World Vision, Partners launch Project to Strengthen resilience in Border Communities.

The presence of refugees in some border communities in Upper East and West regions in Northern Ghana have led to pressure on social amenities, increased food insecurity and vulnerabilities, according to baseline findings.

To address the challenges, World Vision Ghana (WVG), in collaboration with RACED Ghana and other partners has launched a programme dubbed “BORDER Project”. It aims at building resilience through livelihood interventions such as trade and farming for refugees and their host communities.

This is meant to promote peace and stability as well as forester social cohesion.

With Funding support from the PATRIP Foundation and the Federal Republic Germany, the project will last for three years.

The studies found that those areas are increasingly affected by climate shocks, food insecurity, environmental degradation, and the growing influx of refugees from neighboring Burkina Faso.

The project targeted Zini, Fielmo and Zini Refugee Camp in Sissala West District, Bansi and Issakatinga in Binduri Districts, Tarikom and Tarikom Refugee Camp are in Bawku West District.

World Vision Ghana, in a press statement copy to diamondfmonline.com, stated, “these areas are experiencing intensified socio-economic pressures as communities grapple with declining access to water, sanitation, healthcare, and agricultural livelihoods”.

“These challenges are exacerbating social tensions and threatening regional peace and stability”, the statement noted.

The statement added, the initiative is in response to these urgent needs through an integrated, community-driven approach that combines infrastructure development, peacebuilding, and sustainable livelihood support.

According to the statement, the project will directly benefit 19,219 individuals including 13,454 Ghanaians and 5,765 Burkinabe refugees and indirectly impact an additional 33,657 people across five target communities specifically Zini, Tarikom, Issakatinga, Bansi, and Fielmo, as well as two refugee settlements.

Read the full statement below

To: All Media Houses

14th May, 2025

Accra, Ghana

For Immediate Release

PRESS RELEASE

LAUNCH OF BORDER PROJECT

World Vision Ghana (WVG), in partnership with RACED Ghana and with generous funding support from the PATRIP Foundation, proudly announces the official launch of the BORDER Project, a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening resilience and promoting stability in Ghana’s Upper East and Upper West regions. These areas are increasingly affected by climate shocks, food insecurity, environmental degradation, and the growing influx of refugees from neighboring Burkina Faso.

Situated along Ghana’s northern border, the project targets Zini, Fielmo and Zini Refugee Camp in Sissala West District, Bansi and Issakatinga in Binduri Districts: Tarikom and Tarikom Refugee Camp are in Bawku West District. These areas are experiencing intensified socio-economic pressures as communities grapple with declining access to water, sanitation, healthcare, and agricultural livelihoods. These challenges are exacerbating social tensions and threatening regional peace and stability.

The BORDER project directly responds to these urgent needs through an integrated, community-driven approach that combines infrastructure development, peacebuilding, and sustainable livelihood support. The project will directly benefit 19,219 individuals including 13,454 Ghanaians and 5,765 Burkinabe refugees and indirectly impact an additional 33,657 people across five target communities specifically Zini, Tarikom,

Issakatinga, Bansi, and Fielmo, as well as two refugee settlements.

Key Interventions:

• Provision and rehabilitation of solar-powered water systems

• Construction of biofill ecological sanitation facilities in households, schools, and health centers

• Refurbishment of healthcare facilities with a focus on maternal and child health

• Establishment of drip irrigation systems for year-round agriculture

• Training farmers in climate-smart agricultural practices

• Promotion of sustainable land use via Community Resource Management Areas

(CREMAs)

• Capacity-building for traditional leaders, local authorities, and security personnel in peacebuilding and conflict resolution

• Strengthening early warning systems and community preparedness for crises

Project Objectives:

• Enhance community resilience to climate and conflict-related shocks

• Improve access to clean water, sanitation, health, and food security services

• Foster peaceful coexistence and strengthen social cohesion between host communities and refugees

• Promote climate adaptation and environmental sustainability

Expected Outcomes:

• Increased availability of clean water, improved sanitation, and better healthcare access

• Improved food security and economic opportunities for vulnerable populations

• Stronger local governance and community-led peacebuilding structures

• Enhanced environmental sustainability and resource management

A Strategic Contribution to National and Regional Stability

The BORDER Project aligns with the Ghana National Development Plan 2030, supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and contributes to the Gulf of Guinea Joint Response Plan. By investing in critical infrastructure and empowering local communities, the initiative aims to create a lasting ripple effect of stability, prosperity,

and resilience across Ghana’s northern frontier and the broader sub-region.

Media Contact:

Joshua Baidoo

Strategy & Integrated Program Director

World Vision Ghana

Phone: +233 244 211 679

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WHO WE ARE

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice.

Inspired by our Christian values, we are dedicated to working with the world’s most vulnerable people. We serve all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.

Our integrated focus is that We are Christian, Child-Focused and Community Empowering. https://www.wvi.org/video/world-vision-who-we-are

About RACED Ghana

RACED Ghana (formerly Independent Minds Association) is a local non-governmental organization committed to promoting resilience, peace, and sustainable development in Ghana.

Through community-driven approaches and partnerships, RACED Ghana works to address the root causes of vulnerability and build stronger, more cohesive communities.(Raced Ghana)

About the PATRIP Foundation:

The PATRIP Foundation is a German development organization that supports cross-border cooperation and regional integration in Africa.

Through its funding programs, the foundation aims to promote peace, stability, and sustainable development in border regions.

Story By: Alhassan Yakubu |www.diamondfmonline.com |Ghana.