Description and Impact

With all of the humanitarian needs of Cape Coast it is common to forget about the environmental issues at hand.  Environmental stability and strength have a serious impact on the health and well-being of a community; both now and down the road.  This is especially true in the mining communities in and around Cape Coast. This project first went into the field and took random samples of water, food and blood to test for harmful chemicals such as arsenic, cyanide and cadmium, to name a few. This study found that the levels of arsenic and cyanide in the water and food samples were around 2,000% higher than the levels recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Years of non-regulated oil extraction, paired with a community that is ignorant to the harmful effects of these practices; has created a real problem that must be addressed.  

What is the overall goal of the project? This NGO was created to help educate the people of Cape Coast on the unsafe mining practices still in place today.  Their goal is to explain the negative consequence this has on the community’s health and surrounding environment. They highlight the relationship between the mining practices and release of harmful chemicals to the negative environmental processes and the general health of their people.  Once the community members understand what it’s doing to their health and the health of the children they become advocates and voices of change.  By instilling socially and environmentally responsible principals in young children; it’s more likely to bring about positive change for future generations.  This is why their community outreach and educational programs in schools are such a vital part of this NGO’s mission.