims to achieve its vision and mission in the following ways: Work with volunteers, partner organizations and donors to 1. Improve the health of clients and communities 2. Support vulnerable children (less privileged and homeless children) with basic necessities in life such as food, medicine and cloth, etc. 3. Provide educational opportunities for every less privileged child in communities. 4. Provide safe environment for the Homeless. PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN SO FAR PROGRAMS: β€’ Educational Aid for Child Development β€’ Public Health Promotion β€’ Women and Youth Empowerment β€’ Research and Human Right Advocacy β€’ Volunteer Exchange Programs β€’ Agriculture Development1. EDUCATIONAL AID FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT: Started from August 1999 to date This program is still ongoing which covers the areas of caring for needy/vulnerable children by given them educational support to enrich their future. OUTREACH MONITORING: This project is also in conjunction with Health Educational programs, educational aid for Child development, and health education in communities and school’s programs which Young and Lonely Foundation had takes it upon itself to monitor villages within and around the district where vulnerable and less privileged children could be encountered. Through this, many children have been enrolled in schools from nursery to senior high schools.2. PUBLIC HEALTH PROMOTION EDUCATION IN COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS: Started from June 2004 to date This is a program that entails reaching out to vulnerable communities and schools to build their capacity for a better life, particularly women and children. Activities under this project include, HIV/AIDS, Health MDGs 4, 5 & 6 / SDGs, Reproductive Health, Behavioral Change Support (BCS) projects etc.3. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION: Started in November 2006 and ended in November 2008. This project undertook greening Ghana initiative a legacy project of 50th Anniversary of Ghana’s Independence. YLF planted trees on the road side throughout the major street of Agona District and also distributed trees for free.4. WOMEN AND YOUTH EMPOWERMENT: Started from June 2004 to date This project is in conjunction with Health Education in Communities and Schools and is still ongoing. We do this by building the capacity of women as well as children so that they can be economically self sufficient in order to be able to survive in this "unsafe jungle". This project targets poor and hard working mothers and childless women in general who are looking forward to learn a trade so that they can take good care of their children and themselves. YOUTH AND CULTURE This project also is in conjunction with advocacy and research, under which many projects have already been done and it is still persisting of which Young and Lonely Foundation believes that it is essential that all of her children are aware of their histories and also acquire some skills like craft making, carpentry and many more as well as having a broad knowledge of other countries and their cultures, traditions, beliefs and languages.5. RESEARCH AND HUMAN RIGHT ADVOCACY: Started in 2006 till date. Under this program, Young and Lonely Foundation work to protect the rights of all the children and vulnerable adults in society, alerting them of their rights as citizens of Ghana and also providing them with vital information that will enable them actively demonstrate their own rights in future. ADVOCACY AND RESEARCH Started from this also is an ongoing program which have accomplished some of its objectives by creating platforms for some communities to demand for their rights as citizens in terms of access to clean water and many more through employment of democracy and good governance in order to bridge the gap between district assemblies, decentralized departments, and the various communities. Activities undertaken under this project include Health research and survey for children that will need help in various communities. 6. VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS: Started from May 2006 to date This is a lifelong program which involves foreign volunteers from different Countries coming to share their experiences and also acquire some skills from us. Under this program, uncountable number of volunteers from diverse countries had made their way through teaching, health care services, health education in communities and schools etc. 7. AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH This is an ongoing project since May 2008 under which the students and beneficiary communities are taught how to farm in both small and large scales, so as to be able to grow what they eat to minimize the frequency of hunger in Ghana and Africa as a whole. Unfortunately, all the piece of land used for the cultivation are leased ones, we therefore appeal to cooperate bodies and individual to offer us a helping handSTAFF CAPACITY YLF has permanent staff strength of six and a number of part time staff depending on project area expertise which includes the following; ο‚§ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) ο‚§ Program Manager/Finance ο‚§ Project Coordinators ο‚§ Secretary ο‚§ Administrative and Accounts Manager (Part time) ο‚§ Administrative Assistance (Part time) ο‚§ Community Engagement Officer (Part time) ο‚§ Field Officer (Part time) ο‚§ Project focal persons (Part time) ο‚§ Volunteers (Part time)IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS SINCE 1999 TO DATE IN ACCORDANCE 1. St. Germain School Complex – 1999 2. West Africa Aids Foundation – 2001 3. Youth Embassy Net – 2004 4. Agona District Assemblies – 2006 5. Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health (Organizer) - 2006 6. Greening Ghana Initiatives – 2007 7. Ghana Aids Commission – 2007 8. Ghana Health Service – 2007 9. Ghana Education Service – 2007 10. Department of Social Welfare – 2007 11. Kokoado Youth Association – 2008 12. Adom Kuo Associations – PLHIVs (Founded) – 2008 13. Alliance for Reproductive Health Right – (ARHR) – 2008 14. Center for Community Studies, Action and Development – CENCOSAD – 2008 15. Hope for Future Generations – HFFG – 2009 16. Righteous Kingdom Foundation – 2009 17. Ghana MeTA (Essential Medicine Transparency Alliance) – 2009 18. Agricultural and Rural Development Association – (ARA) - 2009 19. Opportunities Industrializations Centers International – (OICI) – 2009 20. Plan – Ghana – 2010 21. Center for Development Partnership – CDP, Japan – 2010 22. USAID/Johns Hopkins University – JHU/BCS - 2010 23. Experiment e .V./experience it – 2010 24. Student and Youth Traveling Organization – SYTO - 2010 25. Vodafone Ghana Foundation – 2011 26. Hero Network – 2011 27. PAYOG – 2011 28. STAR – GHANA – 2012 29. United Way Ghana – 2012 30. TeamCSR-Ghana – 2012 31. Center for Outreach Programmes – CORPS – 2012 32. SEND-GHANA – 2012 33. CAMFED – 2013 34. Local Accountability Network – LANet (Organizer) – 2014 35. Agona West Coalition for Community Development – AWCCD (Organizer) – 2014 36. Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition – GACC – 2015 37. Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre – ALAC – 2015 38. National Population council – 2015 39. Learn2Change Network – Germany – 2015 40. ENSA (ENTWICKLUNGSPOLITISCHES SCHULAUSTAUSCH PROGRAMM) Germany – 2018 41. German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. – 2018 42. BBS1 School GIFHORN – Germany – 2018 43. International Research Centre for Renewable Energy – IFEED, Germany – 2018 44. GIZ / German Cooperation – Gov.I.D. (AWMA Social Audit Committee – SAC) - 2018 45. Ghana Integrity Initiative – GII (Facilitator) – 2019 46. Local Governance Network – LOGNet – 2019 47. CDD – Ghana – 2019 48. Dominion Leaders Foundation – 2019 49. Salvation Army – Ghana - 2019 50. Marigold School Complex - 2020 51. Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) - 2020 52. Flying Eagles Montessori School – 2020YLF ORGANISATIONAL CHART Below are the structural units of the organisation. The structure is basically made up of the Executive office (BOD, ED, DED), Finance Department, Corporate Affairs Department and Program department with six units. A secretariat provides service for all departments. The Country offices are indicated in anticipation of the future expansion of the organisation into other countries.
Young and Lonely Foundation - YLF
Young and Lonely Foundation - YLF3 weeks ago
As part of the Accountability and Resource Governance component for Promoting Public Financial Accountability in Ghana, the Ghana CSOs Platform had a 2-day 11th to 12th May 2023, training for CSOs (Young and Lonely Foundation),
on the Citizens Generated Data (CGD) Apps.
The purpose of the training is to build capacity of participants in the CGD Apps (Let’s Talk Ghana - Sexual and Gender Based Violence and CleanApp Ghana) to support sensitization across the 30 districts where the project is being scaled up. With the aim of meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, the Ghana Statistical Services with support from GIZ has developed the two Apps on the Citizenry Generated Data let’s talk Ghana App and the CleanApp Ghana, which gives citizens direct platform to report cases of Sexual and gender-based violence and solid waste respectively in their communities which little disruption.
The CSOs actor’s capacities are built on how to use the CGD Apps for sensitization at the MMDAs level.
Young and Lonely Foundation - YLF
Young and Lonely Foundation - YLF2 months ago
NATIONAL YOUTH AUTHORITY, GHANA HEALTH SERVICE AND YOUNG AND LONELY FOUNDATION-YLF SENSITIZATION MEETING WITH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE AGONA WEST MUNICIPALITY
DATE: 31st March, 2023
TIME: 2:00pm
VENUE: Swedru School of Business (SWSBUS)
LEADER FROM NATIONAL YOUTH AUTHORITY
Ebenezer Pobee
Agona west
MAIN SPEAKERS:
Gilbert Kofi Germain
C.E.O / FOUNDER of Young and Lonely Foundation (YLF)
Dorcas Sam-Mensah
Nurse – Agona West Health Directorate
AGENDA FOR THE MEETING
Reproductive Health.
Gender-Based Violence.
Open discussion started with Dorcas Sam-Mensah, she talked about the topic REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH.
She explains what reproduction health is by saying it the changes that occurs in human bodies being physical or emotional when a person reaches the adolescent stage.
She said normally at adolescent stage we don’t talk to our parent instead we talk to our colleagues and what the colleagues tells us is what we use.
She continues by saying it is very important to seek for help concerning our health when we reached this stage of life.
She made mention of three (3) health issues of the adolescent stage that occur in Ghana.
1. Early pregnancy: In Agona west municipality teenage pregnancy is about 4% pregnancy in a year approximately, girls between 16-18 teenagers give birth each year.
It is good we seek for sexual education information to prevent teenage pregnancy, complications of child birth and sexual transmitted infections (STI).
Component of reproductive health to prevent teenage pregnancy:
β€’ Abstinence
β€’ Right to contraceptives. Examples Lydia, postinor 2, condoms etc.
Research has shown that we should not use postinor 2 more than two times in a year
Postinor 2 is an emergency pill which can be taken twice in a year to prevent unwanted pregnancy but some students or some people take it as if taking pain killer which is very bad to human health.
Postinor 2 works within 72 hours (3days), after 3 days one should not take in postinor 2 because it will not work for the body system.
Regular intake of Postinor 2 can cause infertility in the future.
2. Sexual transmitted infection STI (candidiasis, gonorrhea, syphilis): we get these infections through sexual intercourse by having two or more sexual partners.
Men normally see the signs and symptoms of the STI earlier than the ladies.
STI can also cause infertility when you don’t treat it earlier.
3. Drug abuse (alcoholism, drugs,): when someone become addicted to alcohol and drugs some of the health condition, he/she is likely to get is infertility and stroke.
How to prevent the above-mentioned health issues of the adolescent stage
1. Abstinence
2. Educate
3. Seek help from any health facilities
Second speaker was Gilbert Kofi Germain, he talked about Gender-Based Violence.
He explained the topic Gender-Based Violence has a broad structure and we are to discussed about our level, age and where we find ourselves and that is the emotional, education, religion and sexual
He first asked what is GENDER, BASED, and VIOLENCE.
GENDER – sex (male and female)
BASED – the level you found yourself
Violence – the ability/strength
Emotional side: the way someone is brought up there are certain things he or she can’t voice it out to people but rather keep it to him or herself.
Causes of Gender-Based Violence:
Economic issues
Traditional (Religion) issues: when we talk about the religion it consist of Christian, Muslim, and tradition. There are a lot of abuse going on in some churches on social media when some pastors are abusing some girls for rituals, accusing some of the girls psychologically and abusing both sex in sexual acts.
Political (Power) issues:
Sexual abuse:
How to prevent Gender-Based Violence as a student:
β€’ Educate yourself on Gender-Based Violence
β€’ Know how to present yourself because the way you carry yourself is how an elderly will also think of you and what you want.
Who to complain/ talk to when you find yourself in this situation
β€’ School committee.
β€’ DOVVSU (Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unite).
β€’ Ghana police service.
CONCERNS RISED BY STUDENT
1. What are the side effect of postnor 2?
2. Who do I go to and how do I understand when I start experiencing adolescent changes?
3. If we should not be using postinor 2 and Lydia what are the other options of contraceptive for prevention and which health facilities should we go to and the way forward?
4. Is candidiasis an STI, and what are the symptoms of syphilis?
5. Postnor 2 works within 72 hours so what if you had sex and you forget to use the postnor 2 and later went and buy and use it, is it going to work?
6. With those masturbate affect STI?
7. What are the effect of masturbation?
8. Can postnor 2 make your menses stop?
9. If your parent talk to you about STI is it good and can STI affect your body system?
Because of the time some of these questions were not answered.
Report by: Selina Afriyie Bimpong – YLF
Young and Lonely Foundation - YLF
Young and Lonely Foundation - YLF4 months ago
Congratulations!! Congratulations!!!
Africana Media Awards β€œ2022”
Honoring us (YLF-Team) for our hard works and motivating us to continue to impact society. By Nicholas Amoah
Young and Lonely Foundation - YLF
Young and Lonely Foundation - YLF7 months ago
A review meeting on the Health Sector Medium Term Development Plan (2020-2025),
With the Ministry of Health at the national level in Accra. 3rd November 2022. With the implementing partners from all sectors including CSOs like the Young and Lonely Foundation - YLF
Some of the suggestions of YLF were.....
1. Government should include people living with disabilities, the Youth / teenagers etc. on the table of policies and discussion makings.
2. All Private health facilities should be strictly monitored and merge under the same regulations with the public health facilities before giving the permission or licence to operate.
3. Government disbursement of funds on time is very poor so there fore must be restructured to avoid poor implementations in Ghana πŸ‡¬πŸ‡­...... Thanks
Young and Lonely Foundation - YLF
Young and Lonely Foundation - YLF7 months ago
The climate justice movement strives towards a livable present and future for all. Yet, the impacts of the climate crisis are interlinked with colonial power structures.
In the webinar we want to exchange perspectives on actions and strategies of the climate movement in Germany and in Malawi, including perspectives of YSD Malawi from working with small scale farmers and frontline communities to fossil fuel extraction projects. We invite you to join us to reflect on how to build a global community with a decolonial mindset working on the common good of climate justice. More information: https://ysdalliance.org/en_US/2022/10/12/webinar-october-2022/
Young and Lonely Foundation - YLF