Centre For Conflict Resolution-cencor, Accra, Ghana, West Africa

The Centre for Conflict Resolution (CCR) was established by the University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa, in 1968 as an independent non-profit organisation. The Centre has developed an international reputation for excellence and has solid expertise in training, mediation, and policy research and development.

The organisation's expertise places particular emphasis on capacity-building in conflict prevention, management and resolution, and, to this end, works closely with continental and regional organisations and programmes on the African continent.

Children Better Way, Inc, Accra, Ghana, West Africa

The Liberian civil war began in December 1989, when the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), an insurgent organization led by Charles Taylor, invaded Liberia from the Ivory Coast with the assistance of regular soldiers from Burkina Faso, plus mass recruits from the Mano and Gio ethnic groups.

According to Amnesty International the NPFL committed massive human rights violations against the Liberian people. In 1997, the Liberian civil war finally came to an end when general elections were held. Charles Taylor? National Patriotic Party reportedly won 75 percent of the vote, and he was inaugurated as President of Liberia.

Although international observers to the election reported that the election was fair, the political opposition felt that the election was conducted under an environment of mass intimidation. Children Better Way (CBW) currently operates in the Buduburam refugee camp located in Ghana and is also setting up in Liberia. Under the motto the children play?

CBW operates a wide range of projects aimed to promote the rehabilitation and further development of the children and community who have been affected by the conflict in their home country of Liberia. CBW projects are focused around health, education, livelihood, habitat and building relationships - all key areas that allow children to grow up in a happy and safe environment.

The overall goal of Children Better Way, its volunteers and the people who donate is not only to help improve the quality of life to our children now but to help prepare them to be future leaders of Liberia.

The goal of Children Better Way, its volunteers and the people who donate is to prepare children to be future leaders. Through helping them the hope is that they will in turn help others in need around the world or even in their own war-torn country. In addition, CBW wants to boost their confidence and let every child know they are special and cared for even if they have been abandoned by everyone else.

CBW provides a range of services to child victims of natural and man-made disasters through several programs. Services meet the educational, recreational, and sanitation and housing needs of refugee children and youth.

Ark Foundation, Kwabenya, Ghana, West Africa

The Ark Foundation, Ghana, (hereafter referred to as The Ark) is a human rights, advocacy – based, non-governmental, not-for-profit, independent, organization founded, registered and based in Ghana, West Africa. Its primary purpose is to seek the protection and promotion of the human rights of women and children.

The Ark offers to marginalized, abused, and victimized women, and children, a refuge of safety from where the individual may realize their own strength to face again the challenges of this world. The Ark strives to enable and empower individuals to live their lives without fear of violence or oppression from another human being.

Trashy Bags, Accra, Ghana, West Africa

The nonprofit creative recycling organization Trashy Bags was founded in 2007 in response to Accra’s problem of plastic water and ice cream sachets (in Ghana, they drink water out of bags) littering the streets. Since then, it has picked up 20 million sachets and sewn them into attractive bags and gifts for sale locally and export abroad.

Trashy Bags creates a very visual statement about recycling, all while employing over 60 tailors and seamstresses, and works on various other projects to support the company and provide, among other goals, low-cost housing, environmental education, and youth job training.

Millennium Peace Foundation, Cape Coast, Ghana, West Africa

Our Goal: To create a conducive society of Peace and sustainable socio economic development, with focus on Children and Youth especially the needy, orphans and the physically disabled and to reduce poverty, hunger, crime/ violence, all forms of social injustice as well as environment disasters.

Abandon Child Ministries Inc, Accra, Ghana, West Africa

Our vision as a team organization is to protect and enhance the lives of abandon children, to preserve their future and to avoid the act of inflicting needless pains and suffering.

To instill common moral denigrate, honesty, truthfulness and responsible action in disadvantaged children. To build hope rather then despair, truth instead of ignorance, joy rather then guilt or sin, tolerance in the place of fear, love instead of hatred and compassion over selfishness.

We seek to respect the right of suffering children to develop them into mature adult that will allow them to fulfill their aspirations, to access comprehensive and informed health care and die with dignity. We therefore call on peace loving citizens of our global world to embrace and support our vision in rescuing the abandon and disadvantaged children.

Ghana Health And Education Initiative, Humjibre, Ghana, West Africa

GHEI is a grassroots, community based non-government organization which trains community leaders in the village of Humjibre, Ghana so that they may be qualified to successfully manage the health and education needs of their village and shape their own future. In 2001, medical, social work and law students founded GHEI as a non-governmental organization (NGO) under the auspices of the International Federation of Medical Students Association, USA.

During initial assessment and planning in 2001-2003, GHEI created a timeline to enable community members to manage the organization independently after five years of external help. GHEI feels that this approach is necessary in order to create a sustainable program that can address the community's problems in a culturally competent and effective way.

However, GHEI's American and European staff will remain involved to the extent that they will continue to provide support and structure for the leadership in Ghana. GHEI members in the US and Europe will continue to fundraise for the work done in the village, pursue collaborations with other NGOs, and send American volunteers at the request of our Ghanaian counterparts.

For the time being, one health program coordinator and one education program coordinator will continue to work with Clement; they will recruit and train local people who hopefully in the future will take over their jobs.

The implementation of GHEI's five year plan towards local sustainability began in 2003, with specific goals for each of the five years. The purpose of the first two years was to create a solid foundation for each sector, which was done by launching health and education programs, building a community center where programs would be housed, and building relationships and capacity in the village.

GHEI is currently in its fifth year (June 2007-May 2008), a time in which its focus is to emphasize the sustainability of projects and prepare the community for a reduced presence of overseas staff.

It now seems likely that the five year plan will be extended by at least one year to ensure that the program will continue to be as successful as possible. As the project continues, local leaders will evaluate the feasibility of extending projects into neighboring villages within the district