HOUSE OF HOPE
BUILDING PROJECT
AES is currently raising USD $130,000 to build Phase 1 of our House of Hope – a permanent training center in the city of Gaoua, Burkina Faso. House of Hope will provide not only a place where young women can receive spiritual and life skills training, but also find safe accommodations while pursuing their secondary studies.
About the Project
Many young women from surrounding villages travel to the cities of Gaoua or Batié in order to continue secondary education. These young women do not have relatives to live with and end up living in uncompleted buildings, which is not only unsafe but leaves them vulnerable to a host of physical, mental, emotional, and social threats. Some women may try to find jobs in Ghana with hopes of making enough money to cover tuition, school fees, rent, and other basic needs but often end up on the streets. House of Hope seeks to be a haven for these women so that they can finish their studies and be equipped to lead lives of productive investment into the community.
The House of Hope project was begun in 2016 by Dr. Ini Dorcas Dah and has contributed to the education of 26 young women in both formal education and vocational schools, as well as 5 orphaned children who began primary school in 2021. Currently, AES has rented several houses to accommodate the young women, however, we are looking to build a permanent site.
Urgent Need
The Burkina Faso government gave us ownership to a parcel of land in 2019 on the condition that we build within 4 years, otherwise it will be taken away and given to someone else. We have until the end of 2023 to build on this property or else we will lose it.
We have all the engineering, architectural plans, and budget in place already. Phase 1 of the House of Hope training center will be able to seat 100 people, with an office and toilets, as well as 2 bedrooms to host young women.
To build phase 1 of the House of Hope, we need USD $130,000.
Objectives for the House of Hope
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Create safe shelter for underprivileged/orphaned young women in southwestern Burkina Faso and thus enable them to continue their secondary or post-secondary education
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Empower non-educated young women with practical trade skills so they can improve their living conditions and not need to travel to other countries in search of jobs
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Provide Christian teaching for young women
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Promote leadership among these young women by equipping them with leadership skills
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Protect these young women from those who may want to exploit or abuse them
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Develop vegetable and poultry farming on site as life skills training, cultivating responsibility, and a way of providing sustenance