Birmingham residents travel to Ghana to visit sponsored child

Julia Langer and Kevin Owusu from Birmingham have just returned from Ghana where they met Yayra, the child they have been sponsoring for just over a year through child development charity, Compassion UK.

The couple decided to visit their sponsored child 6-year-old Yayra, while visiting Kevin’s family in Ghana.

“We have been waiting for this moment for a long time and couldn’t wait to meet Yayra. Even though she was a little shy, she still greeted us with a hug and a big smile. It was an overwhelming feeling,” shares 26-year-old Julia, an education writer.

“We met Yayra’s whole family, as well as different people from her village and it was very emotional. Everyone was so happy to see us, we could only communicate through a translator but we could tell how much Yayra’s family appreciated our support. Her mum broke down in tears when we handed them gifts, it was a wonderful moment,” she reflects.

Yayra lives in the coastal community of Afiadenyigba-Ada. Typical houses are constructed of cement floors, adobe walls and tin roofs. A common health problem in this area is malaria. Most adults in Afiadenyigba-Ada work as subsistence farmers and earn the equivalent of £15 per month.

“Yayra has 11 siblings so it would be impossible for her parents to be able to afford to send them all to school. Our sponsorship has meant she is able to have access to an education which will hopefully lead to a brighter future and more opportunities as she grows up,” explains Kevin, a 30-year-old event manager.

In Ghana, basic education for school aged children is free but parents still need to pay for meals, transportation and uniforms, which can be a struggle for those living in poverty. Classrooms can be very overcrowded and there is often a lack of well-trained teachers, teaching resources and adequate school facilities.

Julia and Kevin’s sponsorship enables Yayra to be part of her local Compassion project where she receives nutritious meals, emotional support, medical attention and the chance to get a good quality education.

“Our sponsorship has really encouraged Yara because she knows that there are two people who love and care for her,” they conclude.