Welcome to the TPRF blog.

Land for planned FFP facility in Otinibi

I’ve never tried blogging before, but it sounds like fun! This is a good way to give TPRF supporters a ringside seat to follow the development of the next Food for People (FFP) program in Ghana.

It is especially heartwarming to launch this tribute on World Food Day, October 16. This is the day set aside to raise awareness of the issues behind poverty and hunger and strengthen the international resolve to find workable solutions.

Prem Rawat, who has often held speaking engagements in Côte D’Ivoire and Ghana, expressed an interest in developing a Food for People program in West Africa. After much research and many considerations, the village Otinibi emerged as the leading candidate.

There are several important criteria that the Foundation needs to consider when choosing a location for a Food for People facility:

• The need for this type of program is great
• Regional or local government assistance programs are lacking
• International aid organizations have not been effective in helping local children with their nutritional needs
• A local school exists, but attendance is low
• TPRF supporters are available locally to participate in the program
• There is a local charitable organization with similar goals, whose reputation is impeccable and is both fiscally responsible and compliant with local government regulations

Otinibi is a rural village of 1,500 residents. It is located in the Ga East municipal district, near the southern coast of Ghana, north of Accra in the greater Accra region.

Ghana’s dry climate makes farming a risky business. Otinibi villagers grow food for themselves and their families, but usually not enough to sell. Many village women create handcrafted items to trade in the city.

In 1962, the government established a school for the Otinibi village children. With aid from several charities, textbooks and qualified teachers are now available. However, because of the general poverty, school attendance is low and intermittent. Those who decide to attend school usually begin the day without a morning meal. Many of the older children drop out because there is not enough food and they need to work.

We are at the very beginning of an exciting journey that will lead to benefits similar to those enjoyed by the communities served by the FFP programs in India and Nepal. Through this blog, you can travel with TPRF through the entire process of creating a Food for People facility.

Stay posted for ongoing news.

Linda Pascotto
President, TPRF