CURRENT & PREVIOUS ACTIVITIES

What happened so far?

Ghana visit in February, 2023

In February, 2023 we visited Ghana and brought children's clothes from Germany. We also brought 120 matchbox cars and some other toys which we distributed at two small schools at Brenu village near Cape Coast. It was a delight to see how these small toys put smiles on the kids' faces. The news of the toys spread among the children, and the 120 cars weren't even enough for the amount of children who came to see us. A big thanks to the lady who donated the 120 cars in Germany! 

 

Moreover, we met a girl whose school fees we will pay from our private money in the years to come (due to her single parenting mother), and supported another lady who said she couldn't send her kids to school because she didn't have the 40 GHS school entrance fees for the two kids (which is not even 4 Euros).

 

In addition, we sent 1250 GHS to Vivian at Tema orphanage to cover medical costs of a little girl who seriously fell sick (she is now admitted to Korlebu Teaching Hospital).

 

Finally, we will support a friend of ours (who is regularly helping our family) with 3000 GHS for starting a hairdressing apprenticeship (private money). 


2023 new years party @ Father Hearts Mission in Tema

In 2023, we organised a New years party for Vivian's orphanage in Tema in Ghana again. We sent 2000GHS for food and drinks.


Donating clothes

All through the year 2022, we brought used clothes to Ghana every other month (in smaller amounts, 1 suitcase per trip). In December 2022, we donated clothes to an orphanage in Angola when travelling there. 


Medical treatment for little boy

One of the boys (6 years of age) living at the Home of Refuge Orphanage in Tema (Father Hearts Mission) suffers from a medical condition which hasn't come to our attention until now (February, 2022). He needs medical attention and treatment urgently due to pains in his arms and legs (he cannot walk). Thus, we sent him for an initial examination to Ridge Hospital Pediatric Unit in Accra where they undertook several tests (including x-ray and blood tests). We hope they will find a way to help him, and we will provide financial support to make a treatment possible. 


New year's party 2022

We organised a small new year's event for the children at the Home of Refuge Orphanage in Comm. 25 in Tema (Father Hearts Mission) at the beginning of 2022. We bought food and drinks for around 80 people to have a nice start into 2022. We spent 2700 GHS overall (approx 400 Euros). Some things we bought can be seen in the pictures (not overall amount).


Activities in 2021

Due to COVID-19 things were slow in 2021, but we are saving the incoming donations to spend them next year.

 

Many thanks to all the families still donating during these times!

 

We tried to do some small things on the side in 2021, such as supporting some families in Ghana and one in India (we used our personal money for that). We are paying school fees for some children for them to be able to continue with school. 

 

Hopefully, next year we can start some new exciting activities. 


Supporting two additional orphanages

In addition to the orphanage in Tema, we decided to support two more orphanages in the region: 

1. Save them young orphanage in Ashiaman, Tema, Ghana

2. Teshie orphanage, Accra, Ghana

To start with, we distributed some of the container items to them. The goods in the container were enough to split between the orphanages. 

 

Videos can be found on our Ghanaian Facebook page (Tender Hearts and Love Foundation).


Container finalised

Our container finally reached the orphanage in Tema in June, 2020. We had a room prepared to be able to store the goods. Thanks for all the great help! 


Container arrival & COVID19

March-June 2020: Our 20ft container is currently on its way to the orphanage in Ghana... We had some serious delays and challenges to face due to COVID19. Our container was stuck in the harbour in Tema which caused additional cost. A lot of people were affected by COVID and unfortunately it hit us hard, too. 

We are very grateful for the hard work of our helping hands in Ghana to finally bring the container back on the road to the orphanage. 


Container – Tax exemption

We applied for tax exemption for the container in Ghana in May 2020, to avoid paying taxes on donated goods. Unfortunately, the tax exemption was not approved without giving any reason. This possibly was affected by events of COVID19 in Ghana at that time. 


Donation by GMG graduates

The 2019 GMG graduates donated 753€ leftover money from 2019 school events in January 2020. Thank you very much!


Donations for the container and Xmas party

January 2020: Thanks to all families in Amberg and the surrounding area for donating so many clothes, toys, bikes, and other things to be shipped to Ghana. The container will arrive soon and bring all donated items to the orphanage. Thank you also for the awesome support by the GMG p-seminar who did most of the container packing and preparation. The packing list shows how many things were donated. 

 

Additionally, we organized a small Xmas and New Years party at the orphanage for the children (170€ spent). 


Paperwork and new bank account

In December 2019, we finished the certification of recognition by the Department of Social Welfare in Ghana, which is needed to send containers tax-free from Germany to Ghana. 

 

Moreover, we opened a new official Tender Hearts Amberg bank account for the "Verein" Tender Hearts Amberg in Germany, for donations from December 2019 (Vereinskonto, organisational account). Please also check the "donate" button for the new account data. 


Baking waffles at GMG

A lot has happened in the GMG school year 2018 and 2019. A practical seminar was organised at GMG in Amberg which took care of the Tender Hearts Project at GMG. The 15 participants of the seminar organised several events for Tender Hearts, for example baking and selling waffles several times throughout the years. Also see the GMG website (in German):

https://gmg.amberg.de/individualangebot/schueler-engagiert#



Graduation party

In August 2019 we organised a graduation party for the students graduating from Vivian's own orphanage school (1000GHS). Moreover, we are expecting to send a container with goods to the orphanage from Germany in autumn (October/November). More information on this will follow. 


Second place won in Sparkasse competition

In May/June 2019, GMG and five other Amberg schools took part in a Sparkasse Amberg-Sulzbach school competition. The winners were determined at the end of the competition on 30th of June, 2019. GMG received the highest number of votes on Facebook (341) for the Tender Hearts Project and won the second place with 1500 € donated to Tender Hearts.

 


NGO and Container

In June, 2019 we finished setting up the NGO "Tender Hearts Amberg" (Verein) in Germany in addition to the existing NGO "Tender Hearts & Love" in Ghana. We need to be officially registered as NGO in both countries. The names slightly differ due to NGO name availabilities in both countries.

 

Moreover, we are still preparing a container shipment which takes many steps in Ghana for official approval. The application process is much longer than expected. However, we hope that future containers can be shipped more easily than the first one.


Planning the next steps

In January, 2019 we started planning our next steps together with a P-seminar at GMG (practical seminar). We will start a second round of (monetary) donations, as well as organise a container to ship to Ghana (donated goods like furniture). Moreover, we are currently preparing to set up a "Verein" in Germany to also be able to operate officially there. Tender Hearts is registered in Ghana, and we would like to add registration in Germany. 

 

We bought four soccer balls to be delivered to the orphanage, and will organise more pencils and exercise books during the next few weeks. The orphanage children wrote lists of what they would like to have (see pictures).


School benches

In October, 2018 we bought wood for 30 school desks, with the orphanage school lacking seating for their students (class 1 to 6). The carpenter put the desks together directly at the orphanage to save transport money. 

 

Moreover, we collected used clothes and shoes from family and friends in Ghana and donated them to the orphanage. We also handed 76 previously purchased pencils to the students.



Polytank, mattresses & further letters

In September 2018, we bought a 10.000 litre Polytank for the orphanage (3750 GHS). Their dwell did not provide much water, running water was not available, and the existing water storage tank was broken. This was an urgent matter, with too little water available for the children. We built a platform for the polytank (950 GHS) for better water storage and better maintenance. Overall, we spent about 900 € for the polytank.

 

Moreover, we bought 15 more mattresses (25 were bought before) for  2850 GHS (around 520 €). 

 

Further letters were exchanged between the students, and between helping volunteers.



Buying mattresses & starting pen friendships

We bought 25 mattresses (200 GHC each) for the children in May 2018,  bunk beds and 15 more mattresses will follow! We spent around 1000 € overall. 

 

First letters from German students of GMG in Amberg were delivered to the Ghanaian students living at the orphanage, and Ghanaian letters were taken back to Germany.



A first donation to Tema orphanage

In February 2018 we delivered a first smaller donation to the orphanage in Tema. The donation included two bikes, two soccer balls, 20 mosquito nets, two large packs of rice, two containers of cooking oil, more than 70 sets of clothes, 15 pairs of shoes, and 15 bed sheets. We spent 500 € overall.



Round 1 money collection at GMG

In December 2017, a letter was distributed to all parents of children going to school at GMG. This letter invited the parents to donate any amount of money for the orphanage in Tema. In addition, school projects were run that collected additional money at GMG. For example, 6th grade students sold Christmas bees wax candles, and 5th/6th grade students made handmade donation boxes, filled them and delivered them back to GMG. Christmas cards were made and sold in addition. 

 


Introducing the project to GMG

In November 2017, presentations were held at GMG to introduce Tender Hearts Project to students. 

     


CONTACT

TENDER HEARTS AMBERG

GERMANY

TENDER HEARTS & LOVE

GHANA
 

Germany: +49 176 380 30 468

Ghana: +233 50 132 3788

 

nbrewsam@gmail.com

abrewsam@yahoo.com