#CleanCooking is the golden thread that runs through the #GlobalGoals:
✔️Gender equality
✔️Good health & wellbeing
✔️Climate action
And, more. Read how: https://t.co/rWKcxQKNFr https://t.co/KXtLsj5l0U
Thursday, November 23, 2017
The golden thread through the Global Goals
Sunday, October 29, 2017
COP23
Check out @SEforALLorg’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/SEforALLorg/status/924667307296739329?s=09
Thursday, March 9, 2017
Cooking must not kill
Globally, 3 billion people rely on solid fuels to cook, causing serious environmental and health impacts that disproportionately affect women and children. In fact, household air pollution from cooking kills over 4 million people every year and sickens millions more, according to the World Health Organization.
Yet, safe, affordable, and accessible clean cooking solutions exist that can dramatically reduce fuel consumption and exposure to harmful cookstove smoke, while providing economic opportunities.
Women changing the household energy sector in Africa
These #women are changing the household energy sector in #Africa: http://ow.ly/d4fZ309IqOR @cookstoves #InternationalWomensDay
Celebrating women
Ayekooo! To you all beautiful women who struggle to cook for your families and communities using traditional cookstoves!
Exposure to household air pollution (HAP) kills.
Let's encourage our women to use clean and efficient cookstoves and fuels!
#IWD2017
Thursday, May 14, 2015
EBOLA 101
Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. EVD outbreaks have a case fatality rate of up to 90%. Ebola first appeared in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks, in Nzara, Sudan, and in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo.1,2 The latter was in a village situated near the Ebola River, from which the disease takes its name.
The Ebola virus is comprised of five distinct species: Bundibugyo, Ivory Coast, Reston, Sudan and Zaire. Four of the five subtypes occur in an animal host native to Africa. BDBV, EBOV, and SUDV have been associated with large EVD outbreaks in Africa, whereas RESTV and TAFV have not. Pathogenicity varies among Ebola viruses, from EBOV, which is highly lethal in humans, to RESTV, which causes disease in pigs and macaques but asymptomatically infects humans.
Ebola is introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals. In Africa, infection has been documented through the handling of infected chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest.
Ebola then spreads in the community through human-to-human transmission, with infection resulting from direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and indirect contact with environments contaminated with such fluids.
Burial ceremonies in which mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased person can also play a role in the transmission of Ebola.
Health-care workers have frequently been infected while treating patients with suspected or confirmed EVD. This has occurred through close contact with patients when infection control precautions are not strictly practiced.
Among workers in contact with monkeys or pigs infected with Reston ebolavirus, several infections have been documented in people who were clinically asymptomatic. Thus, RESTV appears less capable of causing disease in humans than other Ebola species.
Signs and symptoms.
EHF is a severe acute viral illness often characterized by the sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding. Laboratory findings show low counts of white blood cells and platelets as well as elevated liver enzymes. People are infectious as long as their blood and secretions contain the virus. Ebola virus was isolated from seminal fluid up to the 61st day after the onset of illness in a laboratory acquired case.
The incubation period (interval from infection to onset of symptoms) varies between 2 to 21 days. During EHF outbreaks, the case-fatality rate has varied from outbreak to outbreak between 25% and 90%.
Diagnosis
Differential diagnoses include, malaria, typhoid fever, shigellosis, cholera, leptospirosis, plague, rickettsiosis, relapsing fever, meningitis, hepatitis and other VHFs.
Ebola virus infections can only be diagnosed definitively in the laboratory by a number of different tests:
• enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
• antigen detection tests
• serum neutralization test
• reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay
• virus isolation by cell culture.
Tests on samples from patients are an extreme biohazard risk and should only be conducted under maximum biological containment conditions.
Severe cases require intensive supportive care. Patients are frequently dehydrated and in need of intravenous fluids or oral rehydration with solutions containing electrolytes. No specific treatment or vaccine is yet available for EHF. People are infectious as long as their blood and secretions contain the virus. Men who have recovered from the disease can still transmit the virus through their semen for up to 7 weeks after recovery from illness.23
Incubation period: 2 to 21 days.
Current Situation
The emergence of the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia remains a serious Public Health concern.
At the BBC World Debate on Ebola
Adwoa Sey at the BBC World Debate on Ebola. With me in the Picture are staff and Executive Director of Hope For Future Generations HFFG
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
About International Women's Day
* International Women's Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future.
* In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women's Day is a national holiday.
* The first IWD was observed on 19 March 1911 in Germany following a declaration by the Socialist Party of America. The idea of having an international women's day was first put forward at the turn of the 20th century amid rapid world industrialization and economic expansion that led to protests over working conditions.
* 2011 sees the International Women's Day centenary fall on the same day as Shrove (pancake) Tuesday.
* For a detailed list of International Women's Day events globally see http://www.internationalwomensday.com/events.asp
* Follow the International Women's Day Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/womensday
* For more information see http://www.internationalwomensday.com/about.asp
* For International Women's Day logos and usage guidelines, see http://www.internationalwomensday.com/linkto.asp
* In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women's Day is a national holiday.
* The first IWD was observed on 19 March 1911 in Germany following a declaration by the Socialist Party of America. The idea of having an international women's day was first put forward at the turn of the 20th century amid rapid world industrialization and economic expansion that led to protests over working conditions.
* 2011 sees the International Women's Day centenary fall on the same day as Shrove (pancake) Tuesday.
* For a detailed list of International Women's Day events globally see http://www.internationalwomensday.com/events.asp
* Follow the International Women's Day Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/womensday
* For more information see http://www.internationalwomensday.com/about.asp
* For International Women's Day logos and usage guidelines, see http://www.internationalwomensday.com/linkto.asp
Press Release: International Women's Day Centenary sees largest ever activity
London, March 2, 2011: March 8 sees the highest level of global women's activity ever witnessed as groups celebrate the International Women's Day centenary.
The first International Women's Day events were run in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland in 1911 and attended by over one million people. 100 years on, International Women's Day (IWD) has become a global mainstream phenomena celebrated across many countries and is an official holiday in approximately 25 countries including Afghanistan, Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam and Zambia.
8 March sees extensive global women's activity. Performer and social activist, Annie Lennox, will lead a mass march across London's Millennium Bridge for charity. In Washington D.C. over a thousand people will descend on Capitol Hill demanding a better world for millions of marginalized women and girls around the globe. A major international businesswomen's conference will be hosted in Sydney, Australia. Schools and governments around the world are participating in the day. Trade Unions and charities are campaigning. Global corporations are hosting conferences and distributing extensive resource packs. The United Nations Secretary-General delivers a formal message. The United States even designates the whole month of March as Women's History Month as officially proclaimed by President Obama on February 28, 2011.
International Women's Day is a global celebration of the economic, political, and social achievements of women past, present, and future. However, activity has not always been on the increase. Australian entrepreneur and women's campaigner Glenda Stone, who founded the http://www.internationalwomensday.com website, a global hub of events and information, said:
"A decade ago International Women's Day was disappearing. Activity in Europe, where International Women's Day actually began, was very low. Providing a global online platform helped sustain and accelerate momentum for this important day. Holding only a handful of events ten years ago, the United Kingdom has now become the global leader for International Women's Day activity, followed sharply by Canada, United States and Australia. 2011 will see thousands of events globally for the first time."
More recently, social networking websites like Twitter, Facebook and Youtube have also helped fuel International Women's Day activity. Generally the day has moved away from its socialist Suffragette beginnings to become more mainstream in celebrating women's achievements. Women's rights campaigners, however, continue to remind that vigilance rather than complacency is essential in striving for women's equality.
The first International Women's Day events were run in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland in 1911 and attended by over one million people. 100 years on, International Women's Day (IWD) has become a global mainstream phenomena celebrated across many countries and is an official holiday in approximately 25 countries including Afghanistan, Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam and Zambia.
8 March sees extensive global women's activity. Performer and social activist, Annie Lennox, will lead a mass march across London's Millennium Bridge for charity. In Washington D.C. over a thousand people will descend on Capitol Hill demanding a better world for millions of marginalized women and girls around the globe. A major international businesswomen's conference will be hosted in Sydney, Australia. Schools and governments around the world are participating in the day. Trade Unions and charities are campaigning. Global corporations are hosting conferences and distributing extensive resource packs. The United Nations Secretary-General delivers a formal message. The United States even designates the whole month of March as Women's History Month as officially proclaimed by President Obama on February 28, 2011.
International Women's Day is a global celebration of the economic, political, and social achievements of women past, present, and future. However, activity has not always been on the increase. Australian entrepreneur and women's campaigner Glenda Stone, who founded the http://www.internationalwomensday.com website, a global hub of events and information, said:
"A decade ago International Women's Day was disappearing. Activity in Europe, where International Women's Day actually began, was very low. Providing a global online platform helped sustain and accelerate momentum for this important day. Holding only a handful of events ten years ago, the United Kingdom has now become the global leader for International Women's Day activity, followed sharply by Canada, United States and Australia. 2011 will see thousands of events globally for the first time."
More recently, social networking websites like Twitter, Facebook and Youtube have also helped fuel International Women's Day activity. Generally the day has moved away from its socialist Suffragette beginnings to become more mainstream in celebrating women's achievements. Women's rights campaigners, however, continue to remind that vigilance rather than complacency is essential in striving for women's equality.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN DAY AT A GLANCE
Each year around the world, International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8. Hundreds of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.
International Women's Day has been observed since in the early 1900's, a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies.
1908
Great unrest and critical debate was occurring amongst women. Women's oppression and inequality was spurring women to become more vocal and active in campaigning for change. Then in 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.
1909
In accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the first National Woman's Day (NWD) was observed across the United States on 28 February. Women continued to celebrate NWD on the last Sunday of February until 1913.
1910
n 1910 a second International Conference of Working Women was held in Copenhagen. A woman named a Clara Zetkin (Leader of the 'Women's Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany) tabled the idea of an International Women's Day. She proposed that every year in every country there should be a celebration on the same day - a Women's Day - to press for their demands. The conference of over 100 women from 17 countries, representing unions, socialist parties, working women's clubs, and including the first three women elected to the Finnish parliament, greeted Zetkin's suggestion with unanimous approval and thus International Women's Day was the result.
1911
Following the decision agreed at Copenhagen in 1911, International Women's Day (IWD) was honoured the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March. More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. However less than a week later on 25 March, the tragic 'Triangle Fire' in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working women, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. This disastrous event drew significant attention to working conditions and labour legislation in the United States that became a focus of subsequent International Women's Day events. 1911 also saw women's 'Bread and Roses' campaign.
1913-1914
On the eve of World War I campaigning for peace, Russian women observed their first International Women's Day on the last Sunday in February 1913. In 1913 following discussions, International Women's Day was transferred to 8 March and this day has remained the global date for International Wommen's Day ever since. In 1914 further women across Europe held rallies to campaign against the war and to express women's solidarity.
1917
On the last Sunday of February, Russian women began a strike for "bread and peace" in response to the death over 2 million Russian soldiers in war. Opposed by political leaders the women continued to strike until four days later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. The date the women's strike commenced was Sunday 23 February on the Julian calendar then in use in Russia. This day on the Gregorian calendar in use elsewhere was 8 March.
1918 - 1999
Since its birth in the socialist movement, International Women's Day has grown to become a global day of recognition and celebration across developed and developing countries alike. For decades, IWD has grown from strength to strength annually. For many years the United Nations has held an annual IWD conference to coordinate international efforts for women's rights and participation in social, political and economic processes. 1975 was designated as 'International Women's Year' by the United Nations. Women's organisations and governments around the world have also observed IWD annually on 8 March by holding large-scale events that honour women's advancement and while diligently reminding of the continued vigilance and action required to ensure that women's equality is gained and maintained in all aspects of life.
2000 and beyond
IWD is now an official holiday in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China (for women only), Cuba, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar (for women only), Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal (for women only), Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia. The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother's Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.
The new millennium has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women's and society's thoughts about women's equality and emancipation. Many from a younger generation feel that 'all the battles have been won for women' while many feminists from the 1970's know only too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of patriarchy. With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women's visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women's education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men.
However, great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family, women have real choices. And so the tone and nature of IWD has, for the past few years, moved from being a reminder about the negatives to a celebration of the positives.
International Women's Day has been observed since in the early 1900's, a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies.
1908
Great unrest and critical debate was occurring amongst women. Women's oppression and inequality was spurring women to become more vocal and active in campaigning for change. Then in 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.
1909
In accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the first National Woman's Day (NWD) was observed across the United States on 28 February. Women continued to celebrate NWD on the last Sunday of February until 1913.
1910
n 1910 a second International Conference of Working Women was held in Copenhagen. A woman named a Clara Zetkin (Leader of the 'Women's Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany) tabled the idea of an International Women's Day. She proposed that every year in every country there should be a celebration on the same day - a Women's Day - to press for their demands. The conference of over 100 women from 17 countries, representing unions, socialist parties, working women's clubs, and including the first three women elected to the Finnish parliament, greeted Zetkin's suggestion with unanimous approval and thus International Women's Day was the result.
1911
Following the decision agreed at Copenhagen in 1911, International Women's Day (IWD) was honoured the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March. More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. However less than a week later on 25 March, the tragic 'Triangle Fire' in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working women, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. This disastrous event drew significant attention to working conditions and labour legislation in the United States that became a focus of subsequent International Women's Day events. 1911 also saw women's 'Bread and Roses' campaign.
1913-1914
On the eve of World War I campaigning for peace, Russian women observed their first International Women's Day on the last Sunday in February 1913. In 1913 following discussions, International Women's Day was transferred to 8 March and this day has remained the global date for International Wommen's Day ever since. In 1914 further women across Europe held rallies to campaign against the war and to express women's solidarity.
1917
On the last Sunday of February, Russian women began a strike for "bread and peace" in response to the death over 2 million Russian soldiers in war. Opposed by political leaders the women continued to strike until four days later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. The date the women's strike commenced was Sunday 23 February on the Julian calendar then in use in Russia. This day on the Gregorian calendar in use elsewhere was 8 March.
1918 - 1999
Since its birth in the socialist movement, International Women's Day has grown to become a global day of recognition and celebration across developed and developing countries alike. For decades, IWD has grown from strength to strength annually. For many years the United Nations has held an annual IWD conference to coordinate international efforts for women's rights and participation in social, political and economic processes. 1975 was designated as 'International Women's Year' by the United Nations. Women's organisations and governments around the world have also observed IWD annually on 8 March by holding large-scale events that honour women's advancement and while diligently reminding of the continued vigilance and action required to ensure that women's equality is gained and maintained in all aspects of life.
2000 and beyond
IWD is now an official holiday in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China (for women only), Cuba, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar (for women only), Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal (for women only), Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia. The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother's Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.
The new millennium has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women's and society's thoughts about women's equality and emancipation. Many from a younger generation feel that 'all the battles have been won for women' while many feminists from the 1970's know only too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of patriarchy. With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women's visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women's education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men.
However, great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family, women have real choices. And so the tone and nature of IWD has, for the past few years, moved from being a reminder about the negatives to a celebration of the positives.
Facebook a top cause of relationship trouble, say US lawyers
Social networking site becoming primary source of evidence in divorce proceedings and custody battles, lawyers say.
This is alarming!!
This is alarming!!
Ivory Coast marches on International Women's Day end in bloodshed
Army kills three men and one woman as thousands of women protest against Laurent Gbagbo holding onto power.
Marches by thousands of women in protest at Ivory Coast's president Laurent Gbagbo have ended in bloodshed after his army killed four people.
The women made their stand on International Women's Day, less than a week after Gbagbo's soldiers killed seven women at a peaceful demonstration, earning worldwide condemnation.
After a small women's march in the Treichville neighbourhood, one of several in Abidjan on Tuesday, security forces burst into the area and began shooting.
The bodies of three men and one woman were seen by an Associated Press photographer inside a clinic where they were taken for treatment. The overwhelmed clinic had nowhere to put them except on the floor where the blood of the dead pooled together.
Thousands of women continued to gather in the besieged suburb of Abobo, where the seven women had been killed, some shouting "Gbagbo, assassin! Gbagbo, power thief! Leave!" Some were in traditional dress, others wore T-shirts printed with the face of Gbagbo's rival Alassane Ouattara.
The women were surrounded by pro-Ouattara youths with AK-47 rifles to prevent a repeat of last week's violence.
Among the marchers was Gervais Bredou, who said: "The women were reluctant after what happened last week. A pickup arrived with some pro-Gbagbo forces who fired warning shots into the air. Most of the women were afraid and started to run."
One female protester, Mariam Bamba, 32, picked up a tree branch next to one of the blood stains on the pavement where the women had been shot. "This leaf is all that they were carrying when they were killed," she said.
Kadhi M'daw, who led around 1,000 women through the pro-Ouattara stronghold of Koumassi, told Reuters: "We started with a Muslim prayer for peace, then a Christian one. We didn't see any security forces. There was no violence. We are very happy to be able to demonstrate."
But in Port Bouet, near Abidjan's airport, witnesses said around 50 pro-Gbagbo youths armed with AK-47s and machetes arrived to disperse the 200 women who tried to march there.
Gbagbo has refused to cede power even though the country's election commission declared opposition leader Ouattara the winner of last November's vote. Nearly 400 people have already been killed, most of them civilians who voted for Ouattara.
Aid agencies said an estimated 450,000 people have been uprooted by the growing conflict, including tens of thousands who fled to Liberia. In Abidjan some 300,000 people are displaced, mainly because of fighting between rival forces in the Abobo district, according to the UN.
Jemini Pandya, spokeswoman of the International Organisation for Migration, said: "Displacement from the Cote d'Ivoire crisis has reached alarming proportions."
Abobo is now largely controlled by insurgents calling themselves the "invisible commandos" and professing loyalty to Ouattara, after a week of gun battles in which they pushed out police and military loyal to Gbagbo. Fighting has also raged in the country's west with rebels taking three towns from Gbago's army.
Both Ouattara and Gbagbo have been invited to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Thursday to hear the verdict of the African Union's peace and security council, which was attempting to find a solution that will avert civil war. Ouattara is expected to attend but sources suggested that Gbagbo will send one of his ministers.
Ouattara has called on the international community to launch an armed intervention against Gbagbo, who appeared on state television last week to say that he is "hanging in there."
Marches by thousands of women in protest at Ivory Coast's president Laurent Gbagbo have ended in bloodshed after his army killed four people.
The women made their stand on International Women's Day, less than a week after Gbagbo's soldiers killed seven women at a peaceful demonstration, earning worldwide condemnation.
After a small women's march in the Treichville neighbourhood, one of several in Abidjan on Tuesday, security forces burst into the area and began shooting.
The bodies of three men and one woman were seen by an Associated Press photographer inside a clinic where they were taken for treatment. The overwhelmed clinic had nowhere to put them except on the floor where the blood of the dead pooled together.
Thousands of women continued to gather in the besieged suburb of Abobo, where the seven women had been killed, some shouting "Gbagbo, assassin! Gbagbo, power thief! Leave!" Some were in traditional dress, others wore T-shirts printed with the face of Gbagbo's rival Alassane Ouattara.
The women were surrounded by pro-Ouattara youths with AK-47 rifles to prevent a repeat of last week's violence.
Among the marchers was Gervais Bredou, who said: "The women were reluctant after what happened last week. A pickup arrived with some pro-Gbagbo forces who fired warning shots into the air. Most of the women were afraid and started to run."
One female protester, Mariam Bamba, 32, picked up a tree branch next to one of the blood stains on the pavement where the women had been shot. "This leaf is all that they were carrying when they were killed," she said.
Kadhi M'daw, who led around 1,000 women through the pro-Ouattara stronghold of Koumassi, told Reuters: "We started with a Muslim prayer for peace, then a Christian one. We didn't see any security forces. There was no violence. We are very happy to be able to demonstrate."
But in Port Bouet, near Abidjan's airport, witnesses said around 50 pro-Gbagbo youths armed with AK-47s and machetes arrived to disperse the 200 women who tried to march there.
Gbagbo has refused to cede power even though the country's election commission declared opposition leader Ouattara the winner of last November's vote. Nearly 400 people have already been killed, most of them civilians who voted for Ouattara.
Aid agencies said an estimated 450,000 people have been uprooted by the growing conflict, including tens of thousands who fled to Liberia. In Abidjan some 300,000 people are displaced, mainly because of fighting between rival forces in the Abobo district, according to the UN.
Jemini Pandya, spokeswoman of the International Organisation for Migration, said: "Displacement from the Cote d'Ivoire crisis has reached alarming proportions."
Abobo is now largely controlled by insurgents calling themselves the "invisible commandos" and professing loyalty to Ouattara, after a week of gun battles in which they pushed out police and military loyal to Gbagbo. Fighting has also raged in the country's west with rebels taking three towns from Gbago's army.
Both Ouattara and Gbagbo have been invited to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Thursday to hear the verdict of the African Union's peace and security council, which was attempting to find a solution that will avert civil war. Ouattara is expected to attend but sources suggested that Gbagbo will send one of his ministers.
Ouattara has called on the international community to launch an armed intervention against Gbagbo, who appeared on state television last week to say that he is "hanging in there."
Thursday, February 10, 2011
HEALING THAT EMPOWERS
Without education, HIV/AIDS will continue to spread. For too long, HIV/AIDS have been confined to the realms of clinics and hospitals but the epidemic does not respect these sectored boundaries.
We need a more holistic approach which will involve all churches as healing communities.
A true healing community is not a closed one.
It cuts across social class, status and power structures.
The members of a true healing community must move out to identify with people who are on its fringes, inviting the marginalized and oppressed in, enabling them to join their communities with restored relationships.
Often people working in the field of HIV/AIDS get discouraged, especially when they see the brokenness of life all around;
the work is big, the task ahead far greater than anyone can imagine, the results so seemingly few and with different strands of the virus emerging every day.
Working in this field takes up a lot of physical and emotional energy. We might want to give up sometime.
Faith healing and spiritual cures have always been part of the church's ministry.
To many, they smack of magic, of mystical claims of ‘impossible cures’ , deeply foreign to us.
They are sometimes seen as dry fruits of aging churches which have lost contact with the living sources of healing power.
In the mist of this tension, the world’s greatest pandemic, HIV/AIDS, is changing the concept of what the healing ministry of the church can mean.
What is empowerment and how can we empower our centers to heal others?
God’s power proclaimed by Jesus Christ is the rejection of powers of this world and the manifestation of His Grace and love in powerlessness.
God’s healing action in Christ empowers the powerless, it liberates, humanizes and transforms lives.
Empowered by Christ, the church must carry out the mission of combating the forces of this world that exercise a demonic influence on society.
The church is not on the side of power, but of powerlessness, not with the powerful but with the powerless.
The church must challenge all acts that pursue over powering, and support and engage all acts that promote empowering.
The church remains powerful in powerlessness so long as it remains obedient to God’s covenant with humanity through Christ.
Christ empowers us against violence and injustices in our prophetic struggles.
This empowerment is a source of healing, transformation and reconciliation.
We can empower by
Healing experiences whether it is our own or that of someone close to us
Allowing our healing to embrace those closest to us
We need a more holistic approach which will involve all churches as healing communities.
A true healing community is not a closed one.
It cuts across social class, status and power structures.
The members of a true healing community must move out to identify with people who are on its fringes, inviting the marginalized and oppressed in, enabling them to join their communities with restored relationships.
Often people working in the field of HIV/AIDS get discouraged, especially when they see the brokenness of life all around;
the work is big, the task ahead far greater than anyone can imagine, the results so seemingly few and with different strands of the virus emerging every day.
Working in this field takes up a lot of physical and emotional energy. We might want to give up sometime.
Faith healing and spiritual cures have always been part of the church's ministry.
To many, they smack of magic, of mystical claims of ‘impossible cures’ , deeply foreign to us.
They are sometimes seen as dry fruits of aging churches which have lost contact with the living sources of healing power.
In the mist of this tension, the world’s greatest pandemic, HIV/AIDS, is changing the concept of what the healing ministry of the church can mean.
What is empowerment and how can we empower our centers to heal others?
God’s power proclaimed by Jesus Christ is the rejection of powers of this world and the manifestation of His Grace and love in powerlessness.
God’s healing action in Christ empowers the powerless, it liberates, humanizes and transforms lives.
Empowered by Christ, the church must carry out the mission of combating the forces of this world that exercise a demonic influence on society.
The church is not on the side of power, but of powerlessness, not with the powerful but with the powerless.
The church must challenge all acts that pursue over powering, and support and engage all acts that promote empowering.
The church remains powerful in powerlessness so long as it remains obedient to God’s covenant with humanity through Christ.
Christ empowers us against violence and injustices in our prophetic struggles.
This empowerment is a source of healing, transformation and reconciliation.
We can empower by
Healing experiences whether it is our own or that of someone close to us
Allowing our healing to embrace those closest to us
Group skill
Group skills
The group process is a series of changes which occur as a group of individuals form into a cohesive and effective operating unit. If the process is understood, it can be accelerated.
There are two main sets of skills which a group must acquire:
Managerial Skills
Interpersonal Skills
and the speeding up of the group process is simply the hastened up acquisition of these.
As a self-managing unit, a group has to undertake most of the functions of a Group Leader - collectively. For instance, meetings must be organized, budgets decided, strategic planning undertaken, goals set, performance monitored, reviews scheduled, etc.
It is increasingly recognized that it is wrong to expect an individual to suddenly assume managerial responsibility without assistance; in the group it is even more so.
Even if there are practiced managers or highly educated skilled people in the group, you must all first agree on a method, and then convince and train the remainder of the group.
As a collection of people, a group needs to relearn some basic manners and people-management skills.
Again, think of that self-opinionated, cantankerous loudmouth; he/she should learn good manners, and the group must learn to enforce these manners without destructive confrontation.
We come from different backgrounds
The two basic foci should be the group and the task.
If something is to be decided, it is the group that decides it.
If there is a problem, the group solves it.
If a member is performing badly, it is the group who asks for change.
If individual conflicts arise, review them in terms of the task.
If there is initially a lack of structure and purpose in the deliberations, impose both in terms of the task.
If there are disputes between alternative courses of action, negotiate in terms of the task.
Clarification :In any project management, the clarity of the specification is of paramount importance - in group work it is exponentially so. If there are 8 members in the group then the chance of the group all working towards that same task is 0.17. And the same reasoning hold for every decision and action taken throughout the life of the group.
It is the first responsibility of the group to clarify its own task, and to record this understanding so that it can be constantly seen. This mission statement may be revised or replaced, but it should always act as a focus for the groups deliberations and actions.
The mouse : In any group, there is always the quiet one in the corner who doesn't say much. That individual is the most under utilized resource in the whole group, and so represents the best return for minimal effort by the group as a whole. It is the responsibility of that individual to speak out and to contribute. It is the responsibility of the group to encourage and develop that person, to include him/her in the discussion and actions, and to provide positive reinforcement each time that happens.
The loud-mouth : In any group, there is always a dominant member whose opinions form a disproportionate share of the discussion. It is the responsibility of each individual to consider whether they are that person. It is the responsibility of the group to ask whether the loud-mouth might like to summarize briefly, and then ask for other views.
The written record :Often a decision which is not recorded will become clouded and have to be re-discussed. This can be avoided simply by recording on a large display (where the group can clearly see) each decision as it is made. This has the further advantage that each decision must be expressed in a clear and concise form which ensures that it is clarified.
Groups are like relationships - you have to work at them. In the work place, they constitute an important unit of activity but one whose support needs are only recently becoming understood.
By making the group itself responsible for its own support, the responsibility becomes an accelerator for the group process.
What is vital, is that these needs are recognized and explicitly dealt with by the group.
Time and resources must be allocated to this by the group and by church, and the group process must be planned, monitored and reviewed just like any other managed process.
The group process is a series of changes which occur as a group of individuals form into a cohesive and effective operating unit. If the process is understood, it can be accelerated.
There are two main sets of skills which a group must acquire:
Managerial Skills
Interpersonal Skills
and the speeding up of the group process is simply the hastened up acquisition of these.
As a self-managing unit, a group has to undertake most of the functions of a Group Leader - collectively. For instance, meetings must be organized, budgets decided, strategic planning undertaken, goals set, performance monitored, reviews scheduled, etc.
It is increasingly recognized that it is wrong to expect an individual to suddenly assume managerial responsibility without assistance; in the group it is even more so.
Even if there are practiced managers or highly educated skilled people in the group, you must all first agree on a method, and then convince and train the remainder of the group.
As a collection of people, a group needs to relearn some basic manners and people-management skills.
Again, think of that self-opinionated, cantankerous loudmouth; he/she should learn good manners, and the group must learn to enforce these manners without destructive confrontation.
We come from different backgrounds
The two basic foci should be the group and the task.
If something is to be decided, it is the group that decides it.
If there is a problem, the group solves it.
If a member is performing badly, it is the group who asks for change.
If individual conflicts arise, review them in terms of the task.
If there is initially a lack of structure and purpose in the deliberations, impose both in terms of the task.
If there are disputes between alternative courses of action, negotiate in terms of the task.
Clarification :In any project management, the clarity of the specification is of paramount importance - in group work it is exponentially so. If there are 8 members in the group then the chance of the group all working towards that same task is 0.17. And the same reasoning hold for every decision and action taken throughout the life of the group.
It is the first responsibility of the group to clarify its own task, and to record this understanding so that it can be constantly seen. This mission statement may be revised or replaced, but it should always act as a focus for the groups deliberations and actions.
The mouse : In any group, there is always the quiet one in the corner who doesn't say much. That individual is the most under utilized resource in the whole group, and so represents the best return for minimal effort by the group as a whole. It is the responsibility of that individual to speak out and to contribute. It is the responsibility of the group to encourage and develop that person, to include him/her in the discussion and actions, and to provide positive reinforcement each time that happens.
The loud-mouth : In any group, there is always a dominant member whose opinions form a disproportionate share of the discussion. It is the responsibility of each individual to consider whether they are that person. It is the responsibility of the group to ask whether the loud-mouth might like to summarize briefly, and then ask for other views.
The written record :Often a decision which is not recorded will become clouded and have to be re-discussed. This can be avoided simply by recording on a large display (where the group can clearly see) each decision as it is made. This has the further advantage that each decision must be expressed in a clear and concise form which ensures that it is clarified.
Groups are like relationships - you have to work at them. In the work place, they constitute an important unit of activity but one whose support needs are only recently becoming understood.
By making the group itself responsible for its own support, the responsibility becomes an accelerator for the group process.
What is vital, is that these needs are recognized and explicitly dealt with by the group.
Time and resources must be allocated to this by the group and by church, and the group process must be planned, monitored and reviewed just like any other managed process.
PRACTICE MAKES ONE PERFECT
It is a fact, you play at the level at which you practice.
- Good practice leads consistently TO good play
- It sharpens you.
Practice enables development.
- If you desire to improve and develop, then you most practice.
- Every single performance can be improved
- Improvement always requires some degree of failure
- You cannot discover your abilities and implore your skills in an environment where you are not allowed to make mistakes.
- You must be willing to start with small things.
Practice Demand Discipline
- We are what we repeatedly do
- Excellence than is not an act, but a habit
- The habit is developed during practice.
Persevere
Perseverance recognizes that life is not a long race, but many short ones in succession.
- “Success consist of a series of little daily victories”
Be courageous.
Courage is an everyday virtue.
- Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak
- Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
- Good practice leads consistently TO good play
- It sharpens you.
Practice enables development.
- If you desire to improve and develop, then you most practice.
- Every single performance can be improved
- Improvement always requires some degree of failure
- You cannot discover your abilities and implore your skills in an environment where you are not allowed to make mistakes.
- You must be willing to start with small things.
Practice Demand Discipline
- We are what we repeatedly do
- Excellence than is not an act, but a habit
- The habit is developed during practice.
Persevere
Perseverance recognizes that life is not a long race, but many short ones in succession.
- “Success consist of a series of little daily victories”
Be courageous.
Courage is an everyday virtue.
- Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak
- Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
Child Labour and Trafficking
• Child labour is the exploitation and engagement of children below 18 years in labour for profit making denying them of their right to education and other privileges.
• Trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the given and receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.
• Trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the given and receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.
THE ECOLOGY OF HIV
HIV is a very simple virus with only nine genes but the way it causes infection and eventually severe illness is complex,
HIV attacks the immune system at the same time the immune system attacks the HIV virus,
The HIV virus, CD4 cells and other immune cells are produced and destroyed at a rapid rate,
HIV attacks the immune system at the same time the immune system attacks the HIV virus,
The HIV virus, CD4 cells and other immune cells are produced and destroyed at a rapid rate,
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Tourism in Ghana – Places of Interest (selection)
Listed below are numerous sights in Ghana that are popular places of interest:
• Akosmobo & Volta Lake
• Beaches
• Castles and Forts
• Wildlife protected Areas & national Parks
• National Museum
Greater Accra
• Makola Market: (The Kojo Thompson Roa). One of the continent’s most colourful. The most interesting and picturesque modern open market, where the visitor will admire the business acumen of the Ghanaian women traders.
• The Du Bois Centre (House No. 22, 1st Circular Road, Cantonment) an important venue for all people of the Pan African World.
• The University of Ghana, Legon: (14 Kilometers North of Accra). A showpiece of Japanese architecture in a tropical setting.
• The National Museum: (Barnes Road), here you will find the History of Ghana told in a collection of ancient relics, documents and pictures.
• Accra Handicraft Market
Ashanti Region
• Lake Bosomtwi
• Army & Prempeh II Museum: (in pic Kumasi)
• National culture Centre: (Kumasi)
Brong Ahafo Region
• Fuller waterfalls: A fierce and magnificent plunge on a two-tier rock pile to give a perfect whirl at the bottom.
• Ancient City of Begro-Excavations of various pieces confirm the claim that centuries back people led a civilized life here. It is thought that between the 14th and 18th centuries Begro had contacts with the Arabs and other Southern sudan Empires.
• The Yeji Port-Situated on the Volta Lake offers industrial as well as leisure facilities.
• The Bui National Park- Home to the largest population of hippopotamus in Ghana.
• Friday Market at Techiman-This is the largest and oldest weekly market in Ghana, which is still visited by traders from Mali, Niger and other West African countries.
Central Region
• Former government centre of the Gold Coast, Cape Coast was the seat of the British Colonial administration up until 1877 when it was moved to Accra.
Along the coastline of this region are ancient forts and castles built by the European traders. Three of these: Elmina castle, St Jago castle and Cape coast castle have been designated as World Heritage Monuments by the World Heritage Foundation (UNESCO). These are well preserved and must be seen by anyone visiting this region.
• Kakum National Park: This is set within a 357 sq km natural park and gives a taste of undisturbed virgin rainforest. It has excellent walk tours through the forest providing visitors the opportunity of Ghana's indigenous plant life. Other high lights include treetop canopy walkway and bird watching.
• Beaches; this region has excellent palm-fringed beaches. Popular spots include Brewa Beach, Sir Charles beach (Winneba), Elmina beach (near the castle) and Gomoa Fetteh beach that is popular with picnickers.
• Fishing villages; busy fishing villages and traditional market towns abound along the whole coastline of this region.
• Must see places are:- Winneba fishing fleets and local ceramics Mankessim Posuban shrine and busy market.� Kromantse/Abandze Twin fishing village and important trading centre
Eastern Region
• Boti falls
• Cruise Along the East
Northern Region
• Larabanga Mosque
• Mole National Park
• Paga Crocodile Ponds (Bolgatanga)
Volta Region
• Chances Are... You'll Enjoy The Volta
• Wli waterfalls and Mount Afadjato in the Volta region
Western Region
• Southernmost Tip: The colourful communities of Dixcove and Busua have been 'in' spots for beach lovers and budget travelers for years. Busua is tiny, with only one hotel and no restaurant, but a 25 minute walk west brings you to Dixcove, with a vibrant port and a renovated fort. Swimmers prefer Busua, with its long white-sand beach, while surfers enjoy some of the coast's best waves on the beaches of Dixcove.
• Fort Metal Cross (1691) is another fortress-turned-slave storage barn, which - while not as haunting as some others - has its fair share of horror stories to pass on.
• The two towns are widely renowned for their lobsters, and you can find out why down by the waterfront and at the local markets. Local villagers are your best bet for finding a meal - especially cooked lobster - usually at a very reasonable cost. Dixcove, the southernmost town in Ghana, is about� 200km (125mi) west of Accra and can be reached by a combination of tro-tro or taxi and walking or
hitching.
Other Attractions
• Cave exploration
• Bird Watching
Getting Around Accra
Accra is the capital of Ghana and is located on the coast of western region of Africa. With the population of almost 2 million it’s the most populous city in the country. Ga is the widely spoken language in the city but you can also see many people speaking Hausa, Twi and Ewe. However, English is also spoken in urban area. Accra is the most famous city in Ghana because of its rich history and tourists’ attractions.
Get in
Kotoka International Airport is the main gateways to get in the country and is located in the capital city, Accra. It operates with all international airlines which provide cheap Accra flights from America, Middle East, Africa and Europe. You can also use the same airport to get domestic flights to Kumasi and Tamale.
Must See
Accra is filled with museums, parks, shopping markets, library, beaches and castle etc. National Museum is the perfect place to understand the rich history of Ghana and its past trends. Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park offers you mausoleum of Kwame Nkrumah, the great leader of Ghana, who led the country towards independence. In addition to this, The national Archives of Ghana, The Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, Ghana’s Central Library and Chirsitanborg Castle are must visit places.
Labadi beach is the most famous tourists spot in Accra. It’s warm but fresh water makes it the perfect place for swimming but strolling is another must do activity at Labadi beach.
Shopping
Shopping is the most exciting experience in the country. Makola market is the busiest market in the city that is full of fabric shops. Kaneshie market is another worth seeing market that offer a wide variety of traditional goods. National Cultural Center, Accra Mall, A&C Shopping Mall, Palace shopping Mall and Shaaba Shopping Mall are worth to be not missed.
Accra offers a lot of dining and drinking options as world class restaurants are located in the city. Similarly, several world class hotels welcome you with their best services. You can stay in any hotel for as many days as you need to explore Accra.
• Akosmobo & Volta Lake
• Beaches
• Castles and Forts
• Wildlife protected Areas & national Parks
• National Museum
Greater Accra
• Makola Market: (The Kojo Thompson Roa). One of the continent’s most colourful. The most interesting and picturesque modern open market, where the visitor will admire the business acumen of the Ghanaian women traders.
• The Du Bois Centre (House No. 22, 1st Circular Road, Cantonment) an important venue for all people of the Pan African World.
• The University of Ghana, Legon: (14 Kilometers North of Accra). A showpiece of Japanese architecture in a tropical setting.
• The National Museum: (Barnes Road), here you will find the History of Ghana told in a collection of ancient relics, documents and pictures.
• Accra Handicraft Market
Ashanti Region
• Lake Bosomtwi
• Army & Prempeh II Museum: (in pic Kumasi)
• National culture Centre: (Kumasi)
Brong Ahafo Region
• Fuller waterfalls: A fierce and magnificent plunge on a two-tier rock pile to give a perfect whirl at the bottom.
• Ancient City of Begro-Excavations of various pieces confirm the claim that centuries back people led a civilized life here. It is thought that between the 14th and 18th centuries Begro had contacts with the Arabs and other Southern sudan Empires.
• The Yeji Port-Situated on the Volta Lake offers industrial as well as leisure facilities.
• The Bui National Park- Home to the largest population of hippopotamus in Ghana.
• Friday Market at Techiman-This is the largest and oldest weekly market in Ghana, which is still visited by traders from Mali, Niger and other West African countries.
Central Region
• Former government centre of the Gold Coast, Cape Coast was the seat of the British Colonial administration up until 1877 when it was moved to Accra.
Along the coastline of this region are ancient forts and castles built by the European traders. Three of these: Elmina castle, St Jago castle and Cape coast castle have been designated as World Heritage Monuments by the World Heritage Foundation (UNESCO). These are well preserved and must be seen by anyone visiting this region.
• Kakum National Park: This is set within a 357 sq km natural park and gives a taste of undisturbed virgin rainforest. It has excellent walk tours through the forest providing visitors the opportunity of Ghana's indigenous plant life. Other high lights include treetop canopy walkway and bird watching.
• Beaches; this region has excellent palm-fringed beaches. Popular spots include Brewa Beach, Sir Charles beach (Winneba), Elmina beach (near the castle) and Gomoa Fetteh beach that is popular with picnickers.
• Fishing villages; busy fishing villages and traditional market towns abound along the whole coastline of this region.
• Must see places are:- Winneba fishing fleets and local ceramics Mankessim Posuban shrine and busy market.� Kromantse/Abandze Twin fishing village and important trading centre
Eastern Region
• Boti falls
• Cruise Along the East
Northern Region
• Larabanga Mosque
• Mole National Park
• Paga Crocodile Ponds (Bolgatanga)
Volta Region
• Chances Are... You'll Enjoy The Volta
• Wli waterfalls and Mount Afadjato in the Volta region
Western Region
• Southernmost Tip: The colourful communities of Dixcove and Busua have been 'in' spots for beach lovers and budget travelers for years. Busua is tiny, with only one hotel and no restaurant, but a 25 minute walk west brings you to Dixcove, with a vibrant port and a renovated fort. Swimmers prefer Busua, with its long white-sand beach, while surfers enjoy some of the coast's best waves on the beaches of Dixcove.
• Fort Metal Cross (1691) is another fortress-turned-slave storage barn, which - while not as haunting as some others - has its fair share of horror stories to pass on.
• The two towns are widely renowned for their lobsters, and you can find out why down by the waterfront and at the local markets. Local villagers are your best bet for finding a meal - especially cooked lobster - usually at a very reasonable cost. Dixcove, the southernmost town in Ghana, is about� 200km (125mi) west of Accra and can be reached by a combination of tro-tro or taxi and walking or
hitching.
Other Attractions
• Cave exploration
• Bird Watching
Getting Around Accra
Accra is the capital of Ghana and is located on the coast of western region of Africa. With the population of almost 2 million it’s the most populous city in the country. Ga is the widely spoken language in the city but you can also see many people speaking Hausa, Twi and Ewe. However, English is also spoken in urban area. Accra is the most famous city in Ghana because of its rich history and tourists’ attractions.
Get in
Kotoka International Airport is the main gateways to get in the country and is located in the capital city, Accra. It operates with all international airlines which provide cheap Accra flights from America, Middle East, Africa and Europe. You can also use the same airport to get domestic flights to Kumasi and Tamale.
Must See
Accra is filled with museums, parks, shopping markets, library, beaches and castle etc. National Museum is the perfect place to understand the rich history of Ghana and its past trends. Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park offers you mausoleum of Kwame Nkrumah, the great leader of Ghana, who led the country towards independence. In addition to this, The national Archives of Ghana, The Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, Ghana’s Central Library and Chirsitanborg Castle are must visit places.
Labadi beach is the most famous tourists spot in Accra. It’s warm but fresh water makes it the perfect place for swimming but strolling is another must do activity at Labadi beach.
Shopping
Shopping is the most exciting experience in the country. Makola market is the busiest market in the city that is full of fabric shops. Kaneshie market is another worth seeing market that offer a wide variety of traditional goods. National Cultural Center, Accra Mall, A&C Shopping Mall, Palace shopping Mall and Shaaba Shopping Mall are worth to be not missed.
Accra offers a lot of dining and drinking options as world class restaurants are located in the city. Similarly, several world class hotels welcome you with their best services. You can stay in any hotel for as many days as you need to explore Accra.
Ghana 's Currency
Currency
The cedi (currency sign: ₵; currency code: GHS) is the unit of currency of Ghana. One cedi is divided into one hundred pesewas. The present cedi was introduced on July 3, 2007, and was equal to 10,000 old cedi when redenomination saw four zeros lopped off the value. It was the highest-valued currency unit issued by sovereign countries in Africa in 2007.
The word "cedi" is derived from the Akan word for cowry shell. Cowry shells were once used in Ghana as a form of currency.
A number of Ghanaian coins have also been issued in Sika denominations. These are probably best considered as "medallic" coinage, and may have no legal tender status. The word sika means "money".
For up-to-date exchanges rates, please access www.xe.com
Most hotels, restaurants, travel agencies and the bigger shops will take credit /debit cards. Most of the bigger banks will advance local currency against a credit card.
Standard Chartered, Ecobank, Zenith, Stanbic and Barclays Banks have ATMs which accept Visa cards for cash. The most common international currencies are USD, British Pounds and Euro.
The cedi (currency sign: ₵; currency code: GHS) is the unit of currency of Ghana. One cedi is divided into one hundred pesewas. The present cedi was introduced on July 3, 2007, and was equal to 10,000 old cedi when redenomination saw four zeros lopped off the value. It was the highest-valued currency unit issued by sovereign countries in Africa in 2007.
The word "cedi" is derived from the Akan word for cowry shell. Cowry shells were once used in Ghana as a form of currency.
A number of Ghanaian coins have also been issued in Sika denominations. These are probably best considered as "medallic" coinage, and may have no legal tender status. The word sika means "money".
For up-to-date exchanges rates, please access www.xe.com
Most hotels, restaurants, travel agencies and the bigger shops will take credit /debit cards. Most of the bigger banks will advance local currency against a credit card.
Standard Chartered, Ecobank, Zenith, Stanbic and Barclays Banks have ATMs which accept Visa cards for cash. The most common international currencies are USD, British Pounds and Euro.
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