Planned GivingThese children in Sang rely on the informationAsana records to go to school.A Gift of Life in GhanaAsana Iddrissu is a grandmother living in the rural community of Sang, located inthe Northern Region of Ghana. Despite her own personal hardships and great loss,she’s continued to bring life and joy to Sang through her work delivering babies.The mud huts with grass-thatchedroofs that make up the village of Sang area common sight in the Northern Regionof Ghana, one of the poorest areas in thisWest African country. Canadian FeedThe Children and local partner RAINS(Regional Advisory Information andNetwork Systems) have worked to helpimprove education, health services andagricultural training for Sang’s 7,000-plusresidents -- almost all of whom have beenbrought into the world by traditional birthattendants, or midwives.In Sang, as elsewhere in Africa,traditional birth attendants play a criticalrole in rural areas without easy access tohospital facilities. For over 50 years, AsanaIddrissu has filled that role in Sang. As theonly traditional birth attendant in the area,she holds great responsibility and respectamong this community.She still remembers how it all began.“When I was little I used to follow myauntie when she went to help women givebirth, and after years of helping her, sheencouraged me to follow this path myself.She helped me deliver a few babies on myown, and after that I was able to deliver onmy own without a problem,” Asana said.“If the women are under 20 years old,or if the baby is not in the proper position,I refer them to the health centre in Sang.Or if the problem is serious, I refer them tothe hospital in Yendi or Tamale,” she added.Asana’s ability to recognize potential risksduring pregnancy and refer women whenneeded to hospitals and medical clinics hasprobably saved countless lives.Asana’s service to her communityextends beyond medical needs. In 1997,the Ministry of Health provided her withnotebooks to record birth information.She keeps all this information in a woodenbox in her home, and inside the box arenotebooks filled with data about the healthof the expectant mother and the newbornbabies. There are strikes in each columnto indicate the health and sex of the baby,and the health of the mother following thedelivery.The pages of the notebooks are yellowedand soft to the touch, and at the top of eachcolumn is a picture that accompanies theEnglish words. While English is technicallythe official language in Ghana, here in theimpoverished rural north, many citizensdo not speak any English. With over 32dialects spoken in Northern Ghana, thesolution is to have pictures alongsidewords at the top of each column. Theseuniversally-understood images mean thatthe same notebooks can be distributed toall rural communities.Asana’s role recording births in Sang notonly helps keep tabs on the community’soverall health and growth, it also helpsprovide children with the information theyneed to go to school. “Keeping track ofthe dates that the children are born is veryimportant because when the child beginsschool the parents often come back to meto ask for the specific date so that theyare able to provide the information to theschool to properly register their children,”Asana said. In Ghana, birthdays are notcelebrated or tracked, and most childrenhave no idea how old they are. Asana’swork not only helps improve the health ofthe community but ensures birth dates aretracked, providing children with the accessto education they need to succeed later inlife.Asana’s beautifully lined face tells a storyof a life that has seen both great joy anddeep grief. She looks forward to the day thatshe can share these lessons with the nextgeneration, but in the meantime she hasfound solace in helping those around herand knowing that her expertise continuesto help bring children safely into the world.Today’s <strong>Grandparent</strong> | <strong>Spring</strong> <strong>2013</strong> 18
Planned GivingAsana tracks the health and sex of a baby, aswell as their birth dates in these notebooks.One of Asana’s referral notes.Canadian Feed The Children (CFTC) envisions a world where children thrive freefrom poverty. We work with local partners in five international locations as well asCanada to reduce the impact of poverty on children and enhance the self-sufficiencyof their families and communities.As a reflection of our journey to transformational change, CFTC isadopting a new logo. It embodies our values and the approach we aretaking to achieve long-term impact for the children, families andcommunities we serve.The three-petal green leaf represents growth through food security,education and capacity-building. The orange figures represent childrenwithin their families and communities, and also the global network ofCFTC partners and donors who join together to support them. The overalldesign evokes the image of a hand, representing CFTC’s commitment toa personalized, caring approach and the value we place on collaborative,community-led development to help create a world where children thrive.Join us in our mission! Learn more:www.CanadianFeedTheChildren.ca | 1-800-757-1220contact@CanadianFeedTheChildren.caAsana Iddrissu is a traditional birth attendent in Sang, Ghana.Gifts from one generation toanother help children thrive.Are you looking for ways to leave a legacyfor the next generation? A gift in your Willto Canadian Feed The Children can helpyou take advantage of estate tax benefitsand realize your philanthropic goals.Your gift will help provide children withimproved nutrition and access to education,and offer their families sustainable foodsecurity and livelihoods that create afuture full of potential.Call today for a free Will kit:Cheryl Weldon1-800-387-1221 ext. 227CWeldon@CanadianFeedTheChildren.caCharitable Reg. No.11883 0983 RR001www.CanadianFeedTheChildren.ca Charitable Reg. No. 11883 0983 RR00119Today’s <strong>Grandparent</strong> | <strong>Spring</strong> <strong>2013</strong>
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