Baneseh and Friends Project using Facebook to touch lives as COVID-19 send families into distress.

As governments, businesses, and individuals scramble to respond to the threat of a COVID-19 pandemic, those who work at the social sector rightly ask what they can do to effectively contribute. The coronavirus COVID-19 is changing society in a huge range of ways, and more dramatically and more fundamentally than we could have imagined.  The impact on the charity sector and what can be done to mitigate things.

Public fundraising is going to grind to a halt. Event fundraising is going to stop – even the iconic London marathon has been postponed. So for many charities their sources of income will be reduced, in some cases dramatically.

Despite these challenges, there are still philanthropies who are making difference on social media in Ghana. A group known as BANESEH AND FRIENDS PROJECT is assisting many in distress on social media in Ghana. Through asking for donation and personal contribution from Mabel Aku Baneseh, the group is touching so many lives and making difference.

This is not the first or the second time Madam Baneseh is embarking on such humanitarian project. Even before COVID -19, her Facebook page; https://web.facebook.com/mabelaku.baneseh was dedicated to helping families in need of financial supports and employment

Read below correspondents of their donation and beneficiaries responds on Facebook.

pril 6, 2020 Payments – GH¢ 3,056.00 – MABEL & FRIENDS PROJECT

Approved list of beneficiaries for April 6, 2020

1. An elderly widow with two daughters and six grandchildren was recommended for support. A benefactor earlier supported her with a walking aid following her inability to walk without support. Her elder daughter is a widow with four children and her younger daughter is also a widow with two children. Both daughters have no savings or income and have to rely on support from friends and benefactors, who render support to them. The person who recommended them provided shelter to one of the woman’s daughters and her two children. However, our first beneficiary today shares a single room space at Ashiaman Lebanon with her daughter and four grandchildren.

Recommended by: Maame-Abena Opoku-Jackson. An amount of GH¢606 has been sent to Maame Abena to cash on her behalf. The money donated will be less GH¢6 being the withdrawal charges.

Location: Ashaiman Lebanon

Amount transferred: GH¢606

2. A widow with seven (7) children who used to work as a casual seamstress making nightwear for sale in the market was recommended as a beneficiary for support.
According to her, she has been struggling to cater for her family ever since her main source of income was halted due to the breakdown of the sewing machine months before the lockdown. We can consider purchasing a sewing machine for her in the near future. Recommended by Confidence Gbevitor

Location: Promised Land near Ashaiman

Amount: GH¢600

3. The next beneficiary is a woman married with three children. Her first child is speech and hearing impaired. Her husband has been unemployed for the past two years. She earns a living by sweeping and washing for others in the area but has been unable to get any job to make some income for the family due to the lockdown. According to her, she is marvelled at how her family is still alive with no support whatsoever.

Recommended by Davina Darko- Mensah

Location: Mamprobi

Amount transferred: GH¢500

4. Another person recommended as a beneficiary is a single mother of four who works as a househelp at Airport Residential area. She stays with three of her children and a sister who is also a widow with two children. According to her, she was on her way to work on Monday and was asked by the police to return home since she is not enlisted as an essential worker during the COVID-19 break. She also mentioned she has not been paid her salary and all means to reach her boss has been fruitless. As the main breadwinner of the family, she has used up all her little savings to support since the lockdown and is finding it very difficult to fend for her family.
Recommended by: Fidelia Siaw

Location: Dome Pillar 2

Amount transferred: GH¢600
5. An unemployed man with a family of three nominated his wife and two young children as beneficiary for support. He has been unemployed since 2017 and has since then been having hardships catering for his family. Their youngest child is a six months old baby. His wife was also unemployed until she recently got a job as a private school teacher but is now at home staying with her two children and mother due to the break.

The man also mentioned his family is having it extremely difficult coping in these times especially in providing basic needs for the six months old baby and their three-year-old child. Is Sah had earlier approached me for assistance to enable him to complete training on how to repair cellular phones but the school is on break due to COVID-19 outbreak.

The lady just called almost in tears. She says she’s going to buy medicine for the eight months old baby tonight.

Recommended by Issah Musah, her husband

Beneficiary Name: Haruna Aminatu Issah

Location: Awoshie

Amount transferred: GH¢500

6. A youngman in Kumasi who used to work in a hotel sent me a very honest message. He was among staff asked to go home until further notice. He said he has shelter but broke and that he needs money to eat. I tasked Eunice Akoto Attakora-Manu to follow up and she returned with positive results. I have accordingly sent him a token from us.

Amount transferred: GH¢250

Update

Project began on March 31, 2020

Amount donated so far: GH¢14,518.00

Number of families so far: 33

Balance in MOMO Account (as of 7:18 pm today): GH¢8,967.26

MOMO Account

Meanwhile, you can send your donations to 0550 133 133 – MABEL AKU BANESEH. Kindly alert me via phone call, whatsapp or messenger when you donate so your name can be recorded. Please indicate if you want to remain anonymous to avoid having your name published in public. I will release the second batch of donors tonight.

Thank you for your support.
April 7, 2020

Payments – MABEL & FRIENDS PROJECT We donated a total of GH¢3,210 to SIX families this morning, bringing the total number of beneficiary families to receive cash to 39 since the project began a week ago. Five nurses have also received PPEs from a donor.