~ Updated PLANS and NEEDS ~

Maria and her Christ’s Child Care Team work devotedly and diligently while always keeping in mind her future plans.  There is much to be done and donations may also go to travel for LadyJaye to  firsthand be able to help!

While it is anticipated to eventually require around $100K USD to finish the buildings, add the water system, and the rest of what you’ll read below, we know $50,000  would go a long way on these most immediate needs.  (For perspective purposes, $10 USD can buy a bag of cement with which we make our own bricks for the buildings  . . . so you know a little does  a lot!) 😀

We thank you profusely for caring and choosing to help!
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The main goal is focused on girls being able to access free education. Education gives them the freedom to be independent to live their lives. It is unfortunate that in the villages of many African cities education for girls is still not a priority. Still, too many girls are regarded to be sold off into marriage much too young to men too old or have limited capacity to care for them. Those who run away from their home are usually caught and returned to severe punishment or sold into  servitude of all kinds.

Maria continues: This project which started in 2003 with my father and myself has been caring for about 90 children each year. Since then over a thousand children have been educated, fed and given medical care, all with the help of faithful friends and supporters and our own sacrifices.

The School building in the Fumbisi village was completed, the  government teachers placed as promised,  and a well was placed! The Fumbisi Project is fairly self-maintained and fewer trips to the far away village needed for Maria’s team. Zeph is a formidable asset to the Project, availing himself at all moments of need!

Every penny of specific donations to the FUMBISI PROJECT goes directly to the improvement and education of children in Fumbisi, Ghana, inspiring the same success in our upcoming project in the capital city of Accra.

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~ Please peruse our PROGRESS page for chronological activity since 2003, and our GALLERY for delightful photos. ~

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2025 – :

ACCRA – Presently and meantime:

Please read ‘Our Story’ about how Maria and LadyJaye met and came together to put her vision for ‘her children of Africa’  into official motion, including Maria’s stupendous efforts to keep it moving forward even as she takes on college to ultimately secure college degrees in  Education, Building Structure/Architecture, and Social Science, meant to further her impact in Accra!

Immediately upon completing her educational goals in 2021, Maria excitedly returned to Accra to put it all to work! Entrapped in the Pandemic fallout, however, she was ‘restrained’ from completing her trip to the village of Fumbisi for two weeks, per pandemic compliance. This was the defining moment for her ‘next project’ as she meantime watched the abandoned and neglected children on the streets of Accra. She was introduced to the several phases of such neglect, but not just the neglected street children:

Orphans are at risk to become cheap laborers or are either kidnapped or deceived to the cities, where they became walking carrier bags: ‘Kayayei- girls’ as they are called in Ghana.  (See Progress Report:  May 31, 2025)
With risen criminality in the cities, it is unthinkable what happens to these girls. Many have disappeared and are no longer traceable. Some deceived and impregnated and thrown on the streets, some poverty-driven slaves, some will never be able to tell their story……
Now Maria was even more  adamant to get to work on the rest of her vision, now renewed with added inspiration to provide safe living for these girls:

* Land:
A ten-acre piece of land has already been gifted us in an outer section of Accra, called Sege. It  is restricted to be used only for the purpose of the children, the Christ’s Child Care Foundation. (Thanks and deep appreciation from the children goes to the brothers and sisters in Christ at Vienna Christian Center, Vienna, Austria.)

* Kindergarten, Safe House, and future orphanage:
A kindergarten is planned to be built, at the estimated cost of €60,000 ($70,300.80 USD). In the future, this building will also serve as a safe house and an orphanage. The kindergarten would include the most needy local children that are left alone at home and not cared for while the mother is working in the fields; this will generate more food for the children as parents would barter their crops for the service.

Maria writes: “Building has become very expensive, that is why I am looking into putting up container buildings but to refurbish them also costs; however,  it could be cheaper to use as school area.
How much does it cost to convert a shipping container to a house?
Generally, materials and labor costs will run $10,000 to $50,000, but expenses can go as high as $100,000 or more for larger builds. The basic costs include the containers’ purchase price and the materials needed for modifications.”

To care for one child, it will cost around €20.-($23.43 USD) a month, which provides food, education, medical care, and teaching about Jesus Christ.

At the moment there are 60 to 70 children under the care of the kindergarten already attending in sporadic waves and being fed only on special occasion, for now, except the orphans who are kept fed. When funds allow, we will resurrect the same system used in Fumbisi with the children, which included daily meals. A €1627. – ($1,906.49 USD ) fund assistance per month would cover this portion of the service to these children.

* Fast vocational training center:/ways to income:
– Red brick manufacture :
Red bricks are the best way to build in Fumbisi. First, it stays much cooler in the heat than the cement block buildings; second, the maintenance is very low, since it never needs to be painted; and third, it fits very well to the mud huts structure which is still mostly used for housing.
Accra has a supply for it, but it would be great to build a manufacturing company in the Sege village itself. Locals could make the red bricks for the kindergarten and also supply other surrounding cities, which would bring another means of income into the village.
-Sewing machines: 
One sewing machine cost €50.- ($58.58USD), which is about 500,000 cedis. With the training and the machine a woman/man can feed their family and also supply for the orphans.
-Weaving:
Teaching on the traditional weaving of materials, and Stroh, straw weaving, which is a dying art.

MOST IMMEDIATE NEEDS, outside of daily child care:
(in USD; EURO; CIDI)

* Kindergarten/School Building – in process: (see Progress Report:  October 13, 2024)
This first building in our little community within Sege, just outside of Accra, is the school building and it is coming along nicely as funds arrive. There will be three classrooms which will also serve multi-functionally as safe housing when needed, guest room when needed, and other events; most excitedly, as more classrooms! Petitions to the government to provide teachers when the building is finished may be the highlight; however, if not, a fund would be needed to pay for teachers not able to volunteer. Costs are ongoing to finish and then supply the classrooms, as was done in Fumbisi.  Still in need of a well, but UNLIKE in Fumbisi, this school is also being built with flushing toilets!🤸‍♂️🤸🤸‍♀️
Approx Cost: Any amount helps and flows to the next vital project.

* Pro-Tem School Bldg – while the school is being built:
Even while still planning and working on the kindergarten building, there is a great need for teaching space right now. Maria and her loyal team in Accra have come up with a less expensive and speedier solution: a  large storage ‘container’  which can easily be set in place, windows and doorway inserted, and have it planted on a concrete riser.  The container itself is $2,000 USD, and with placement and improvements would come to approximately $5,000.
Approx Cost: $5,000 ( €4300.75 or Ç57191.35)

* Irrigation: (see Progress Report: March 3, 2023)
Water irrigations:
Sege’s only income, for now, is out of the one harvest they have each year, which is even then dependent upon the rainy season. If that fails, like it did last year, there is not sufficient food for them nor to sell to make a living. Ghana has a total area of about 240 000 km2, of which the Upper East Region (UER) covers about 8 800 (3.7 %) in the Northeast corner. Fumbisi is part of the Upper east region and characterized by a high and expanding rural population; by the unreliability of its rainfall and susceptibility to drought; and by the inexorable rate of degradation of its environment. There is a great need for providing irrigation of high value crops as well as for livestock.
Approx Cost: (included in the WATER PUMP cost just below)

* Clean flowing water – via water pumps: 
Making water pumps available and the storage of rain water of it.
Approx Cost: $15,000   (€12,896.40  or  Ç171900.00)

* Solar system:
There is little to no electricity in Sege. Even if the electricity comes, like in the cities, it is likely that it often breaks down. For the kindergarten there would be the need for electricity. A commercial 500W systems would be the most practical; multiply times each building anticipated: girls dorm, kitchen/dining, clinic, church. (Eventually, a professional quote for the entire project vs individuals.)
Approx Cost per bldg:  $3,490.40 ( €3,000.91  or  Ç40,000 )

Kayayei Girls- from the streets of Accra:
(see Progress Report:  May 31, 2025)
These young girls, having overcome their ‘initiation’ to the ‘street life’ at a very young age, are now so indoctrinated in the habit of its life, kind and caring contact with them is the strongest introduction of Christ’s unconditional love. ‘Packets of Caring’ – small but vital ‘care packages’ – are placed in their hands as they are met on the streets by the Christ’s Child Care team. It’s contents amount to about $5 and can see them through a whole month.  Maria is already working on her plans to make arrangements for them to work and live off the streets in our new little community within Sege, christened CHRISTIAN LIFE VILLAGE. No budget has been set for this Kayayei- Girls project, yet, but – if your heart leaps in compassion for this effort – you can be assured any amount of financial assistance will be compassionately put to use! Blessings all over you for caring!💕

*  TRAVEL R/T for LadyJaye – Approx $5,000 USD (see  FIRST TRIP TO GHANA breakdown  in menu this  page/at the bottom, on phones.)

More information:
a.kanbong@yahoo.com
WhatsApp:     +43 681 20416838