The chiefs and people of Guo in the Nandom District of the Upper West Region were elated when Ambassador Jackson commissioned an expanded Community-Based Health Planning and Services facility, popularly known as CHPS compound.
The expansion of the CHPS compound was made possible through financial assistance from the U.S Ambassador’s Special Self-Help program as well as contributions from the Guo Youth and Development Association and the Nandom District Assembly.
The opening of this expanded facility on January 30, 2018 will enable the people of Guo and its surrounding communities have maternal health, child care and other health services closer to them.
In his remarks, Ambassador Robert P. Jackson commended the people of Guo for the way they brought together religious, political and business leaders to provide for the needs of their community.
The Ambassador’s Small Grants and Special Self-Help Program has provided support to grassroots development efforts since 1964. Over the last three decades, the U.S. Embassy in Accra has distributed more than $2.3 million in such grants to support community development projects. Communities interested in learning about the Small Grants Program should visit the U.S. Embassy Ghana website for more information.
Read Ambassador Jackson’s full remarks below.
Commissioning Ceremony for the Guo CHPS Expansion
Remarks by Ambassador Robert P. Jackson
Tuesday, January 30, 2017, 9:15 AM
Good morning. It is an honor to be here today to commission this Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Project in the village of Guo. The United States and Ghana have a close relationship, and we partner together on many significant projects across the country — things like our Power Compact, which will improve electricity infrastructure, and literacy programs that have provided children’s books to schools in every district.
But the Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Program is unique. It’s an opportunity for the Embassy to support development at the grassroots level. Established in 1964, the Self-Help Program draws on the philosophy that small assistance, to a community that is motivated to help itself,
can go a long way. Over just the last three decades, the U.S. Embassy in Accra has distributed more than $2.3 million in Special Self-Help grants to support communities and projects just like yours.
Self-Help projects must meet some specific criteria:
- They must be initiated by a local community or NGO;
- They must be sustainable; and
- They must require no additional support from the U.S. government after the initial funding.
When your community applied for assistance in 2016, your application was one of more than 100 requests for funding that we received. It was a very competitive selection process. Your project was one of seven that were selected for funding. The selection committee was inspired by your project — by the strong community support and worthwhile goals. Community-based Health Planning and Services compounds are critical to providing access to health care and reducing preventable maternal and child deaths.
This expanded facility — built by your community — is a testament to the importance you place on your health and well-being. With care and maintenance, it will serve the residents of Guo for years to come. I know some people may wonder why the U.S. Embassy and the U.S. Ambassador would care about the health of a small community like yours. We see the promise of Ghana. We see the growth. We see Ghana taking on a larger role in the world — contributing to the global economy and to global security. But none of that can happen without a healthy population.
Healthy children can go to school and grow into healthy, educated adults who can contribute to Ghana’s success — from Guo to Accra and everywhere in between. When Ghana succeeds, it makes the world a safer, more stable place. We all win. The Community of Guo and Chief Kelle are to be commended for the way you brought together religious, political and business leaders to provide for the needs of your community.
We are pleased to have supported this project with our contribution of $6,600 for building materials. But the real efforts were yours. We are honored to have partnered with you and commend your dedication and hard work to complete this project and promote development in your community.
We look forward to seeing your community grow and prosper in the years to come. Congratulations and thank you..
