Help Our Cause

Ataa Kado is 54 years old and resides in Ankaful leprosy camp with his wife, who has leprosy. For over 10 years, weeding on people’s farms has been the only source of livelihood for Ataa Kado and his family.

Ataa stated that prior to settling in the camp, he used to be a bicycle repairer. He would like to receive financial support so that he can purchase tools, and bicycle repair/maintenance accessories. This will enable him to establish a bicycle repair shop in the local community. 

Start-up Cost: $500. USD

Investors: Andel and Celeste Owens - $500

Elizabeth Akulu is 22 years old and resides in Ankaful leprosy camp with her mother, Martha Atidogo, who has leprosy. Elizabeth has been taking care of her mother with the small amount of money she is able to raise from working on people’s farms. 

She is asking for support to start a palm oil production business. Palm oil is a staple oil used by almost every household in the community and beyond. Elizabeth believes a business in the production and selling of the oil will be very lucrative and is excited to start this new venture.

Start-up Cost: $400. (USD)

Investor: Seconda Hollinger - $200.

Investor: DoTERRA Helping Hands - $200.

Fati Kooko is a 43-year-old woman who resides in Ankaful leprosy camp with her 3 children and her mother Adwoa Nyakoa, who has leprosy. Fati cooks and sells millet porridge in the camp. For many years, she has been the sole provider for her mum who has been sick with leprosy for 10 years. Fati finds it difficult to adequately provide for her family’s basic needs with the limited proceeds she makes from selling porridge. Fati has identified the demand for locally manufactured soap in the camp. She has enrolled in a soap making training program and would like to be supported to setup a soap making business. This will enable her make enough money to care for her mother and three children.

Start-up Cost: $1000. (USD)

Investor: DoTERRA Helping Hands - $1000.

Cecilia Awuni is a 30 year old mother of 5 children. She lives in the Ankaful leprosy camp with her father, Thomas Awuni, who has leprosy. She has been taking care of her father with the little money she has been able to raise from the sale of charcoal. She would like to be supported to expand her charcoal business, so that she can generate more income to take better care of her father and her children.

Start-up Cost: $400. (USD)

Investor: Jennifer Epps - $100.

Investor: Sandra Shum - $100.

Investor:  Laurie Chenoweth - $100.

Investor:  Anonymous  - $100.

Fati Zabarma is a 68-year-old woman living in the Ankaful leprosy camp with her three children. She has been sick with leprosy for over 15years. Notwithstanding her condition, she sells groceries and other items for a living. 

Proceeds from her business have never been sufficient to support Fati and her family. She would like to expand her business to generate more income.

Start-up Cost: $200. (USD)

Investor: Anonymous - $100.

Investor: Anonymous - $100.

Alfred Amoah is a 51-year-old man who has leprosy and is residing in the Ankaful leprosy camp with his three children.  He currently tidies a rehabilitation center's compound when it gets weedy. 

Alfred would like to be supported to start a charcoal business. Charcoal is the most commonly used fuel for cooking in all of the households in the community. 

Start-up Cost: $500. (USD)

Investor: Marjorie Pierre - $500.

John Kwasi is 69 years old and a father of 9 children. He has leprosy and operates a table top soft drink stand out of his home. He needs support to expand his business and would like to purchase a greater variety of soft drinks, that are in high demand in the community. This will enable him make enough money to care for his family.

Start-up Cost: $100. (USD)

INVESTOR: VANESSA JIMENEZ -$100.

Georgina Atiaku is 21 years old and has one child. She lives in the Ankaful leprosy camp with her mother, Akusika, who has leprosy. Georgina is unable to take care of her mum because she is unemployed. She wants to be supported to start a mobile money merchant business in the community.

Start-up Cost: $500. (USD)

Investor: Angela Health - $500.

Ama Kaya is a 63-year-old woman living with leprosy in the Ankaful leprosy camp. She is a widow with 5 children. She would like to be supported to set up a soft drink shop in the community. Ama has been able build a kiosk with support that she received from donors. She now needs support to purchase the soft drinks and put them up for sale in her kiosk.

Start-up Cost: $600. (USD)

Investor: John Rogers - $600.

James Dadzie is a 58-year-old man who lives in the Ankaful leprosy camp. He is married and has 6 children. He is a cured leper who is currently seeking to find a way to support his family.

James wants to set up a grain milling shop in the community. He has been able to acquire the grain milling machine and some cement blocks.

He needs financial support to build the structure to accommodate the operation of the machine and to set up his shop. 

Start-up Cost: $1000. (USD)

INVESTORS: FRANK AND GENEVA RICE - $1000.

Adwoa Nyarkoah is a 57 year old widow who resides in Ankaful leprosy camp. She moved into the camp with her husband who had leprosy. When Adwoa lost her husband, she was left with their 4 children to take care of, on her own. 

For over 10 years, Adwoa has been engaging in the buying and selling of small food items (known as “petty trading” in Ghana) in the camp. This has been the only source of livelihood for Adwoa and her 4 children and it has not been sufficient. Adwoa would like to increase the amount and the variety of the goods that she sells, in order to generate more income.

Start-up Cost: $400. (USD)

Investor: DoTERRA Helping Hands - $400.

Even “cured” lepers, those who have completed the multi-drug therapy which treats the disease, are still very ostracized in Ghanaian society.  There is a huge social stigma present which often leads to complete isolation from mainstream society and feelings of extreme loneliness and despair. People who have been diagnosed with leprosy are generally rejected and abandoned by their families and left to fend for themselves.

In addition, it is often extremely challenging for individuals affected by leprosy to find ways to earn a living.  Many turn to begging on the streets to survive.  The micro-loan projects will provide opportunities for individuals to generate their own income by purchasing items such as a sewing machine and fabric to sew clothes or bags like the ones shown below, which may also be sold on the Surrender 365 website in the future.

In addition to providing a source of income for the individuals in the leper colonies, micro-loan projects also provide each person with an opportunity to regain their sense of self-dignity and self-worth, and to build their self-esteem.  It is our hope that by participating in the micro-loan pilot project, individuals with leprosy will begin to feel like they are valued members of society, rather than outcasts.

The Surrender 365 Inc. Team is also very excited to be able to support the spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being of people living with leprosy.  We will be sharing the love of Christ by offering a Christian retreat for the residents and staff of Weija Leprosarium in Accra, Ghana while we are there.  We will also facilitate a “Story Circle” at the Leprosarium, a space where people can share their stories and be heard, and listened to, with love. 

In addition, we will be providing healing touch through massage and the use of aromatherapy oils. And lastly, we would like to assist the Lepers Aid Committee with the repair of 2 boreholes in the leper colonies located in Ho and Ankaful, Ghana. This will provide a clean and safe source of water for all of the people living in these two colonies.

We cannot do any of this without your support!  Please consider making a donation to support the livelihood, and the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of people with leprosy in Ghana!  Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity!