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2. SHAPE LIVES FOUNDATION
“translating vision into reality”
ANNUAL REVIEW 2007
Working to save and shape lives
by supporting, promoting policies
and implementing developmental
projects related to poverty
reduction; empowerment of the
poor, handicapped and others
victimized by society to improve
the overall standard of living in
Ghana. Working on
Behalf of
Handicapped,
We provided bicycles to many
school children like Effie in the
picture that used to walk long
distances to school. In the village
of Nyariga, in the Upper East
Region of Ghana , we provided
bikes to over 50 school children.

3. Introducing Shape Lives Foundation……
Shape Lives Foundation works on behalf of the poor, handicapped
and others victimized by society to improve the overall standard
of living in Ghana.
This annual review was produced
Since its conception as an NGO in 2004 , it has help many less
to tell all our partners, friends and
privileged women and children in the Upper East and Volta
people like you about our work
Regions of Ghana. Shape Lives Foundation works with local
during the past year, how we raise
groups and individuals towards the achievement of its aims
money and spend it, and how you
can help. and objectives.
To find more information about Our Mission is……………………
our work, please visit our
• Providing relief to the poor, handicapped and others
website at :
victimized by society especially women and children
• Equipping the rural youth with entrepreneurial skills to
www.shapelives.kabissa.org
become self-employed and self dependent
Phones us on • Providing health information and support
• Providing guidance and counseling services to help people
+233 20 8886650 translate their vision into reality
Or write to us at:
• Food security and farming activities
• Support for brilliant but needy children in schools
P.O. Box SK 215 Tema
• Other developmental activities
Ghana, West Africa
Email: foundation@shapelives.org

4. MANAGEMENT BOARD’S REPORT
rd
This has been an exceptional 3 anniversary for Shape Lives Foundation and I write on behalf of the Management
Board with great pride about our achievements. We are meeting our ambitions, changing lives, whilst at the same time
planning strategically for the coming years. The development of people in the rural areas of Ghana is very important
and this requires the role of all civic groups and societies to accelerate this process.
Research has shown that 93% of Ghanaians are living in poverty. The worst affected parts are the Northern and the
Upper regions where 90 % of the people are living in absolute poverty. The provision of sustainable jobs ( especially to
women and youth) and educational infrastructure , as well as supporting marginalized and disadvantaged children is
perhaps the most sustainable way to produce development and elimination of poverty. It is therefore gratifying to note
that, the Shape Lives Foundation is making a great impact in these regions, - making people break away from the
bondage of poverty.
Presently, our development programmes and activities are complementing the development efforts and plans of the
District Assemblies and the District Education Service in our operational area and this has resulted in closer
collaboration between us all.
As we celebrate our 3rd anniversary and Shape Lives Foundation achievements, our plans envisage the need of
accelerating speedily on our projects to enable us fully break the bondage of poverty that is binding our people.
We collectively hope that individuals and groups who share our vision and objectives after reading this report will seek
collaboration and networking with us for the single goal of bettering lives and making someone break from poverty.
I may end by thanking all individuals and organizations that have contributed so much especially our officers ,
volunteers advisers , donors and all well wishers. Without you, we can’t make our organization and project reality.
God bless you all!! Long live Shape Lives Foundation!!!
BENJAMIN D. Otiah - Chairman of Board.

5. ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMMES
Our current programmes activities are geared towards sustainable jobs creation for women and youth, schools vegetable gardening,
Educational infrusture development, computer training to basic schools and youth and children sponsorship to schools and employable
skills. The following projects were carried out within the year of review:
I. Economic Empowerment to Rural Women and Youth
(Blessing Basket Weaving)
In the Upper East region, basketry is the only economic back born of the
people but is very sad to note that all basket weavers are the neediest and
very poor because they lack good market for their products. Only those so
called “businessmen”, thus middlemen, make money by paying the
weavers very low wages because they know they need the money to buy
their basic needs and no alternatives. They then send these baskets to
Europe and other places to sell keeping all the profits for themselves
without considering the plight of neither the weavers nor the communities
these baskets come from.
The Shape Lives Foundation brought hope to the weavers in the region by
paying prosperity wages to the weavers for weaving baskets and then
sends the baskets to America to sell. We ensure that every basket is signed
by the weavers; we attach pictures of the weavers to the baskets and share
with customers about their plight. They then feel like they know the
weavers too – and when a face is connected to a name it makes the
purchase of the basket very personal. The Shape Lives foundation takes
no money from the sales of baskets for the organization nor for the
workers, instead do we find other sources of funding to pay the many
expenses we have associated with running the project. The proceeds are
brought back to the communities to implements a development project
chosen by the people. In Nyariga, such funds a being used in support of
building a girl’s school.
A picture of women weaving blessing basket

6. About 800 basket weavers benefited and are still benefiting and include women and youth. Many young people that left the villages to
cities looking for non existing jobs returned to unite with their families to benefit from this laudable project. As a result, orphaned children
that never dreamt of education enrolled to school, poor widows and families that can’t even afford a meal a day were relieved from their
worries because they have expanded their farms and now have abundant harvest to carter for themselves.
The news of this project spread wide to the entire region like wide fire and the local radio stations talked much about it realizing the
impact of the project , thus helping to reduce hunger in the region, for it is the first of its kind in the region .
Women dancing happily after receiving prosperity wages
A woman receiving prosperity wage for
weaving blessing basket.

7. II. The House of Children Home
This Orphanage is located at Volta Region in a village called Attabu, about 2 kilometers north of Hohoe, the district capital. It
is currently housing 21 orphans with a very kind hearted woman as their mother. This orphanage was discovered by Mr.
Alexander Kedje on his way to Hohoe. He fell in love with one of the orphans that bear is birthday name, Kwame and by his
recommendation, the home was adopted for a year round support by Shape Lives Foundation. We supported the orphanage with
food items and money for medical care for the orphans.
Mr. Alexander with orphans at the children home

8. III. Bicycle s for All Ages
Bicycle for All- Ages (BAA) is one of the projects Shape Lives Foundation implemented in 2007. This project is still ongoing. The
mission of the project is to provide a reliable alternative source of transportation for people living in rural areas of Ghana by providing
bicycles at affordable prices. The project is designed to provide bicycles at low prices to students, workers, farmers and all those
who use bicycles in one way or the other. In 2007, this project has provided to over 1000 persons with second-hand good quality
bikes and affordable bikes including famers , market women and school children in Volta and Upper East regions.
Bike beneficiary -Joe
Salam and his friends happily riding to
School children riding to school school
Shape Lives Project officer, Mr Adulai donating bikes
to Nyariga community at Bolgatanga

9. IV. Volta School for the Deaf:
The Volta School for the Deaf is the only special disability school in the Hohoe district of Ghana in the
Volta region. The Shape Lives Foundation supported some children in this school with school sandals.
The state of the children prior to the presentation
of the school sandals
The Assistant Headmistress (Miss Diddy Ntim)
presenting school sandals to the children on
behalf of Shape Lives Foundation
Children happily in their sandals

10. Thank you Letters
Some of the children wrote in their own words thanks you letters to one of one partner
organization- Hope For Children:
Please see below few scanned copies.

11. Other Projects Pictures
Some of the beneficiaries with uniforms and
Children were presented with teddies
bikes at Bume/ VR
at Santrokofi – Bume School
School Children were presented with
pens and pencils
Alexander distributing pencils and pens
to school to school children
A pupil receiving her school uniform

12. To God be all the Glory!
We use this privilege to thank God Almighty for preserving the life of our Project Manager, Mr. Alexander Kedje and his friend Jeffery
from a fatal accident that happened when they where returning from Bolgatanga to Accra. Mr. Alexander and his friend went to
pay prosperity wages to Nyariga weavers and visited some other projects in the Bolgatanga district. The devil became mad for
their good works and decided to terminate their lives on Accra Kumasi road but he did not succeed. We are very grateful to
God and many thanks to all those who were in prayers with us during their hospitalization . The Devil is a liar! Shape Lives
Foundation will continue with its good works.
See the accident car pictures below:

13. ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER2007
INCOMING RESOURCES GHC
Uncommitted Reserves from 2006 22,351,000
Contribution from members and volunteers 7,780,000
Grants received 603,000,000
Fundraising proceeds 9,203,000
Donations 9,030,000
Total Income 651,364,000
EXPENDED RESOURCES
Administrative Expenses 1 32,520,000
Economic Empowerment Projects 2 491,170,000
Educational Projects 3 106,310,000
Total Expenditure 630,000,000
Uncommitted Reserves 21,364,000
Note:
This financial information is an extract from our annual accounts.
For a fuller understanding you should obtain the annual report accounts for the year, which are available by email
foundation@shapelives.org or by post.

14. Place your order for beautiful bolga baskets online http://shapelives.kabissa.org
These products are made in Ghana and available for sale to organizations and individuals. By buying any one of these products, you are
providing a day's meal to someone. By ordering more of the products, you are providing employment for many less privileged women and
youth in Ghana. If you are interested in any of the products, please contact us. God bless you for your support.
© Copyright 2007. Shape Lives Foundation. All rights reserved.