Sawla Children's Home
Since 2007, Sawla Children’s Home in northern Ghana has cared for over 50 orphans, providing for their basic needs and more. Now fed and healthy, these children are rising to the top of their classes in school and are showing great promise for the future. Each child is now loved and part of an amazing family that is impacting the surrounding villages and communities. In 2020, the children's home operation converted to a private Christian boarding school now called Train A Child International School.
Train A Child International School
With the work Unicef and World Vision are doing to reunify children with members of their families, it was time to make a change at the Sawla Children’s Home. Our focus continues to be helping children and the community, and because there is no nursery school in Sawla, we have transitioned into a private Christian boarding school. The school opened in January 2021 with 94 students in Nursery 1 and 2 (2-3 years old) and Kindergarten 1 and 2. We have a dedicated staff working to inspire these children to work hard and get the best education possible. Expansion of the classrooms will allow our team to impact more children in the future.
The History of the Sawla Children's Home
Providing a safe and supportive place to learn, play and experience the love of Jesus Christ, this home has served these children well with a staff consisting of dorm mothers, cooks, security guards and directors. Many of these children attended school for the first time. IAP was able to help the area by digging wells and building pavilions in two nearby villages. These community improvements provide much needed access to clean and safe drinking water and a sheltered environment in which nearby towns can educate their children and hold other social gatherings. IAP remains sensitive to cultural norms and traditions and takes great care to not overstep their boundaries by “westernizing”. IAP continues to love and support the children from the Sawla Children’s Home, including helping them complete their education. These are some amazing children, and we are excited for the impact they will make in the future.
Project Sustainability is Key
We area excited to announce that the Sawla View Lodge & Restaurant is open for business! It is a local source of sustainability that has served as a monetary support for the Sawla Children’s Home and will continue to support the Train A Child International School. Accommodations include 18 guest rooms with four price points from Suites to Economy, so there is something for everyone traveling on official business or leisure. The restaurant is serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, and has opened the rooftop for dining with a great view of the town of Sawla. The nearest hotel or restaurant are quite a distance from town. Sawla is a regional hub for business and government activity, and the lodge is happy to now offer conference packages. All of these components provide excellent potential for this to be a profitable venture and a strategic step toward bringing sustainability. Take a tour of the Sawla View Lodge and Restaurant.
Sustainability Activities
Farming Activity
Production of maize, yams, cashews, mangos and other crops on over 20 acres has supplemented the home's food budget. Any surplus is sold in the local market for profit.
Tractor Business
The tractor used for farming is also leased out to area farms generating an additional income stream and increasing crop production and food security in the region.
Sawla View Bakery
This commercial bakery is open to the community, providing delicious artisan breads and is the principle supplier for baked goods to both the Sawla Children's Home and Sawla View Lodge.
