About CID -> CID introduction

CID introduction

Background
Strategy
CID programs
Finance
Working in CID
Future

Background

CID-Ghana, Cooperation for Integrated Development-Ghana, is a development organization in Tamale of northern Ghana. CID acts in two main ways, through development projects and exchange programmes with European volunteers and students.

CID-Ghana was formed in its initial character in 2002 with the aim to support the development of northern Ghana by creating chances for locals to realise their own ideas. The organization was registered under the Companies code of Ghana as a non-profit non-governmental organization in 2005. As CID has grown the main activities have shifted slightly in accordance to the needs in Tamale.

The CID-Ghana development projects are initiated following a proposal by a local person or community and supported by CID financially and technically. The projects are focused on education, water supply, women empowerment, micro credit loans and capacity building training. CID receives funds from private donors as well as companies and other organizations.

Based on the belief that intercultural meetings and exchange leads to development of the societies involved, CID-Ghana organizes volunteer and education programs. The volunteers are attached to organizations and institutions in need of help and students can take courses or do their internships in Ghana. During the time in Ghana most of the program participants live with local families for a deeper cultural exchange and experience.

Working in CID
CID has six staff members in Ghana, they are the implementing body of the organization, responsible for executing the projects along with supporting the volunteers in the programmes. They are also taking care of the administration of the organization. In Belgium, the Netherlands, UK/Ireland and Sweden CID has two staff members per country, one Director and one Volunteer Coordinator. They are working with program participants, fundraising and information activities. The founders of CID are now President and Vice President and ensure that the organization is developing according to its goals and objectives. CID also cooperates with several partners who contribute to CID greatly by guidance and support in various areas of expertise. The European staff as well as the presidency and partners are not paid. The Annual General Meeing (AGM) is the deciding body of CID and includes two staff members from each country as well as the presidency and selected partners.



Since 2002 a lot of new voluntary organizations

Strategy

CID-Ghana uses different strategies to reach the goal of development in the northern region. On the cultural exchange aspect CID-Ghana works with coordinators in three European countries. These country-coordinators interview and select volunteers and students and prepare them before leaving.

The Ghanaian staff locates and interviews different organizations applying for volunteers and select the ones that are in real need and where they can find a real goal for the volunteer to work towards. When the volunteer arrives in Ghana the Ghanaian staff takes over the orientation which then concerns the life and culture in Ghana. When the coordination is done the volunteers start working and are guided by the Ghanaian staff and workplace supervisors.

CID-Ghana also matches volunteers and other program participants with a local host family for the ultimate cultural experience.

CID-Ghana development projects start after a request from the local people. The locals concerned are involved from the beginning and stand for around 20 % of the costs to undertake the project; this is often paid through labor. CID works together with a local committee to organize the project and the committee will later take over the full responsibility.
The CID development projects are run by funds from donors and program fees.

CID programs

CID-Ghana runs the education program and the volunteer program. In the volunteer program participants from abroad are selected to work at different places in northern Ghana. These workplaces vary but some examples are orphanages, schools, information spreading and so on. Volunteers are also working on the projects initiated by CID-Ghana as part of the everyday link between CID and the locals concerned.

The education program involves three different fields. First of all students from abroad can take an African studies course at the Tamale Polytechnics. The teachers have a long experience in the field and routinely give this course to the Ghanaian students.

The second types of student programs are the research program and the internships where CID-Ghana creates the link between professors or workplaces in Ghana and the student from abroad.

When CID started, the organization was closely linked to the cultural aspect concerning traditional dancing and drumming. This is an important part of the African culture that can teach students a lot about the culture they are meeting and of course, for the people who are interested, the techniques used. Now there are chances of dancing and drumming both in Accra and Tamale.

Finance

CID-Ghana is a non-profit organization with a staff that are mainly volunteers themselves. In August of 2007 three of the members in Ghana were employed as paid staff due to a larger work load and total enagagement in the organization. The money that goes through the organization is obtained through donations and program participant fees.

The donations are sometimes specified for a special project or other activity and are at other times unspecified. Donations are used both for the development projects and for administration costs of running the organization.

The program-participant money is separated into three where by 35% goes to program-participant costs during the introduction days. Another 35% goes directly into the development funds and 30% goes to administrative costs in the CID office.

Working in CID

The director and the deputy director organize and evaluate the work in CID-Ghana. In addition to them CID has staff in four countries. In Ghana six staff members, in addition to the director, are working both in the office and on the field. They are leading the work in the development projects and organizing the volunteer and education programs. They are also taking care of the administration of the organization.

In Holland, Belgium and Ireland CID has one staff member per country. They are working with program participants, sponsors and other activities in their respective country. CID also cooperates with several partners who contribute to CID greatly by guidance and support in various areas of expertise.

Future

CID-Ghana continues to concentrate on building a large network of associates to be able to affect the development situation in Ghana as well as the important meetings between people from different parts of the world as much as possible.

The activities of CID are concentrated on where the staff feels that they have the largest possibility to offer as much as possible.
CID-Ghana wants to grow and have a strong effect in the development of northern Ghana.