In 2024, humanitarian challenges persisted across the globe. From ongoing conflicts to economic crises and natural disasters, the demand for NGOs has rarely been higher. Throughout the year, Good Neighbours UK remained committed to empowering vulnerable communities by improving access to quality healthcare and education. We secured three new grants, enabling us to launch impactful health and education projects that will continue throughout 2025.
Our CEO and Business Development Manager visited Sri Lanka for a strategy workshop and leadership development sessions. The meeting was attended by representatives from all Good Neighbours countries. The primary focus was ensuring alignment across the network, fostering a shared vision for the future, and strengthening collaboration between country offices.
In Ghana, GNUK collaborated with Good Neighbours Ghana and the University of Manchester research team to investigate the causes of early pregnancy in Akatsi North. The goal was to identify community-led interventions to reduce teenage pregnancy rates in the district. With invaluable funding from the International Science Partnerships Fund, our child clubs have educated 200 students across eight secondary schools on sexual and reproductive health and . The ‘Effect of Social Engagements (Child Clubs, Mentoring) on the Reduction of Teenage Pregnancy in Ghana’ project will continue until March 2025.
Later that year, our Business Manager James traveled to Ghana to visit the schools and stakeholders involved in the intervention, including students, teachers, community leaders, and local government. James saw firsthand the impact of the initiative. Many students excitedly shared their enthusiasm for crafting shoes, bags, and soap. Meetings with the Akatsi health and education departments highlighted key ongoing challenges, including menstrual hygiene support, anemia in pregnancy, and low health service attendance. The local community counsellors, trained by the project, shared their pride at maintaining low levels of teenage pregnancy in their villages.
We hosted three local students from Outwood Academy Easingwold and York St John’s University for work experience. They gained valuable insight into our operations, assisting with communications work, writing news articles, attending meetings, and interviewing field staff in Bangladesh.
In the same season, we secured a one-year grant from the Guernsey Overseas Aid Commission to launch the ‘Healthy Mothers, Newborns, and Children in Niger’ project. Currently, the Hamdalleye Integrated Health Centre maternity ward sees up to 60 pregnancies and 700 children per month in just one delivery room with four beds. Our project will:
· Expand the ward with two additional rooms to accommodate more midwives.
· Train all staff in prenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal care.
· Train 20 volunteer mothers to provide prenatal care and share knowledge with surrounding villages.
· Implement a targeted malaria campaign distributing 1,000 mosquito nets and screening and treating 1,000 young children.
These efforts aim to reduce high infant and maternal mortality rates in the region.
Our CEO attended the Global Conference in South Korea, where participants from over 50 Good Neighbors countries discussed strategies for building climate change resilience and supporting youth employment through vocational training.
Our final achievement of 2024 was securing a grant from the Education Opportunities Foundation to implement the ‘Empowering Nepalese Children with Disabilities: Bridging the Gap through Holistic Support’ project. This two-year initiative, designed in collaboration with Good Neighbors International Nepal, addresses educational barriers faced by children with disabilities (CwDs) in the Bardiya District. Our initial needs assessment revealed that over half of CwDs lack access to essential primary education. This project will ensure CwDs receive the support they need to advocate for their rights in an inclusive environment.
In addition, our CEO and Business Manager attended the 2024 Good Neighbors Africa Regional Leadership Workshop in Malawi. The workshop aimed to:
· Enhance leadership and team motivation skills.
· Foster a high-performance team culture.
· Strengthen organizational accountability at a global level.
Our CEO, Zarina, delivered a presentation on ‘[Vision to Action] The NGO Leader’s Skills Set for Driving Organizational Success,’ while Business Manager James presented ‘Strategies and Practical Skills to Secure Funding.’
During their visit, they visited two Community Development Projects (CDPs) in Kasungu, including a health centre, farmers’ cooperative warehouse, primary school, and secondary school supported by GN Malawi.
As we continue these projects into the new year, we remain committed to addressing global challenges such as climate change, economic instability, and political uncertainty through localized, community-driven solutions. By improving access to healthcare, inclusive education, and clean water and sanitation, we aim to build resilient communities capable of adapting to these challenges.
On behalf of everyone at Good Neighbours UK, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for your ongoing support and wish you a prosperous 2025.
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