Change from Within in a Ghanaian Village: Moving Beyond "We Can't Do It"

(Originally published: June 2026) 

I'm Megumi, the SMILE-Ghana Project Manager at ACE. In this report, I'd like to share something I was reminded of once again in ACE's project communities in Ghana. 

It is that letting go of the mindset of "we are vulnerable people" and beginning to change the future through their own efforts. This change from within, is the driving force behind sustainable community development.

This April, thanks to your support, new initiatives got underway in seven communities under the SMILE-Ghana Project! Until now, the project has worked to help children stay in school rather than engage in child labour by building systems in which residents themselves protect children's rights.

Specifically, the project has been establishing and strengthening "Child Protection Committees" made up of volunteer villagers. Committee members patrol the villages and farms to check whether any children are engaged in child labour. They also make home visits when teachers report children whose school attendance is irregular, and through counselling for parents and children, they protect children from child labour and support them in attending school with peace of mind. 

Through cooperation with school teachers, village leaders, and the relevant departments of local government, a system in which the whole village protects its children has taken shape.

To keep such a system going, it is essential that residents' livelihoods themselves are stable. That is why ACE is supporting the introduction of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), a mechanism to stabilize household finances, strengthen mutual support among residents, and secure funds for child protection activities within the village.

This April, new VSLA groups were launched in the seven villages ACE has supported so far!

A VSLA is a resident-led financial system for areas where banks and other financial services are not sufficiently available. Residents form small groups, each member contributes a small amount every week to build up savings, and members who need money can borrow it at a low interest rate. 

In addition, each group sets up a "Social Fund." 

The Social Fund is used to help members who temporarily need assistance, such as in cases of illness or family emergencies. It can also be used to support child protection and improve the learning environment in the community through the implementation of the "Community Action Plan" and "School Improvement Plan" that each village has drawn up.

For example, it can be used to address issues the community has prioritized so that children can continue learning in a better environment, such as repairing school buildings, constructing teachers' housing, purchasing cooking equipment for school meals, and providing equipment needed for computer learning. 

For this introductory training, senior officers from a neighbouring village were invited. They had started their VSLA ahead of the others and are now continuing into their second year on their own, even after ACE's support ended. Drawing on their own experience, they gave concrete advice to the people in the villages that were just starting out.

Since this was their first time, the participants were cautious. How should interest on loans be set? How should the rules be made? There was a sense of uncertainty in the room: "Can we really do this?"

Then one of the senior officers spoke powerfully: 

"What matters is that every member follows the rules. And that you throw away the idea that 'we are poor and weak.' You must be determined to improve your own lives with your own hands."

Those words changed the mood in the room. 

And I, too, was reminded of something important.

What is needed most to change a community is a "change in mindset."

That change cannot be created by people who come from outside, like me, simply teaching or explaining. It comes about only when residents who have actually taken action, produced results, and gained confidence tell their own experiences and pass them on to others. The words of those directly involved have the power to move people's hearts. And I believe that this change, which begins from within, will become the community's strength to protect children's futures.

In the villages that have completed the training, weekly meetings are already being held continuously, and members have begun saving. Each group has its own character, and I look forward to seeing how they grow and change from here. I hope you will continue to follow their progress with us.

Let's bring smiles to the children of Ghana! Thank you for your support.

Author: Megumi Ito,  SMILE-Ghana Project Manager