As part of the village development in northern Ghana, Star of Hope in 2004 together with local authorities built the Kulbia dam in the Bolgatanga area. This was the third dam Star of Hope helped with since 1997.
The purpose to construct the dam was to alleviate poverty and underdevelopment in the villages through development programs in the fields of agriculture, and food security.
Approximately 10.000 people live in the area and benefit from the dam.
The villages concerned were very much engaged in the planning and their representatives have been in meetings with both Star of Hope and the Ministry about the construction and their participation.
The primary use of the water from the dam is for the domestic animals and the secondary use for prolongation of the time for kitchen gardening and fields, from the normal four months rainy season up to the year around.
With only four months of rain there is not much water for the development of agriculture – which is the main economic activity of the people of the area. It is not surprising that the area has been experiencing perennial drought and famine with short farming seasons and lack of grass to feed the livestock.
These dams that Star of Hope built has been very useful and appreciated in a very poor area of Ghana.
Pics by Björg Farstad