Digitally supported community engagement for gender justice and social development: discarded smartphones wanted! - Collection winter 2021/2022
The Adaklu district is one of the poorest regions in Ghana and shows considerable developmental deficits, as can be seen, for example, in the high maternal and newborn mortality rates and the number of teenage pregnancies. Against this backdrop, a project initiated by the German nonprofit HITA e.V. and the Ghanaian NGO Grow Your Dream Foundation (GYDF) focuses on gender equity and its role in social development. The focus here is on giving females a greater role in decision-making processes, providing education on "sexual and reproductive health and rights" issues, and giving girls an equal education. As extensive research findings from recent years have demonstrated, gender equality is a highly effective key to poverty reduction, particularly in developing countries*. The project is supported by the Schmitz Foundations with funds from the DC Small Projects Fund of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
In the final phase of the project, which will initially last one year, the group leaders from the 10 villages are now to be networked with each other, drawing on the already widespread use of social media services on smartphones. In fact, coverage of narrowband mobile data services is very good even in rural areas of Ghana - something the HITA team was able to verify on the ground.
However, as it turned out in the course of the project, very few of the volunteer Group Leaders have a smartphone, as they generally do not have their own source of income. For this reason, we want to send discarded smartphones to Ghana in the coming months to be handed over to the people concerned. Prepaid SIM cards with sufficient credit for the purpose are financed by HITA. An introduction to the use of smartphones for the purpose of sharing via social media groups (e.g. WhatsApp Group Chat) will be provided by our local partner, GrowYourDream Foundation.
Only functional smartphones whose battery still works quite well (or is replaceable) are required. Cracks in the display and similar damage are not a problem as long as the screen display is still easily recognizable. Accessories that are still available, such as charging cables, cases, etc., are also gladly taken. If photos and data on the device have not yet been deleted, we will do so. We will then send the equipment to Ghana by secure means (in person or by FedEx). If there are any customs fees, we will pay them.
Where to put the equipment? Please send the devices before April 15, 2022 to the following address (working address of the responsible HITA member Karsten Gareis): Karsten Gareis, HITA e.V., Pipinstr. 12, 53111 Bonn. If you have any questions, please contact: karsten.gareis@hita-ev.org We thank you very much! About Grow Your Dream Foundation:The Grow Your Dream Foundation (GYDF) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Adaklu, Ghana, working in the areas of gender equality, education for all, and health promotion. Over the years, the GYDF team has organized countless meetings, group sessions, discussion groups, and other activities to promote health, education, and gender equality in the communities of Adaklu District. The association's main focus is on participatory methods and the use of simple and understandable messages, always tailored to local conditions, needs and preferences.
In 2019/2020, GYDF partnered with HITA as well as another local NGO and local community leaders (Togbes) to organize the distribution of school bags to girls from disadvantaged backgrounds in Adaklu-Waya and some surrounding villages - based on the belief that socially disadvantaged girls and young women in the region must also be empowered to participate fully in society. In recent months, GYDF's work has consisted primarily of establishing and leading self-help groups in rural villages of Adaklu with an interest in positive social change. These groups include what are known as Daddy's Clubs, Mother Support Clubs, and Adolescent Clubs.
In 2020, GYDF implemented a number of activities to combat the spread of COVID-19 and help rural populations cope with the negative impacts of the pandemic - such as price increases for everyday goods, difficulties accessing social and health services, and stigmatization of people believed to be carrying the virus.