Advocates Redesign

Tag: FCAP

  • Ten communities graduate from FCAP after successful project implementation

    In a colourful and inspiring graduation ceremony at Amanfrom, ten communities in the Abuakwa South Municipality of Ghana’s Eastern Region have been celebrated for the successful completion of their community-driven development projects under the Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP). Also called “Oman yie die”, the initiative, led by the Accra-based NGO Advocates for Community Alternatives (ACA), is empowering rural communities to identify their own development priorities, mobilize resources, and implement solutions for long-term impact.

    Each of the graduating communities has implemented a unique project tailored to its most pressing needs, achieving tangible results aligned with key success indicators. The ceremony served not only as a recognition of their achievements, but also as a testament to the power of grassroots participation in sustainable development.

    Livelihoods and Economic Empowerment

    To combat unemployment and boost local income, the Apapam community has completed a Pig Farm Venture aimed at reducing unemployment by 5% by 2025. The initiative also targets a 20% income increase for pig traders and a 15% growth in their savings.

    Similarly, Obopekonya has built a Palm Oil Processing Centre that is projected to increase employment among local palm oil producers by 20% and boost the income and savings of palm oil traders by another 20% within a year.

    In Obopeko, residents are already benefiting from a newly constructed Corn Mill Processing Centre, which will allow between 20% to 50% more community members to process their corn and gari locally. The project is expected to raise farmers’ incomes by 20% and drastically reduce the distance they previously had to travel—more than 5km—to process their crops.

    Amanfrom has successfully launched a mini-market project designed to tackle rural unemployment. Projections show the project will reduce unemployment by 15% by 2026, increase market traders’ income by 40%, and raise their savings by 20%.

    Water and Sanitation Improvements

    Access to potable water—a long-standing challenge in many rural communities—was tackled head-on by three of the graduating communities. Asiakwa, Addo Nkwanta, and Adadientem have each completed mechanized borehole projects, significantly improving water access and public health. These projects aim to reduce the average distance to safe water from over 5km to under 1km, cut waterborne diseases from 50% to 10% in the first year, and boost access to clean water by 25% within 18 months.

    Infrastructure for Safety and Trade

    Communities like Bomponso and Lartemu tackled mobility and safety challenges with the construction of Foot Bridges. These critical infrastructures are expected to reduce accidents and fatalities by 15%, improve access to nearby communities by 50%, and boost local trade by 20% within the first year.

    Powering Progress

    The Adortoa community celebrated the successful implementation of an Electricity Extension Project. This game-changing initiative is forecast to increase economic activities by 30%, improve academic outcomes among students by 25%, and enhance security in the community by 40% over the next 12 months.

    A Model for Community-Led Development

    Speaking at the graduation ceremony, representatives from ACA commended the communities for their dedication, unity, and vision. “These projects show that when communities are empowered to take charge of their own development, the results are remarkable. FCAP is not just a process; it’s a movement towards sustainable, people-driven transformation,” ACA’s Senior Trainer, Francis Manu noted.

    Traditional leaders, government representatives, and community members all praised the FCAP initiative, with many calling for its expansion across more districts in the Eastern Region and beyond.

    The Abuakwa South Municipal Chief Executive, Nana Adu Sarpong Addo Aikins, who graced the occasion with his presence, inaugurated the Amanfrom market.

    He assured the gathering of his unwavering commitment towards the completion of the remaining projects being implemented in partnership with ACA.

    As these ten communities move forward, their projects are set to serve as models of success and inspiration for other rural areas seeking to shape their own development paths. The graduation marks a milestone—but for these communities, it is only the beginning of a brighter, self-driven future.

  • Hope on the rise: Grassroots communities in Ghana build big dreams with small grants

    In the heart of Ghana’s Bono East and Eastern Regions, something extraordinary is happening — not from the top down, but from the ground up.

    Jonathan Kaufman, Executive Director of Advocates for Community Alternatives (ACA), recently toured five rural communities where residents are rolling up their sleeves and transforming their lives through a bold initiative known as the Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP), locally dubbed “Oman yie die.”

    With support from ACA and $8,000 in seed funding per community, places like Asuano, Johnkrom, and Nkwabeng in Nkoranza South, along with Ntabea and Abesim Yeboah in Abuakwa South, are turning microgrants into major milestones.

    In Asuano, construction is well underway on a new three-unit Junior High School block, complete with an ICT lab and teacher offices — a dream come true for students who previously studied under trees or in cramped conditions. In Johnkrom, women and youth are eagerly watching a new gari processing and milling center take shape — a move expected to boost local income and food security.

    But perhaps the most ambitious vision comes from Nkwabeng. Originally aiming for an outpatient department, the community is now rallying additional funds to build a 24-room health facility. Their goal is to upgrade their modest clinic into a fully functional polyclinic — a leap forward in rural healthcare.

    “These communities are not waiting for change — they’re building it,” said Mr. Kaufman. “And what’s even more inspiring is how openly and honestly, they’re doing it. I attended two accountability sessions where community leaders detailed every cedi spent. This kind of transparency sets a gold standard.”

    The ACA team, including Director of Community-Driven Development, Nana Ama Nketia-Quaidoo, also met with local government officials who are not just observing, but actively participating. Nkoranza South’s MCE, Godfred Dapaah, was praised for helping secure vital permits, including clearing hurdles with the Forestry Commission to allow timber harvesting for roofing.

    In Atiwa West, the spirit of partnership was equally strong. District Chief Executive, Amo Johnson Anom, personally donated building materials to a community project and even mediated a local conflict, urging unity for the greater good.

    “These leaders are not just sitting in offices — they’re getting their hands dirty for their people,” Mr. Kaufman added.

    Nana Ama noted that despite setbacks like seasonal storms and occasional leadership disputes, progress has been swift and spirited.

    “In just two months, most projects already have their roofs on. The communities have gone above and beyond — raising funds locally, contributing to labor, and staying resilient. That’s real ownership,” she said.

    From new classrooms to life-saving health facilities and income-generating centers, these projects are a testament to what happens when communities lead their own development — with a little support and a lot of heart.

  • Bonsu community improves access to water through Oman yie die

    Access to clean water is no longer a distant dream but a growing reality at Bonsu, a farming community in the Nkoranza South Municipality of the Bono East region, thanks to a community-led initiative through the Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP).

    For years, residents of Bonsu, especially those living in the newly developed areas, have had to commute long distances in search of water from either a nearby stream or from a few individuals with mechanized boreholes in their homes daily. These residents, especially women and children would typically load a bicycle with jerrycans, push them for long distances, thereby negatively impacting their health.

    To address this challenge, the people of Bonsu began working collectively to extend pipe-borne water directly to various homes in October 2024.

    This bold step toward improving public health and daily living conditions was made possible with a GHS 120,000.00 microgrant from Advocates for Community Alternatives (ACA).

    So far, the impact has been quite remarkable as 75 out of about 307 households have been connected to the water system while most of the remaining households are in the process of getting connected. The community envisages at least 87 households, representing 40% of the households would have access to pipe-borne water in one year’s time.

    This is expected to significantly reduce the burden of walking long distances for water and ensuring a safer, more convenient water supply.

    Sustainability

    Beyond improving access to water, the project is also strengthening the community’s financial sustainability.

    Any household that seeks to extend the water, contributes a token of GHS 200.00 to the Oman yie die Committee, creating a local fund that will be used to support other development priorities identified during the community’s visioning and goal-setting stage of the FCAP process.

    Sharing his enthusiasm about the project’s long-term impact, Mr. Ameyaw Franklin, Technical Advisor from the Nkoranza South Municipal Assembly, said: “I’m excited about the fact that water will not be wasted but rather stored and used efficiently to benefit residents. Even more importantly, the small contributions from households will help generate income that the community can reinvest in future development initiatives.”

    Ms. Juliet Fosuaa, the Community-Based Facilitator, also reflected on the journey with pride saying: “I’m really excited about the knowledge ACA equipped me with through the FCAP methodology. It gave me the skills to guide my community in developing a shared vision, and today, that vision is becoming a reality through this successful water extension project.”

    Community-led

    The Bonsu water extension project stands as a compelling example of community-led development in action, where local voices, local leadership, and shared responsibility come together to create lasting change.

    Advocates for Community Alternatives, an NGO operating in Ghana using the FCAP methodology, is extremely excited to watch communities own their development trajectory, hoping that government and other social actors will be interested in adopting this strategy towards community planning and development.

  • Nkwabeng community expands healthcare access

    Nkwabeng, a community near Nkoranza in the Bono East region, is taking bold steps to improve healthcare delivery by expanding its local Out-Patient Department (OPD), a project driven by the community’s vision for accessible, quality health services.

    Through Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP), community members collectively identified the need to expand the OPD section of their health center to ease congestion and improve health outcomes.

    The expansion work began in November 2024 and has since reached the lentil level, with roofing works set to begin soon.

    Advocates for Community Alternatives (ACA), a non-governmental organization, is supporting this project with a Gh.c 120,000.00 microgrant. 

    The grant has empowered the community to lead and manage the project, ensuring that the intervention reflects local priorities and promotes long-term sustainability. 

    Mr. Herthson Kumah, FCAP Chairman for Nkwabeng, expressed his enthusiasm for the project.

    “We are very excited about this initiative. I am especially glad that ACA, through the Municipal Assembly of Nkoranza South, chose our community as a beneficiary of the Oman yie die project. This OPD extension will go a long way to improve healthcare access for everyone in Nkwabeng and nearby communities.”

    Mr. Osei Nimako, Program Manager, also shared his thoughts about the project’s impact when completed and praised ACA’s model of community empowerment.

    “I am very hopeful this project will serve the community well. I commend ACA for its consistent efforts in promoting community-driven development and facilitating spaces where communities like Nkwabeng can lead their development initiatives.”

    Once completed, the expanded OPD is expected to significantly reduce waiting time, improve service delivery, and create a healthier environment for both patients and healthcare workers. 

    This project highlights the power of community-led development and the importance of supporting local voices and leadership in driving lasting change.

    Nkwabeng’s progress stands as a strong testament to what is possible when communities are equipped with the requisite knowledge to lead their development initiatives.

  • ACA trains 40 communities on Mining and Land Rights

    Advocates for Community Alternatives (ACA) continues to equip West African communities with the legal knowledge they need to protect their land and natural resources. In a recent initiative, ACA hosted a three-day legal training for representatives from 40 communities across Ghana, strengthening their understanding of mining and land governance.

    The training followed a needs assessment survey by ACA’s Legal Department, which revealed widespread legal threats facing community members – particularly around land acquisition and mining activities. In response, ACA brought together 50 Community-Based Facilitators (CBFs), Facilitated Collective Active Process (FCAP) executives, and other community representatives to participate in a hands-on learning session.

    The ACA Legal Team, which facilitated sessions on Ghana’s mining and land regulatory frameworks, explained key legislations, including the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), its amendment Act 900 (2015), and other relevant laws such as the Minerals Development Fund Act, 2016 (Act 912), the Minerals Income Investment Fund Act, 2018 (Act 978), and the Kimberley Process Certification Act, 2003 (Act 652).

    The team further emphasized that any individual intending to search for, prospect, or mine minerals must first obtain a mineral right through the Minerals Commission, with approval from the sector minister. The law requires notification to relevant chiefs, allodial owners, and District Assemblies, including clear communication of the affected land area.

    On land ownership, the Land Act 2020 (Act 1036) was highlighted as the key legislation addressing ownership, acquisition, and registration and underscored the importance of land registration in preventing disputes and protecting legal rights.

    The ACA Legal Team also cited the Lands Commission, Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands, and Traditional Authorities as the primary institutions involved in land governance.

    Participants expressed appreciation for the training and requested similar workshops in their communities.

    “This training was insightful. I wish my whole community could have been here to benefit,” one participant shared.

  • Bosuso soap making factory poised for economic turn-around

    Residents of Bosuso in the Fanteakwa South District are on course to realizing their dream of providing employment opportunities for themselves, ⁠increase individual daily savings and ⁠improve daily square meals among households by at least 10% in one year.

    This follows the successful completion of their black soap production factory constructed in partnership with the Fanteakwa South District Assembly in the Eastern Region and Advocates for Community Alternatives (ACA), a non-governmental organization, which helps West African communities that are threatened by the destructive impacts of extractive projects to take control of their futures.

    By way of creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for themselves the Bosuso community took advantage of a $9,000 microgrant by ACA under its Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP) implemented in partnership with the district assembly. 

    To fully operate the factory and improve their living standards, some community members have undergone training on black soap production to quip them with the requisite skills to kick-start production as early as possible.

    KAEME, a premium Ghanaian company specializing in personal care products such as shea soufflé, liquid black soap, among others, facilitated the training program for the participants at the newly built soap factory.

    Freda Obeng-Ampofo, the Founder and Chief Mixer of Kaeme introduced the participants to the various aspects of black soap production.

    From all indications, the Bosuso community is mor than ready for the smooth take off of the project as the people have acquired required items and the basic ingredients for black soap production. 

    “This is very dear to our hearts and we’re extremely excited to venture into such a monumental project which has the potential to turn our socio-economic fortunes around in future and so we’re leaving no stone unturned to make things work for our own good”, said Mr. Maxwell Owusu Bannerman, a Community Member.

  • Bosuso soap-making factory project on course

    Residents of Bosuso, a farming community in the Fanteakwa South district, are anxiously waiting for the successful completion of a soap-making factory in the town to turn their economic fortunes around.

    They have no doubt that the project, when completed, will offer both direct and indirect jobs to several thousands of people in the area, especially women and the youth.

    The people of Bosuso, led by their chief, Nana Atta Krofa, are taking advantage of an existing palm-oil factory in the area, to put up a soap-making factory to make full use of the residue of the palm-oil factory.

    The residues of the palm-oil factory, especially the palm-kernel, which currently go waste will soon become the major raw material to produce a variety of soap, hence the resolve by the community members to vigorously pursue this laudable project to a successful end.

    The Bosuso community has so far spent $5,250 (Gh.c 62,995) on this project out of its $9,000 microgrant advanced jointly by the Fanteakwa South District Assembly and Advocates for Community Alternatives (ACA), a non-profit-making organisation, which helps West African communities that are threatened by the destructive impacts of extractive projects to take control of their futures.

    The soap-making factory, which is expected to turn around the economic fortunes of the local community, is being executed under the Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP), a partnership between the district assembly and ACA as part of measures to strengthen local participation in the implementation of the Assembly’s medium term development plan.

    “We’ve really gone far with the project and currently it’s at the lintel level. We’re going to put additional two blocks on the beam and continue from there. We’re also waiting for the DCE to support us with the specified wood required for the project”, Nana Atta Krofa, said.

    “This livelihood enhancement project will go a long way to boost our local economy and I will everything within my power to ensure its successful completion and I must thank ACA partnering with our district assembly to bring this project to our doorstep.”