Connect with us

News

 Silence box fighting violence, forced marriages in the Nanumba North District.

The silence box
The silence box

Aisha, a 16-year-old girl’s prefect of Montanaya Junior High School in the Nanumba North district in the Northern Region, is among hun­dreds of girls in rural communities, where a simple metal box kept in a safe room in their school is offering a lifeline for many innocent girls.

To the untrained eye, it looks ordi­nary. It’s just a box with a narrow slit at the top, but to the teenage girls, it is a silent witness and a keeper of secrets. “This is the Violence Report­ing Box.

In Nabuli, violence was once an unspoken norm for decades, where issues of domestic abuse, child mar­riage, and gender-based violence were swept under the carpet.

The victims bore their pain in silence, fearing banishment when such issues were reported to powerful community elders.

Advertisement

It was installed as part of a commu­nity driven initiative, spearheaded by ActionAid and implemented by songta­ba, a local base NGO.

Madam Hamida Kukuna, the Com­munity Officer for Songtaba at Nabuli said the box does not judge, but only listen, trying to address your issue if you have been wronged.

She indicated that every week, trained volunteers discreetly emptied the box, forwarding reports to a team of social workers and law enforcement officers stationed in the district cap­ital, after victims of violence anony­mously slip handwritten notes into the box.

“At first, the box was a curiosity, where children giggled as they looked at it, and villagers questioned its pur­pose”, she said.

Advertisement

Ms Hamida continue that for weeks it remained empty, then after one rainy evening, she saw a footprint towards the box so she opened it and saw a piece of paper inside.

It stated “He comes every night when my mother is away. I am only 12, Please help me.”

The volunteers acted swiftly and that led to the identification of the girl and rescued her from her abusive uncle, who was later arrested.

The news spread quickly, and for the first time, the people of Nabuli real­ised the power of this silent box.

Advertisement

Soon, more notes followed, as a wife who had been battered for years sought help and a father reported his daughter’s forced marriage to a much older man.

According to Hamida, the box be­came a beacon of hope, an outlet for the voiceless.

Moreover, she said within a year the box has facilitated the rescue of over 30 individuals from abusive situations.

“It has also triggered critical con­versations about violence, gender roles, and justice in the community, she added.

Advertisement

Mrs Beatrice Yanman Biije, a Pro­grammes Officer at ActionAid Ghana at the Tamale office stated that vil­lage council, once complicit in silenc­ing victims, began working with the authorities in creating a safe place for the teenagers.

She said one of the most remarkable transformations was when a 26-year-old mother of two, after years of beatings from her husband, wrote a note to the box with the help of a teacher.

“Her story inspired the creation of a women’s cooperative, offering skills training and support to survivors of abuse,” she said.

She added that, the initiative faced hurdles, where some villagers accused the box of encouraging rebellion and breaking families apart, said an elder in the community.

Advertisement

“Others tried to sabotage it, spread­ing rumors and threatening volun­teers, but the tide was turning with each life saved, the community’s support grew stronger”, she added.

The success of the violence report­ing box in Nabuli caught the attention of many schools in the communities around who are working on getting a metal box.

The box stands as a testament to what happens when silence is bro­ken, when whispers become voices, and when justice is given a chance to thrive, even in the most unlikely places.

 From Geoffrey Buta, Nabuli

Advertisement

News

Maternal mortality rate increases in Ashanti Region

• Dr. Frank Adomanko Boateng
• Dr. Frank Adomanko Boateng

 The Ghana Health Service has revealed a staggering statistic of 1,000 women losing their lives during child­birth in the Ashanti Region between 2020 and 2024.

This alarming number, accord­ing to the Regional Health Direc­tor, Dr Frank Adomanko Boateng, highlights the persistent chal­lenge of maternal mortality in Ghana, despite efforts to im­prove maternal healthcare.

Dr Adomanko Boateng, there­fore emphasized on an urgent need for stronger interventions to curb the high rate of maternal deaths.

Speaking at the 2024 Regional Health Forum, he indicated that “Ghana is struggling to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of reducing mater­nal mortality to 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.”

Advertisement

Dr Boateng stressed that time was of the essence, saying, “The clock is ticking, and we must double our efforts.”

He called for intensified mea­sures over the next six years to bridge the gap and prevent further loss of lives.

Ghana’s maternal mortality ra­tio, he noted, has been declining from 760 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 310 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2017.

However, “the country still faces significant challenges in reducing maternal mortality, particularly in regions like Ashan­ti.”

Advertisement

To address the issue, he said, Ghana has been working to improve maternal healthcare through various initiatives, in­cluding the Network for Improv­ing Quality of Care for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health.

The country aims to reduce maternal mortality by strength­ening healthcare systems, improving access to quality care, and enhancing community en­gagement

 From Kingsley E. Hope,

Kumasi

Advertisement
Continue Reading

News

NTC staff demonstrate prowess in fire fighting

• Mrs Georgina Quaittoo and Mr John Lawson (left) taking some lessons from ADOI Richard Mensah

 The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) on Tuesday held a sensi­tisation workshop on fire safety for staff of the New Times Corporation (NTC), publishers of The Ghanaian Times and The Spectator.

It created awareness on fire preven­tion and safety measures to prevent fire in the home or office.

During the practical session, a section of the staff were taken through fire out­breaks drills steps to take in fire .

Led by Assistant Divisional Officer (ADO 1) Isaac Tengfaa, the staff were taught how to use the different types of fire extinguishers to combat fire.

He said it was important for home owners and office workers to put off every electrical gadget at work be­fore leaving for their respective home because more fires in offices occur at closing hours.

Advertisement

He said fire incidence often resulted from carelessness, ignorance or natural occurrence.

Supported by ADO I Richard Mensah, ADO I Eunice Ceasar and Fire woman Anita Amponsah, some of the staff tried their hands on the fire extinguishers and other modes of combatting fire.

 By Linda Abrefie Wadie

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending