THE COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE
AN OVERVIEW
The country in West Africa, with 543 km (337 miles) of coastline, was known as the "Gold Coast" before independence. Due to its abundant natural resources, especially gold, and timber in the tropical rain forests, Ghana was for many centuries exploited by different European nations. After the Portuguese, Swedes, Danes and Germans, the country was a British colony until the middle of the 20th century. In 1957, Ghana was the first country south of the Sahara to gain independence and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
Through corruption and numerous military coups Ghana, a country with such an abundance of natural resources, initially incurred a high level of debt. Ghana is a constitutional democracy since 1992. Today, its exports, besides gold, oil, diamonds, bauxite, manganese, limestone and timber, in particular include agricultural products such as cocoa, coffee, tea, rubber and sugar cane.
In the area of health, tropical diseases such as malaria and an inadequate supply of clean freshwater are two of the biggest problems. Far-reaching measures in the area of health-care since the 1990s have however led to an improvement in the high rate of infant mortality, and they have raised average life expectancy to over 50 years. The situation is therefore much better in Ghana than in its neighbouring countries.
There is nevertheless still much that needs to be done because Ghana does not have a health insurance system as we know it here in Austria. Medical care is available only to those who can afford it. Those who are poor have no chance of being admitted to hospital because hospital costs have to be paid in advance. This is why Heart for Children is committed to helping children with orthopaedic disabilities from poor families.
Additional information on Ghana's history, geography, political system, population and culture is available on the website of the country's government, and of Ghana's Tourist Association.
QUEEN’S INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
Mrs. Gomez is the proprietor and headmistress of QUEEN'S INTERNATIONAL, a private school in Accra / East-Legon.
She and her staff are committed to promoting awareness among the pupils, and their parents, of the plight of sick and disabled children.
This was achieved through pictures / accounts / informative material, and through an excursion with the children and their parents to the rehabilitation centre in Nsawam.
The teachers, parents and children were accompanied by the N.N..
I was impressed by the compassion and openness of the children during this encounter, an occasion when we were all richly blessed.
The children at Queen's International School in any event want to provide financial support for their new friends.
We should like to thank Mrs. Gomez for this possibility.
