I came to Europe in 1993 to futher develop myself, gain experience and to eventually return to my native country Ghana, to put the gained knowledge and work experience to use there. I did not know yet what I wanted to study, but I did know I wanted to work in a social environment. Now, 23 years later I have become VIG (Verzorger in de Individuele Gezondheidszorg / Care taker in the Individual Health Care) and with the accumulated knowledge and experience, I would like to build a care taking and health center in Ghana to contribute to the promotion of health care there.

In 2015 I received a message that my father was sick and therefore I went to Ghana to visit him.

The ‘situation of care’ in which I found him shocked me and made me quite emotional. During my stay there I have taken care of him intensively and in no time he was back to his old self and ready for life again. Because of this I realized how essential good care for the elderly is and decided to accelerate my plan for a care center.

I have discussed the initiative with various people both in the Netherlands and in Ghana and soon noticed that the idea is widely accepted and enthusiastically received. Several people gave me good suggestions and ideas, which gave me extra motivation to give this plan serious shape.

At the same time I am aware of the fact that I can not do this project on my own, and will need all the support that I can get. This is where the idea of setting up a foundation, Foundation Grales Aged Africans International abbreviated ‘GAAI’ came from.

With the arrival of such a center, the need for medical and social terms will be fulfilled.

The area where the center is located is densely populated (about seventy thousand inhabitants) and professional healthcare is lacking. True to tradition, the care for the elderly in African culture is in the hands of the children and grandchildren. With the changing social circumstances, more and more children are looking for work outside their home area, with the result that the parent(s) remain alone and often not taken care of.

We are convinced that this care center for the local economy will add value and trust that the local authorities will provide the necessary cooperation and support to (partially) realize this unique project.

 

Grace.

 

 

GAAI focuses on the following target groups: elderly people in need of care, people with permanent mental disabilities and people with a physical permanent disability.

With elderly is meant the people of 60 years and older.

GAAI focuses on the following target groups: elderly people in need of care, people with permanent mental disabilities and people with a physical permanent disability.

With elderly is meant people of 60 years and older.

         

In the long run there will be a care center, which is meant for people as described under the head of target groups. For this purpose, a (construction) plan is ready, for which financial resources are sought.

The center is led by a director and a deputy.

Stichting GAAI-Nederland appoints the directors. Miss Grace Mensah, founder of the center, is the current director. Together with the foundation board, the center is coordinated and guided.

The daily management is in the hands of the director and the deputy. The deputy is also responsible for both the internal and external communicative matters of the center. She also acts as the spokesperson for the institution.

 

Chairman: Grace Mensah – info@grales.org

Treasurer: Frank Edgar Huisman – penningmeester@grales.org

Secretary: William Harold Souvenir – secretaris@grales.org

In recent years I have visited Ghana regularly and noticed that there is a great need for care, especially for the elderly, in the field of professional care.

The care sector for the elderly in Ghana is in need professionalisation. With the establishment of this center an important step has been taken. From the point of view of employment, the government, and especially the Ministries of Economic Affairs and Public Health, is expected to stimulate and support health care in Ghana in every form possible.