The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through a partnership with the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the Ministry of Education, has donated $500,000 worth of school supplies to children in communities affected by the Akosombo Dam spillage.

Through the Akosombo Safe Activity, USAID and UNICEF provided tents to serve as temporary school structures, and supplied essentials such as recreational kits, stationery and material for teaching and learning. 

Ms Virginia Palmer, U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, travelled to Mepe on Thursday to meet flood survivors, including teachers, parents, and students to express solidary. 

She also met government officials and the Member of Parliament for the area, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to discuss how to support the affected communities.

The ambassador was confident that the support provided would help restore teaching and learning in communities affected by the floods.

Fiachra McAsey, UNICEF Deputy Representative in Ghana, said the partnership was part of the organisation's mandate to ensure that “every child learns, even in the face of humanitarian emergencies.”

“Through this support, we are able to work together to ensure learning continues for children affected by the Akosombo Dam spillage and other emergency conditions in Ghana,” he stated.

The support follows USAID's earlier provision of $100,000 in assistance to flood victims in the form of cash transfers and temporary shelters, which were set up by the World Food Programme.  

The United States is Ghana's largest development partner.

In 2023, combined bilateral support reached over $250 million, including funding from USAID, dedicated to promoting education, health, economic growth and agriculture, governance, and security.

USAID, as the lead U.S. Government agency that works to end extreme global poverty, advances an integrated approach to development.

 It promotes accountability, sustainable systems, and inclusive development.

UNICEF, on the other hand, works in over 190 countries and territories to build a better world for children worldwide.