21st May, 2009

Maiden Press Conference:

CDDF PRESS STATEMENT

COMMUNITY DIRECTED DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION PRESENTS A GROUNDBREAKING INITIATIVE FOR RAPID SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA

The Challenge that we Seek to Overcome:
THE world today is faced with problems of poverty and underdevelopment in many countries. The situation reveals unimaginable suffering with avoidable diseases, malnutrition, hunger, starvation, lack of adequate basic education, environmental degradation and above all, lack of social cohesion leading to conflict in the poorest nations. Unfortunately, much of sub-Saharan Africa remains in deep crises with virtually all the countries suffering from various degrees of hardship including huge indebtedness.

Against this background, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were identified in 2000 to reverse global poverty and underdevelopment. However, achieving the MDGs in Africa to meet various targets by 2015 & 2020 is still an uphill task!

It is for these reasons that CDDF introduces a social innovation to promote sustainable development in Africa, firstly to meet the MDGs, and secondly, to achieve rapid sustainable progress beyond the targets set for the MDGs.

CDDF is a foundation for development “non-governmental” based in Accra, Ghana, with the objective of promoting sustainable development in Ghana and throughout Africa.

Our Vision is to Bring Good Health, Prosperity and Development to Africa.


The Road Map For a Rising Africa Catalyzed by CDDF:
Part 1: Breaking down critical barriers that inhibit sustainable development:
Following the leadership provided by CDDF, we have already developed approaches to overcome the three most important barriers that inhibit rapid sustainable socio-economic development in poor communities and developing countries. These barriers are;
1. The inability to replicate development from one area to another. CDDF has developed a social innovation that enables us to replicate development from one area to another in a virtually automated manner similar to how the cells of our body divides to make we ourselves.
2. The difficulties in achieving holistic integration of development options. Through the social innovation presented by CDDF we have a unique opportunity to integrate all development activities including initiatives in education, health, environment, agriculture, industry, economic, social/ occupational activities and all others.
3. Solving the sustainability question. Why is it that we make a borehole in a village only to go back after a few years to discover that it is no longer functional? CDDF has developed the approach to ensure that we will no longer have to go in circles trying to provide resources and build capability in deprived communities.

Part 2: Introduction of a consolidated partnership for development:
So, in the process to lift Ghana and the rest of Africa out of poverty and misery, we unveil the following:
1. A consolidated partnership for development that will eliminate disease, hunger, civil strife, wars and poverty from Africa, and this will touch the rest of the world.
Indeed, the capacity to execute this partnership is underscored by the mission of the Foundation itself:
The Mission of CDDF involves innovative networking and partnerships designed to build bridges between experts and organizations that do not traditionally work well together and create the orderly, structured environment needed to encourage local people to take ownership of development oriented programmes and activities, and execute them in a sustainable manner. Furthermore, pursue networking of academia, research institutions, industry and communities in a social innovation that promotes relevant local research whose results are directly utilized to bridge the Research/ Policy divide, as well as the Research and Development divide needed for sustainable development.”
In the Dangme East District of Ghana, CDDF has already put in place an integrated network of local partners in development that includes; traditional authority, opinion leaders, religious organizations, education and health promoters, social and occupational groups, Academia, Research, Industry, the Media and Communities supported by Local Government within the enabling environment promoted by Central Government.

On this note we recognize once again, the presence of distinguished delegates from a broad spectrum of stakeholders from the Dangme East District.

A. The Role of Local People & Communities in the Partnerships for Development
The Foundation has started activities in the Dangme East District which is, therefore, the “start-up area” for sustainable community development in Ghana, which will be replicated to all districts across the country in the very near future, and also extended to the rest of Africa within three (3) years!

In the Dangme East District which is strongly represented here at this Maiden Press Conference of CDDF, we expect to hear and see communities rise up to the challenges of development and introduce major changes for socio-economic improvement that are undeniably sustainable. Already, the people have formed six (6) Community Directed Development Associations (CDDAs) which networks all the Identifiable Groups in the development areas. And, they have also put together TASK FORCES and a system of community representatives for social action. Under the circumstances, therefore, within the next few months we should expect clear improvement: in health, education, agriculture, environment, industry, economic, and social/ occupational activities in the district. Also, they will demonstrate the capacity to promote income generation and mobilization of local resources including human, material and financial for sustainability of development programmes.

The evolution of this capability will require innovative partnership with important stakeholders such as the telecommunications to facilitate critical communication needed for the transformation process.


B. The Need for Extended Partnerships for Development
The reality of the circumstances prevailing today is that nothing concrete can ever be achieved in any part of Ghana and Africa without the active support and involvement of all people and sectors of our society. To ensure that the spirit of critical partnerships is upheld, we have put together a sequence of groundbreaking initiatives for the Media including all the Radio Stations, Newspapers, Television and Electronic Media, the Religious organizations, including Churches, Mosques, and other faiths, the Youth led by Students, integrated networking of Academic Institutions, Industry and Research Institutes linked innovatively to Communities, a new platform for preventive health care based on Personalized Health Education, a breakthrough for integrating food, health and environmental sustainability, Comprehensive GIS-based data systems and demographic surveillance for sustainable community development, a fundamental inroad into Sustainable Waste Management, a touch for drive efficiency and effectiveness of community mobilization by women for Africa, and also, and an amazing network of CDDF Link Organizations in countries across the world.


C. Selected Groundbreaking Initiatives Promoted by CDDF
1. A Media partnership also called “CDDF Africa Media Initiative” which will be unleashed to use the power of communication to drive the process of transformation of our local communities to attain sustainable development under trying circumstances here in Ghana and other African countries. This “Media Action Network for Africa” will utilize radio, television, print media and internet in innovative public engagement to support sustainable poverty reduction in Africa.
2. A partnership with Faith-Based Organizations that underscores the image of God in man and kindle the drive for initiatives and innovation by individuals and groups. This CDDF Africa Faith Initiative will take into account the dynamic role that religion plays in African societies, and promote the sharing of experiences and best practices that can be adopted in different communities. This faith initiative will encourage individuals to play a selfless role based on what he or she can do for the community, and not what the community can do for him or her.
3. CDDF has put together a remarkable drive for strengthening education, disease control and health security.
Our initiative also called CDDF Brempong-Twum Initiative for Good Health (BIG-H) is a special programme that utilizes the extensive networking, partnerships and collaborations built in the community to improve community health. The initiative is designed to facilitate health intervention programmes and impact on the control of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) such as bilharzia and intestinal worms, as well as major diseases including malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. Here, it is our expectation that major efforts by the Ministry of Health and organizations such as the Volta River Authority (VRA) to control diseases of public health importance will be greatly enhanced. In this respect we greatly appreciate the opportunity to work with these partners and others in the field to eliminate these preventable diseases. BIG-H has the unique advantage of enhancing; 1. the adoption of existing disease control tools in endemic areas through sustainable community action, and 2. the effect of health education for behavior change.
4. An unprecedented partnership and plan for agriculture, health and environmental sustainability is being put in place to overcome limitations in these fields. In this respect, CDDF is introducing in partnership with others in the field fundamental initiatives to enhance waste management, in a way that will impact on the environment, agriculture, health, education and general advances in the industrial sector. Our discussions with partners at the local level including, the Zoomlion, the National Youth Employment Scheme, the NCCE and Local Government itself, as well as communities who are already taking initiatives is duly recognized. Indeed, this programme of “CDDF -Ghana Domestic Waste Sorting Initiative” will very soon initiate a drive to involve broad partnerships from all sectors of development.
The introduction of sorting of domestic waste at the household level, offers an integrated approach to address problems of waste management. This effort will promote quality assurance and good practices, to enable sorted food remains to be utilized for feed in animal production or for compost generation as organic fertilizer. The initiative will encourage community-based business that cuts across the spectrum of production from meat, milk, egg, and leather industry, to promotion of art and craft, to mechanized agriculture/ agro-forestry and an industrial oriented “community” with increased exports.
In partnership with the CSIR-Food Research Institute (FRI), the Accra Polytechnic, the African Society for Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms (ASEMM) and the Mushroom Growers and Exporters Association of Ghana, we have already launched the Mushroom Initiative Ghana, with the support of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and the Ministry of Environment Science and Technology (MEST). Through this Mushroom initiative Ghana, we shall address some of the fundamental causes of protein malnutrition in the country and help eliminate major problems such as Kwashiorkor in children. Working with our partners we are broadening the collaboration and stakeholder networking for this Initiative to include various ministries, research and educational institutions, hospitalities industry, financial institutions and mushroom developers in General. Working with all the stakeholders, we will soon reveal a comprehensive plan for enhancing the mushroom industry in the country with major gains for food, nutrition, health and environmental integration.

5. CDDF link Organizations in all countries provides a role for the world in a Rising Africa. CDDF-Country Link Organizations will be made up of individuals and groups in any particular country who are interested in playing active roles in poverty reduction in Africa. Through platforms such as the internet and e-mail they will share experiences from work being done in Africa and help to find solutions to specific problems and challenges encountered. The presence of CDDF Link Organizations in every country will give every human being the chance to be part of this amazing global experience for Africa.
Furthermore, the “CDDF Africa Advisory Network” which comprises individuals with distinguished social standing offers a unique opportunity to interact with personalities across the world.
6. Ghana will become a model for sustainable development in Africa as it provides the means to achieve the MDGs on the continent. For this we highlight some of the innovative initiatives promoted by the Foundation.
CDDF Africa Future Initiative: This is a ground breaking initiative that projects the youth in Africa to play a leading role in poverty reduction. Led by a network of students, the youth are organized to be actively involved in finding solutions to developmental problems and encourage philanthropic action at home in Africa, which is impressive enough to stimulate a wave of similar support from Abroad.
CDDF Research Direction & Innovation: This is a concerted research and academic network support for community development. In this programme, research and academic institutions and industry are brought together to form a network called “Ghana Research Direction and Innovation Network”. CDDF Student Pioneers, lecturers and research staff in universities, polytechnics, training colleges, together with staff of research institutions and industry will conduct research in collaboration with community Representatives and Task Forces to address urgent local problems
Furthermore, CDDF has developed a Comprehensive GIS based data system and demographic surveillance for sustainable community development. This programme, involves the compilation of an integrated database that interfaces, different kinds of information and provides a data outlet to support informed decision making at the local level. Systems are put in place to facilitate regular collection of available information to update the database.
CDDF Dreams Initiative: The CDDF AFRICAN DREAM Initiative is designed to encourage people to take up initiatives and introduce innovation needed for sustainable community development. This initiative compiles new ideas and innovation under strict confidentiality, which may be supported by interested parties. The original owners of the ideas and stakeholders own intellectual property.
CDDF Awards: The contributions of individuals and groups to poverty reduction will be recognized and awarded at three different levels: 1. The local community level, 2. National level and 3. International (Continental) level.
CDDF Women for Africa (CDDF-wFa): The women for Africa will harness human resources from around the globe to promote gender equality and empower women in their local communities to play active role in sustainable development. As a global women’s organization, CDDF-wFa will help to realize full participation of women in the mainstream of African society to impact on rapid sustainable socio-economic transformation.

Above all, CDDF will facilitate the general community effort promoted by the Local Government through the CDDAs, the Task Forces that they form, Traditional Authority involving Chiefs, Elders and Opinion leaders, Initiatives through religious organizations including the churches, mosques and others, Youth Initiatives, efforts through the Schools, Innovative Individual activities, exceptional Media Contributions and general Community Action.

FINALLY, we underscore our unyielding determination is based on:
OUR RESOLVE … to acknowledge the contributions of people and award them
OUR MOTTO … Success brings Success
SLOGAN ... It Can Be Done….

OUR GOAL

Communities in Africa take ownership of development programmes and implement the activities by themselves in an integrated approach, whilst utilizing the organizational linkages created, to promote ground-breaking poverty reduction interventions for sustainable development.

We believe that with our sustained effort in line with CDDF vision, concept and approach, Africa will rapidly eliminate “poverty” and catch up with the developed world in a period of just ten (10) years.