C I W E D - Ghana

03/07/2025

CIWED-GHANA's Role in Facilitating Focus Group Discussions and Community Forums on COVID-19 and Other Adult Vaccinations

As part of GAVI CDS3 initiative, CIWED Ghana is dedicated to enhancing community-level advocacy and awareness around vaccination. While the main goal is to improve immunization rates among children under five, the project also aims to address low uptake and misconceptions related to COVID-19 and other adult vaccinations, including HPV, cholera, hepatitis, and yellow fever. Recognizing the importance of community dialogue, CIWED Ghana organized a series of focus group discussions (FGDs) and community forums in May 2025 to foster open engagement and knowledge sharing.

The specific objectives of these activities were to:

Promote community-led conversations on COVID-19 and adult vaccinations to dispel myths and boost acceptance.
Provide accurate information about the benefits, safety, and vaccination schedules for various vaccines.
Engage key local stakeholders such as SHEP coordinators, health officials, and community groups to ensure consistent and credible messaging.
Gather community perceptions, concerns, and barriers to inform ongoing advocacy, outreach, and mobilization efforts.
CIWED Ghana collaborated closely with the District Health Directorate (DHD) and its sub-units, including EPI and HPD, who offered technical support and educational materials. The project also involved mobilization efforts through the School Health Education Programme (SHEP), which engaged teachers and parent representatives. Additionally, traditional leaders, women’s groups, youth organizations, and faith-based entities played vital roles in facilitating community entry and encouraging participation in the dialogues.

03/07/2025

CIWED-GHANA on Community Volunteers Training under the GAVI CDS3 Project

1. Background

In line with efforts to reduce vaccine-preventable diseases and strengthen community-level health systems, CIWED Ghana was awarded a sub-grant by the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health (GCNH) under the GAVI CDS3 initiative. The project aims to enhance advocacy and awareness on immunization for children under five, while improving data collection and tracking through the effective use of community registers. CIWED Ghana intervention specifically targets the Nanton District in the Northern Region of Ghana, an area that continues to face challenges with immunization coverage due to various social and logistical barriers.

2. Objective of the Activity

The specific objective of the activity conducted was to build the capacity of selected community volunteers to:

Lead advocacy and awareness campaigns to promote the immunization of children under five.
Facilitate the use of community registers to systematically collect data on caregivers and children under five, to support local health systems in planning and follow-ups.
Serve as key mobilizers and trusted information sources within their communities to counter myths and misconceptions about vaccines.
3. Activity Description

Selection of Volunteers
CIWED Ghana, in collaboration with local health authorities and community leaders, identified and selected 10 volunteers from strategically chosen communities across the Nanton District. The selection process ensured that volunteers were respected members of their communities with a demonstrated interest in health promotion.

Capacity Building Training
A comprehensive training workshop was organized at the Nanton District to take the volunteers through a number area, this include;

Understanding Immunization: Importance of vaccines, national immunization schedules, and key messages to promote uptake.
Advocacy and Social Mobilization Skills: Techniques for community engagement, effective communication, addressing vaccine hesitancy, and working with opinion leaders.
Use of Community Registers: Practical sessions on how to fill community registers accurately, identify defaulters, and report data to local health facilities.
Role Clarification: Responsibilities of volunteers in supporting routine immunization, outreach, and follow-up.
Data Privacy and Ethics: Handling community health data with confidentiality and respect.
The session was facilitated by CIWED Ghana’s project team, Disease control officer from Nanton Health Directorate (GHS), and experienced community health volunteers who shared practical field experiences.

Each volunteer was provided with a toolkit comprising of printed community registers.

4. Immediate Outcomes

1. Improved Knowledge & Skills: All 10 volunteers demonstrated increased knowledge of immunization benefits and practical skills in using community registers, assessed through pre- and post-training evaluations.

2. Strengthened Community Network: Volunteers established linkages with local Community Health Officers (CHOs) for coordinated follow-ups.

3. Increased Motivation: Volunteers expressed high enthusiasm to start sensitization activities and support defaulter tracing.

5. Next Steps

Volunteers have commenced household visits to educate caregivers on the importance of timely vaccination.

They are actively registering children under five and collecting data to support local health facilities.

CIWED Ghana will conduct a quarterly supervisory visits and refresher meetings to provide ongoing technical support and monitor progress.

The successful training of the 10 community volunteers marks a critical step toward achieving the objectives of the GAVI CDS3 project in Nanton District. By equipping local volunteers with the necessary skills and tools, CIWED Ghana is fostering community ownership and strengthening grassroots systems that will contribute to improved immunization coverage and ultimately better health outcomes for children under five.

12/03/2025

🚀 The first training for our newly launched Cohort 3 is officially underway! 🎉 The Ghana Cohort is diving into the first pillar of the Civic Space Resource Hub (CSR-Hub): 𝐂𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞.

Led by the insightful Oyebisi Babatunde Oluseyi, Executive Director of NNNGO, participants, including our very own CIWED-GHANA, are exploring the fundamentals of civic space—its definition, importance, and the legal frameworks shaping freedoms of association, assembly, and expression.

From 11 to 14 March, this training promises to be an enlightening journey. Stay tuned for more updates over the coming days! 🌟

A massive thank you to the Ford Foundation for the immense support. 🙏



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Global Media Foundation
Inspire to Act - Ita
CSD Reform
CAPECS-Ghana
Simba Ghana
Tama Foundation
The Resource Foundation Ghana
Girls Empowerment Mission - GEM GHANA
Ford Foundation
She 360
Sustainable Urban & Rural Empowerment Ghana (SURE-Ghana)
Centre for Social Mobilization and Sustainable Development (Censodev)
Good Partnership for All-Ghana (GP4All-Ghana)
Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy - Norpra
Women in Livelihood Development
Africa Center for Active Citizens and Social Justice - AFRICACI
Heritage Charity Foundation
Development Research and Advocacy (DRAC)
West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI)

Hash targ:
International Ghana
Society Foundation


for self relaince
Kwajo Affrah

12/03/2025

🚀 The first training for our newly launched Cohort 3 is officially underway! 🎉 The Ghana Cohort is diving into the first pillar of the Civic Space Resource Hub (CSR-Hub): 𝐂𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞.

Led by the insightful Oyebisi Babatunde Oluseyi, Executive Director of NNNGO, participants, including our very own CIWED-GHANA, are exploring the fundamentals of civic space—its definition, importance, and the legal frameworks shaping freedoms of association, assembly, and expression.

From 11 to 14 March, this training promises to be an enlightening journey. Stay tuned for more updates over the coming days! 🌟

A massive thank you to the Ford Foundation for the immense support. 🙏



---

Global Media Foundation
Inspire to Act - Ita
CSD Reform
CAPECS-Ghana
Simba Ghana
Tama Foundation
The Resource Foundation Ghana
Girls Empowerment Mission - GEM GHANA
Ford Foundation
She 360
Sustainable Urban & Rural Empowerment Ghana (SURE-Ghana)
Centre for Social Mobilization and Sustainable Development (Censodev)
Good Partnership for All-Ghana (GP4All-Ghana)
Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy - Norpra
Women in Livelihood Development
Africa Center for Active Citizens and Social Justice - AFRICACI
Heritage Charity Foundation
Development Research and Advocacy (DRAC)
West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI)

18/02/2025

18/02/2025

Unmasking TB in Nanton: A Fight for Health and Hope

In the heart of Nanton District, a silent battle rages—one against tuberculosis (TB), a disease that often hides in plain sight. But CIWED-GHANA refuses to let it win.

Armed with knowledge from the STOP TB Ghana Partnership workshop, our team is hitting the ground, finding undetected TB cases, and ensuring those affected receive the care they need. This isn’t just about treating a disease—it’s about restoring health, hope, and dignity to vulnerable communities.

With better healthcare, nutrition education, clean water, and sanitation, we’re not just fighting TB; we’re building a future where no one is left behind.

Join us in this mission. Together, we can and bring lasting change!

targ:
TB Partnership Ghana
TB Partnership Global
International Ghana
Society Foundation


for self relaince
Kwajo Affrah

31/07/2024

CIWED Ghana Carried Out Community Outreach and Durbar at Ngdigu: Tackling Essential Health Topics on Immunization for Children Under Five
On May 7, 2024, CIWED Ghana organized a durbar at the Ngdigu community to discuss critical health topics related to immunization for children under five. The event covered several key areas, including:
Health education
Importance of immunization
Growth monitoring
Side effects following immunization and their management
During the durbar, community members and caregivers were educated on the significance of immunization, child growth and development, and managing potential side effects following immunization. The session emphasized that immunization schedules extend beyond the 14-week mark, noting that the measles-rubella vaccine (MR1) and the yellow fever vaccine are administered at 9 months, while the second dose of the measles-rubella vaccine (MR2) and the meningococcal A vaccine are given at 18 months. Additionally, Vitamin A supplementation continues until the child reaches 5 years of age.
The discussions highlighted the importance of complete immunization in preventing diseases such as diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, Haemophilus influenzae type B, measles, yellow fever, and meningitis.

Community members and caregivers had the opportunity to ask questions, which were addressed comprehensively. Demonstrations were provided on managing post-immunization fever in children, including the technique of tepid sponging.

In his submission, the Executive Director of CIWED Ghana, Mr. Baako Abdul-Fatawu, emphasized that mothers should adhere to their postnatal schedules and not overlook them, as this has direct and significant consequences for both children and mothers. He also indicated that the facilities and health staff are there to support the community, and urged the attendees to actively engage with health issues affecting them and their children to ensure good health and growth for future leaders of the nation.

The durbar proved to be an informative and engaging session for all participants