GHANA, WEST AFRICA Background Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the per capita output of the poorest countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 34% of GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002, but was included in a G-8 debt relief program decided upon at the Gleneagles Summit in July 2005. Priorities under its current $38 million Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) include tighter monetary and fiscal policies, accelerated privatization, and improvement of social services. -- From the CIA World Factbook Needs Our efforts on the continent of Africa so far have been focused in Ghana and in Togo. We assisted in building a clinic in Togo and are working with individuals in Ghana to establish a home for orphans, which will also be used as a school. Children are in need of food, clothing, shelter and education throughout the region. WWHA is currently registered to work as an NGO in Ghana and have been asked to assist in establishing a nursing school there. Belarus Ghana Kosovo Myanmar Vietnam