The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is supporting BasicNeeds-Ghana to implement a project aimed at enabling Persons with mental illness or epilepsy in the Savelugu Municipality of the Northern Region to attain food security and meet their nutritional needs. Target beneficiaries, numbering 100 of which 58 are female, are being supported by the project to take up dry season gardening as a sustainable livelihoods option.
The project, titled “BasicNeeds-Ghana promoting gardening for improved Mental Health Outcomes and Productivity in Northern Ghana”, is a one year project (Jan-December, 2018) which is funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Adaptation Fund to the tune of US $14,000.00. The beneficiaries, who are mainly poor and socially excluded persons with mental illness or epilepsy, are being supported with various farming inputs to take up farming, even in the dry season, as a viable means of income generation. By so doing, these vulnerable group of people, comprised mostly of women and young people, will be able to cultivate food and vegetable crops all year round thereby helping them to gain income from their farms all year round and contribute to their nutritional needs. It is envisaged that the project will help support the beneficiaries address their household nutritional needs and empower them to become economically stable.
BasicNeeds-Ghana is committed to building the capacity 100 poor and vulnerable persons with mental illness or epilepsy and their primary carers with skills a that will help them undertake dry season gardening. Beneficiaries will also be provided with appropriate gardening tools and equipment. During the duration of the project, BasicNeeds-Ghana will work with the beneficiaries to reduce stigma and discrimination poor and vulnerable persons with mental illness or epilepsy and their families suffer in the Savelugu Municipality. It is envisaged that such a move will promote general well-being of beneficiaries and boost their confidence as well as other poor or marginalized persons with mental illness or epilepsy.
