Larabanga, Gana

In the heart of West Africa, in the small town of Larabanga in northern Ghana, life moves slowly but heavily. Most residents live with limited access to basic healthcare. The only health clinic in town is run by one doctor and one nurse, who care daily for several thousand people from the wider region. Because the healthcare system is overwhelmed, many never receive help in time, which means that even minor injuries, wounds, or burns often lead to serious complications.

An ultrasound for the clinic

For a long time, pregnant women had no access to ultrasound examinations; they had to travel three hours for a single check-up. Thanks to the donor Generali, in 2021 our group of six volunteers purchased a diagnostic ultrasound machine, which became a turning point for the entire community. It improved access to safer pregnancies and enabled timely detection of complications.

How we work

We have been coming to Larabanga since 2021. Since then, one team of six volunteers travels there each year to work directly with people in their homes and in the local health clinic.

In the field, we work mainly with individuals suffering from injuries, cerebral palsy, neurological disorders, and the consequences of illnesses that, due to poverty and distance from hospitals, would otherwise never receive professional help. In addition to therapeutic work, a large part of our mission is education and strengthening the knowledge of the local community.

A first aid course

Because the health clinic is overburdened and residents often lack basic medical knowledge, people frequently do not know how to act correctly when faced with wounds, burns, or choking, so help arrives too late. In 2024 we therefore organized a first aid course, where we trained local residents in essential life-saving skills such as stopping bleeding, treating wounds, assisting unconscious persons, and preventing infection. Knowledge they previously lacked has now become part of their everyday safety.

Yahaya's story

In 2023 we were deeply moved by the story of a twenty-year-old boy named Yahaya, who suffered from chronic osteomyelitis, a severe bone infection that left him unable to walk and forced him to leave school. The surgery that would save his life was costly, as was the blood transfusion, which meant he could not afford the procedure. Our volunteers donated blood for him and covered the surgery costs with charitable funds, saving his life. After a year of recovery, Yahaya is now returning to school with a smile and without pain.