International Day of Forests – 21st March

2017 Theme: Forests and energy

This global celebration of forests provides a platform to raise awareness of the importance of all types of woodlands and trees, and celebrate the ways in which they sustain and protect us. This year we highlight the importance of wood energy in improving people’s lives, powering sustainable development and mitigating climate change.

Wood is a major renewable energy source – Wood provides the world with more energy than solar, hydroelectric or wind power, accounting for roughly 45 percent of current global renewable energy supply (27 percent of total primary energy supply in Africa, 13 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean and 5 percent in Asia and Oceania).

Wood energy powers economic development – Almost 900 million people, mostly in developing countries, are engaged in the wood-energy sector on a part- or full-time basis. Modernizing the wood energy sector can help revitalize rural economies and stimulate enterprise development – greater investment in wood energy production and advanced wood fuels can provide revenue to finance better forest management, more growing forests and more jobs.

Wood and trees contribute to optimal urban living and lower energy bills – Strategically placed trees in urban areas can cool the air by between 2 to 8 degrees C.

Wood energy mitigates climate change and fosters sustainable development – Globally, forests hold an energy content approximately 10 times that of the world’s annual primary energy consumption. They thus have significant potential as renewable resources to meet global energy demand. Forests provide clean air, water and energy. Sustainably managed forests can provide renewable and carbon neutral energy for a greener future.

Forests for energy, now and in a future global green economy – Greater investment in technological innovation and in sustainably managed forests is the key to increasing forests’ role as a major source of renewable energy. In this way, we invest in our sustainable future, in meeting several Sustainable Development Goals and in growing a green economy. Increased areas of sustainably household and community woodlots and the use of clean and efficient wood stoves can give millions more people in developing countries access to cheap, reliable and renewable energy.

 

National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

March 10 is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Women’s Health. The theme, The Best Defense Is a Good Offense, calls women to take effective steps to protect themselves and others from HIV. This day is an opportunity to join partners across the nation and take action to ensure women have the knowledge and tools needed to prevent HIV.

HIV is often characterized as a disease that overwhelmingly affects gay and bisexual men, subsequently obscuring the significant and unique risks experienced by women. In truth, 27 percent of all new HIV cases are attributed to women, making HIV/AIDS the leading cause of death worldwide for women aged 15-44. Women are subjected to various institutional barriers that escalate the risk of infection and prevent access to treatment.

 On National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, it is imperative that we recognize the threat of HIV facing women of all ages, encourage steps towards ending the epidemic among women, and empower women to affect the global response to HIV.
 Interesting Facts To Know About HIV/AIDS In Relation To Women & Girls
 1. New HIV infections among children in Malawi declined by 67% and by over 50% in Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. By contrast, Nigeria only achieved a 19% fall and accounted for a quarter of new HIV infections among children in Global Plan priority countries in 2013 (51,000 cases).
2. The Ghana AIDS Commission has revealed that the Greater Accra region still has the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the country.
3. Ghana’s HIV prevalence rate continues to decline as it currently stands at 1.37 with women making 57 percent and 43 percent made up of men.
4. Among the respondents, 78 percent of men and 52 percent of women had never been tested. A survey conducted among people between 15-49 revealed that overall, one percent of the women reported that they had had two or more partners in the past 12 months, while among the women who had two or more partners in the past 12 months, 11 percent reported using a condom during their last sexual intercourse.

 

 

#GreenAtHeart – Ezekiel Ansah launches foundation to support Ghanaian youth

Ezekiel Ansah launches foundation to support Ghanaian youth

A Ghanaian born American Footballer, Ezekiel Nana “Ziggy” Ansah on Tuesday, launched a sports initiative foundation, aimed at supporting the youth in Ghana.

The ‘‘Ezekiel Ansah Foundation’’ is also purposed to provide young athletes, the opportunity to demonstrate their talents through Physical Education.

Nana Ansah, who is a defensive-end, plays for Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL), is expected to whip up the interest of young people in physical education, which has over the years dwindled in the educational sector.

Speaking at the launch ceremony at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, Nana Ansah, also known as “Ziggy” who is on record to be the first Ghanaian to be drafted into the NFL in 2013, said he comes from very humble beginnings and wanted to use himself as an example to inspire, educate and support the youth to a brighter future.

According to him, he is very passionate about giving back to the community and has been doing so throughout his career.

An emotional Nana Ansah urged the youth to be determined and persistent in chasing their aspirations adding ‘‘don’t let your parents or anybody deter you from following your dreams. Set a goal for yourself and achieve it but don’t put your education away’’.

He added that, the Ezekiel Ansah Foundation’s objective is to create opportunities and leadership skills among the youth through education, identifying individual sports talents and inspiring a brighter future.

Dr. Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, who represented the Minister for Youth and Sports, encouraged the youth to grab the opportunity offered and commended Nana Ansah for the initiative.

He pledged his outfit’s readiness to support the foundation to achieve its target.

Nana Ansah, the 29-year old, who played soccer and an American footballer, is also an enthusiastic basketball fan, having played regular basketball games at Golden Sunbeam Montessori School.

He attended the Presbyterian Boys Secondary School, Legon, in 2004, before gaining admission at the Brigham Young University, where he played on the Golden Sunbeam basketball team and became the most valuable player and led his team to win many games.

 

By : Edna A. Quansah GNA

#GreenAtHeart – 24-Year-Old Ghanaian Develops An App for Autistic Children

Living with autism in Ghana has just been made more bearable since HopeSetters, an autism center, came out with a locally configured autism  app that helps children with autism receive better education.

Speaking of her motivation, 24-year-old Alice Amoako  says that her desire to ease the strain of teaching and learning among children with special needs informed her decision to develop the app.

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“I visited an autism centre and had interactions with the caregivers and children, and I realized there was a need to help raise awareness. In my final year in the university, I had to do a project to complete my studies, and we developed the app,” she said.

Ghana currently has no official documentation or statistics on the state of children with autism; however, a recent report indicates that 1 in 87 children in Ghana under the age of 3 have autism with the neurological disorder being 4 times more prevalent in boys than in girls.

Credit : Charles Ayitey (www.face2faceafrica.com)