Community-Based Rural Development in Ghana

Governance, Health

adjustGhana

RE!NSTITUTE worked with 10 communities in 8 Area Councils to create sustainable impact across health and education.

The Challenge

Each community receiving a Community Based Rural Development Project (CBRDP) grant was challenged to commit itself to achieving an unreasonable goal in 100 Days – a goal involving a tangible improvement in critical education or health indicators in the community.

The Outcome

In each of the RE!NSTITUTE 100-Day Challenges in Ghana, there was an infrastructure development element as well as an impact goal that required a mindset shift and behavioral change among community members. This dual focus on infrastructure and impact became a hallmark of our approach to supporting community-driven development projects in other countries.

Antenatal Care

72 %

increase in number of pregnant women using antenatal care

Education

+ 66 %

Increase in school enrollment

Absenteeism

- 90 %

Decrease in student absenteeism

The Project Detail

The premise was simple: challenge each community receiving a CBRDP grant to commit itself to achieving an unreasonable goal in 100 Days – a goal involving a tangible improvement in critical education or health indicators in the community. To increase the odds of success, we trained CBRPD staff members so they could provide coaching support to community teams while they pursued their 100 Day goals.

Impact

In Anyinabrim Area Council, the number of pregnant women using antenatal care increased from 35 per week to 75 per week, while the community built 4 nurse quarters near the health center.

In Bamkrom Area Council, enrollment in the local school increased from 21 to 35 students (66% in 3.5 months), while the community built a 3-classroom block, an office, and a store. In the 12 months prior, enrollment had increased from 15 to 21 (28% in 12 months).

In Bako Anhwiam Area Council, absentee pupils decreased from 100 to 10, while the community built a 3-classroom block, an office, and a store. In the 12 months prior, the number of absentee pupils had increased from 60 to 100.

In Aperade Area Council, enrollment in the school increased from 75 students to 135, while the community built a 3-classroom block, an office, and a store. Enrollment had decreased from 129 to 75 in the 12 months prior to the 100-Day Challenge. The school was built for less than half the normal cost.

In each of these RE!NSTITUTE 100-Day Challenges, there was an infrastructure development element as well as an impact goal that required a mindset shift and behavioral change among community members. This dual focus on infrastructure and impact became a hallmark of our approach to supporting community-driven development projects in other countries.

RE!NSTITUTE 100-Day Challenges were used by CBRDP and others to accelerate reconstruction efforts after the floods in late 2007 in the Northern Regions. And the CBRDP team continued to use RE!NSTITUTE challenges until the project was completed in 2011.

Partners