Rose was just 6 years old when we rescued her and brought her to Agape Children’s Home. She and her 3 siblings had lost both their parents, and they were living in dire poverty with their aged grandmother in the village. They had no access to education, and no hope for the future. But today, Rose is a vibrant young lady dreaming of her future. She’s in Senior High School and serves the Lord at church and in the Home. “I love ACH!” she says. “The love, care, and education are incredible. I know God now!” Rose is just one of the many examples of the incredible work God is doing in the lives of the children at Agape Children’s Home. God’s love and your support are changing lives!
Alarming Statistics
Sadly, the future is bleak for orphaned, abandoned, and abused children in Ghana – but it is especially rough for girls. With millions of girls living in poverty, the reality is that many will end up trafficked, sexually exploited, or abused. In fact, UNICEF states that nearly 3 in 10 adolescent girls in Ghana experienced physical violence and 22% suffered sexual abuse in the last 12 months. The average number of years of education that the poorest girls from rural areas will attain is about four years. Often, these young ladies give birth to their own kids – and a vicious cycle of poverty and abuse is perpetuated. Millions more children are at risk.
That’s what happened to Selina. After suffering from years of abuse and exploitation, and almost getting trafficked, Selina was rescued and brought to ACH. She was uneducated and had lost her self-worth. “When I came to ACH, I didn’t know how to read or communicate. I didn’t know about God. I was scared and sad. But the caregivers showed me a lot of love. Now, I can read and speak English fluently. I know and believe in God. I want to become a professional baker and run a large bakery when I grow up,” Selina narrates. Selina is now dauntless, excels academically, and loves to dance. In fact, just last month Selina performed at the National Theater in Accra!
There is Hope!
Since July 2000, the Agape Children’s Home has been rescuing children who have been abused, abandoned, and orphaned. We provide them with a home, food, medical care, and education – and best of all, a loving Christ-centered environment where they can come to know the Lord and grow in their faith. And God is doing miracles amongst our girls! Mariam is just one example. Last year, one-year-old Mariam was thrown off a moving motorcycle by her father. As a result of his attempted murder, she was incapacitated and could not move her hands.We rescued her and brought her to ACH. We began showering her with love, prayers, and rehabilitation work. Today, Mariam can coordinate her hands. She can clap and hold things! She responds to her name and can follow basic directions. And we believe the best is yet to come for Mariam!
A Great Opportunity
We thank God for the great things He is doing at ACH – but there is so much more to be done. Right now, our Girls House is nearly at full capacity. As the crisis of children-at-risk grows in Ghana, we need to provide more space to rescue more of these precious girls. And that’s why we need your help today. We have begun the work of building a new home that will enable us to rescue an additional 60 girls like Rose, Selina, and Mariam. We have an architectural plan and have conducted our preliminary groundwork. We have applied for our building permit and expect to receive government approval in the next three months.But we need more funds to continue this project and complete this home. The total budget for this magnificent new house for girls is $220,000. We are building this house in phases. Phase One will cost $120,000 and will accommodate 30 girls. So far, we have received $60,000. We need your help to raise the remaining $60,000 for Phase One. Your generous gift today will keep us building so that we can celebrate more miracles amongst the most needy and vulnerable here in Ghana. Please help us celebrate the 22nd anniversary of ACH by giving your best gift today!