Education Ghana Project #9370

Take Best Practices to Farmers in Rural Ghana

by Self-Help International

Project Report | Jul 27, 2026
Improved Poultry, Improved Lives

By Ernestina Esinam Glikpo | Communications Manager

Ask any woman in Asougya, Fankamawe, Nkwakom, or Abompe in Ghana’s Ashanti Region what her chickens mean to her, and she won't say "livelihood asset." She'll tell you about school fees paid, a sick child's medicine bought, an egg cracked into the family's dinner. In rural Ghana, poultry has always carried that kind of weight.

But for years, the local breeds these women relied on held them back. Slow growth. Few eggs. Birds that fell sick easily and often didn't survive to sell. No amount of hard work could fix genetics.

Self-Help International is closing that gap. Through our Agriculture and Entrepreneurship program, we placed 417 improved breed chicks, six weeks old, hardy, and bred for productivity directly into the hands of 35 women farmers across four Ashanti Region communities.

The difference shows up fast. The new birds grow faster, lay more eggs, and shrug off the diseases that used to wipe out entire flocks. For a woman raising chickens beside her home, that means more eggs to feed her children and more to sell at market. It means income that doesn't disappear the moment a flock gets sick.

Multiply that across 35 households, and you start to see what's really happening here: women building something steadier than subsistence. A business against hard seasons. A future they are shaping with their own hands.

417 chicks won't end poverty in the Ashanti Region. But they're already changing what's possible for 35 families, and with your support, we can reach the next 35, and the 35 after that.

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Apr 6, 2026
Small Loans, Big Impact: Empowering Ghanaian Farmers to Grow More and Live Better

By Ernestina Esinam Glikpo | Communications Manager

In the rural community of Kogri in Ghana’s Upper West Region, 50-year-old farmer Sulemana is building a more secure and hopeful future for his family of seven children, thanks to your support.

Just a few years ago, Sulemana struggled to make ends meet. Farming on small plots with limited resources, his harvests were low, and food was not always guaranteed at home. But in 2022, everything began to change when he joined Self-Help International’s Agriculture Entrepreneurship Development (AED) Program.

With his first loan of GHS 1,500 (about $120), Sulemana invested in farm inputs such as seeds and fertilizer and cultivated one acre of maize. That season, he harvested 8 bags (approximately 3086 lbs), a significant improvement from previous years. For the first time, he could keep enough maize to feed his family and still have some to sell.

After successfully repaying his first loan, Sulemana accessed a second loan of GHS 3,000 (about $240). This time, he expanded into sorghum farming on 10 acres. His hard work paid off; he harvested 43 bags (approximately 4960 lbs) of sorghum, which he sold to local companies.

But Sulemana’s success is not only about loans; it is about knowledge. Through SHI’s training, he learned improved agronomic practices, helping him increase yields and manage his farm more effectively.

Today, Sulemana’s life looks very different: his family now enjoys consistent food on the table, stores maize for home consumption, and earns income from selling sorghum. He was even able to build a house for his family.

Sulemana shares, “The training and support I received have made me a better farmer and a better person. There is always food at home now.”

Your support made this transformation possible. When there was little hope, you stepped in and helped Sulemana turn his hard work into lasting change.

With deep gratitude, Sulemana simply says, "Barika (thank you).”

Sulemana behind his yields

Sulemana's New House

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Dec 8, 2025
Growing Against the Odds

By By Ernestina Esinam Glikpo | Communications Manager

Alex is a devoted father of four from Kukubuso in Ghana’s Ashanti Region. Each day, he wakes up eager to create a better life for his family. He works hard as a farmer, growing sugarcane, cassava, maize, and plantains, and rearing goats and pigs. For years, though, his dreams felt out of reach. His yields were low, and expenses were high.

Everything began to change when Alex joined Self-Help International’s Agriculture & Entrepreneurship Development (AED) program three years ago. With hands-on training and access to improved seeds, fertilizers, and practical guidance, he discovered simple farming methods that unlock big results.

One technique, planting crops in rows, completely transformed his maize fields. Today, Alex applies this method in all his home gardens. This approach boosts his food production and improves his family’s nutrition and income. Instead of buying costly fertilizers, he makes rich natural compost. This not only saves money but also enhances soil health and increases crop yields. “I am very grateful,” he says. “I can produce more without spending more. What I learn helps me farm better and provide for my children.”

Teamwork is vital in Alex's journey. His wife, Doris, is a lactation coach, supporting new mothers to practice exclusive breastfeeding with SHI’s Nutrition Team. She also works as a petty trader to support their household. Together, they started a poultry business using her earnings to buy 50 cockerels. Although they lost two and gifted some to their neighbors, the family is still raising about 30 birds. Alex plans to expand this into a full poultry farm with additional support from SHI—an opportunity he never imagined before.

Life on the outskirts of the community is not easy. The family lives on their farm and uses solar-powered lights. They manage school fees for two children studying away and care for a newborn. Yet every challenge only strengthens their resolve.

Alex’s progress reflects the power of partnership. Donors who support Self-Help International uplift families like Alex's. This help provides practical tools, training, and confidence to overcome poverty. Your generosity helps multiply harvests, increase income, and build futures filled with opportunities.

When you give, you don’t fund a program, you fuel a family’s hope.

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