CARE International charts new path

By Edmund Smith-Asante, ACCRA

CARE Denmark Chairman, Mr Christian Nissen (l) and Mrs Christine Achieng launched the anniversary with a handshake

The Chairman of CARE Denmark Board, Mr Christian Nissen, has hinted that the non-governmental organisation may scale down its contribution to the developmental needs of the poor in Ghana in 20 years.

Talking about the future of the partnership that has existed between CARE Ghana and CARE Denmark since 1990, he said that the Board of CARE International had at its recent meeting taken bold and daring steps.

“CARE International made the decision called the Delhi Resolution this autumn in Delhi, where we are now taking daring and, I hope, brave steps to change the whole organisation and making a number of the local southern CARE offices into genuine CARE International members.

“That also contains some kind of conflict and ambiguity because if we are really successful in that project, we don’t need CARE Denmark anymore. That’s what development is about. We are trying to bridge the gap between the poor and rich.” 

New Path

Announcing the new path of the international NGO at the media launch of the 20th anniversary of CARE Ghana in Accra, Mr Nissen said; “We CARE Denmark and CARE International are a club of rich white guys. If we are successful in our work, we will not be needed in 20 years.”

Responding to a query by the Daily Graphic on whether aid to Ghana was going to plummet, he confirmed that Denmark, Holland and other countries were reducing aid to Ghana. He however expressed the hope that CARE Ghana would be able to raise funds inside and outside Ghana to make up for the reduction.    

He also said the different CARE offices were expected to make a difference in development and added, “You can do it. You, representatives of civil society in Ghana, you have the chance and the obligation to change your work, and I hope you will be successful. You have the expertise and a fast-growing economy; you should have all the possibilities to use the opportunities to make the living of Ghanaian people better.”

Impact of CARE’s work

The Country Director of CARE Ghana, Mrs Christine Achieng, said while the organisation was yet to put a figure on its work in Ghana for the past 20 years, there were various instances of the impact that CARE Ghana’s work had had on many Ghanaians over the period.

“So it is difficult to quantify something like a voice but you have given it to people. The level of confidence given to people – so some of those things are unquantifiable but you will see that you have caused change in the life of people,” she said.

For her part, the Programme Coordinator in charge of Women Empowerment, Ms Gifty Blekpe, told the media that the approach of CARE Ghana was not to do everything themselves but they worked with other local organisations and left lasting impacts well after their projects had ended.

Writer’s email: edmund.asante@graphic.com.gh 

This story was first published by the Daily Graphic on April 17, 2015