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About Pagus:Africa

Pagus:Africa. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that works at a grassroots level on projects that directly improve people's lives. We are currently working in Ghana, W. Africa. Projects are primarily focused in the Volta Region. We are non-sectarian, non-governmental, and apolitical.

Our mission is to strengthen poor rural communities through targeted projects in education, health and poverty reduction.  We believe the most effective ways to facilitate long term sustainable change is through education of children and through working with adults to build self reliance and sources for sustainable income. We seek to empower communities to improve their schools, water sources and health conditions.

Our Board of Directors Board Members Timothy Hawkesworth Chair Teresa Atkins Ellen Berenholz Laura Kelly Lynn McGregor Terry Siman

Pagus, Inc was established in 1996 as a non-profit art gallery (Pagus Gallery) and community outreach organization. The decision to extend the organization's efforts to work in Ghana was made in 2004 after founders Ellen Berenholz and Timothy Hawkesworth, were introduced to the challenges faced by the people in that region and requests for help were made. Ellen traveled to Ghana with her son to gain better understanding of the needs and most effective way to help.

Pagus:Africa was founded with the desire to get things done without a ‘middleman’ and the associated red-tape and administrative expenses. 100% of all money donated goes directly into the projects we’ve committed to. By keeping projects small and focused, there is not a need to have paid staff. We are all volunteers.

About the needs in the rural Volta Region

• People live on amazingly little, with strong spirits and a strong ambition to improve their lives.
• Many of the rural villages lack access to clean water
• Little or no sanitation
• High infant mortality
• Rampant malaria
• Lack of medical supplies – even basic first aid like alcohol to clean cuts and bruises
• Adults and children are hungry to learn. They understand that education is the key to their future.

Accomplishments to date:

In just the last 3 years our fledgling organization has:

• Sponsored 86 children (and growing) to attend school and receive 2 meals a day
• Sponsored 1 young man's vocational training
• Sent 13 teachers from the US to work with children and teachers in our pilot  program Painting Possibilities.
• Sent a container of school and medical supplies and equipment
• Sent a school van to transport children and teachers to school
• Sent a vehicle to transport farming equipment and for other essential work
• Harvested our 2nd year of dry season okra
• Started construction of a model pig farm
• Built and distributed 1st aid boxes to 22 schools
• Consulted and built websites for Nongovernmental Organizations in Ghana closely aligned with ours.
• Helped get an ambulance on the road to bring help to rural villages

 

What makes this work possible...

The support and contributions of the following companies, organizations, and schools as well as the many generous individual donors, sponsors and volunteers, make all the difference:

• Capital Lease supplied a 40' shipping container to ship supplies to Kpando. In addition, they helped enlist:
• Hapag-Lloyd - providing shipping services to Ghana and also donated a 40’ container. Hapag-Lloyd in turn, helped enlist the services of:
• DHL forwarding services
• Penske Auto Rental  generously donated use of a truck to pick up medical supplies
• Drexel University college of Medicine for donated medical and office supplies and repaired numerous computers
• Gwynned-Mercy Academy Elementary students and staff for raised funds to help purchase of a school bus
• Penn Charter School for donated school desks and computers
• Global Gifts in Wayne, PA for continues its generous support including selling some of our fundraising items in their store
• Lexington High School Model UN Club has raised impressive funds that are helping our sponsored school and will soon help to build a new school near Ho
• The entire staff of Vantage Point Advisors volunteered to load the container – great work!
• All the wonderful volunteers that work tirelessly to help others
• All our generous sponsors and donors

 

Pagus is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization in the U.S. Our Federal tax number (EIN) # is 23-2965192.

Community by Community, Child by Child – You Can Make a Difference.