Papagya

  • Overview
  • Medical
  • Water
  • Business
  • Public Health

Overview

Papagya is located in the Central Region of  Ghana.  People in Papagya are primarily dedicated to farming, animal raising, and cacao growing. The community has a CHPS clinic directly in community. The community also has access to a private pharmacy.  Currently, the community uses boreholes and a river/creek to access water. Approximately 40% of the community has access to safe and clean drinking water.  Community members have access to school from kindergarten through junior high-school.  The community expressed that their top needs are a larger supply of water, improved toilet facilities, and a processing facility for cassava and oranges.

District: Abura/Asebu/Kwamankese (AAK)

Region: Central

Homes : 307
Population : 3546
Water System : No
Community Bank : No
Electricity : Yes
Health Clinic : Yes
Midwife at clinic : Yes
Education : Up to Junior high school
Homes with toilet facility : 2%
Closest GB lodging facility : Bobmah Hotel

Medical

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

HEALTH CARE ACCESS:

Papagya CHPS Compound

There are two types of public health clinics available to rural Ghanaians: Health Centers and Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds. Health Centers serve large geographic areas within a district and are staffed by physicians. CHPS compounds serve small clusters of communities and are staffed by live-in nurses. The nurses provide basic services and, if capacity allows, they conduct home visits to families in the communities. 

Even with this coverage, it is important to note that medications, equipment, and essential infrastructure are often not available in these clinics and the physician density in Ghana remains around 0.2 physicians per 1,000 people. According to the World Health Organization, there should be a minimum of 2.3 physicians per 1,000 people to qualify a country as having adequate access to medical attention.

Another key factor for health care access in Ghana is insurance. Ghana’s National Health Insurance plan offers universal coverage, but few rural community members are actively enrolled. During Medical Brigades, community members are educated about the benefits of health insurance, and are encouraged to enroll (or re-enroll) in the National Health Insurance Plan.

Papagya has a CHPS compound in the community. The most common illnesses seen in Papagya are malaria, cough, and skin rashes.

95

Volunteers

2,846

Patient Consultations

507

Vision Screenings Provided

19

Health Education Workshops

BRIGADE INFORMATION

A nurse helps brigaders present an educational health workshop at Papagya’s CHPS center

Medical Brigade clinics are hosted in Papagya’s CHPS Compound. Volunteers assist local doctors and community nurses to serve patients at each station of the clinic. Each day of the brigade, an average of 7 educational charlas are facilitated with the clinic’s patients.

  • AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: 851
  • NEARBY COMMUNITIES SERVED: Tsetsekrom, Patoase, Asemase, Esama

MEDICAL VOLUNTEERS IN PAPAGYA:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
University of California Irvine Medical June 2018 26 University of San Diego Medical January 2019 30
University of Oklahoma Medical May 2019 30 King’s College London Medical Brigade July 2021 9

Water

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Papagya but has not yet begun with the Water Brigades program.  Now in the planning phase, implementation of a water solution will start as soon as feasible.

Water System : Yes
System Type : Boreholes
Homes connected to water : N/A
Water Council : Yes

Business

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

PAPAGYA’S ECONOMIC CHALLENGE

Rural communities in Ghana face a number of structural obstacles when it comes to economic growth. Access to credit is limited by physical barriers in transportation and exclusion from formal financial institutions. If community members aren’t able to access these institutions, their only option is to solicit credit from loan sharks, who charge exorbitant interest rates. Additionally, maintaining savings is not a common practice in rural communities in Ghana.

8

Volunteers

N/A

Savings accounts opened

N/A

Loans Disbursed

N/A

Capital Invested

PAPAGYA’S MICRO-FINANCE SOLUTION

GB Ghana Business Program Manager, Shiella, consults with an MHope Group in Ekumpoano

The GB Business Program works with Microfin Rural Bank to stimulate the local economy by organizing community volunteers around a community bank which is entirely owned and operated by its members. Focusing on providing access to credit and savings for their fellow community members, its volunteers are tasked with socializing the community bank and managing the funds. Microfin and the GB Business Program provides training and support to help strengthen these community banks and stimulate the flow of capital within the community. These financial services are especially beneficial for subsistence farmers and entrepreneurs, who can invest more heavily in their production with a loan, pay back the loan after sales, and generate an income with any excess.

Papagya has not yet established a Microfin “MHope group,” but will begin as soon as feasible. The shareholders of the MHope group will weekly to deposit savings and manage loans which are approved by all the bank’s members.

PAPAGYA’S BUSINESS SOLUTION

A cassava-processing business in the nearby community of Ayeldu

In addition to working with the community banks, the Business Program provides support and technical skills in establishing anchor businesses that generate additional capital. The goal is to better integrate isolated communities into the local economy and allow for growth. During this process, interested community members receive training to increase their familiarity with business terminology, develop their business administration skills, and promote innovation and diversification in the types of business ventures they pursue.

Business brigade volunteers who work in Papagya will consult with KWEKSFARMS palm fruit and cassava processing business.

BUSINESS VOLUNTEERS IN PAPAGYA:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
Carnegie Mellon University Business Brigade March 2019 8

Public Health

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

Global Brigades is working on the implementation of the Holistic Model in Papagya but has not yet begun with the Public Health Brigades program. Now in the planning phase, implementation of a public health solution will start as soon as feasible.

Homes with toilet facility : 2%
Common house materials : mud bricks

Local Reference Points

View the map to see the closest volunteer lodging facilities, hospitals, and other relevant points of reference.

  • Feature