Development in Focus - Additional Information

The mission of the organization is to mobilize resource and stakeholders to empower poor vulnerable women, youth and children, to realize their own development. Integrated Development in Focus (DIF) was formed and inaugurated as a capacity building social development agency involved primarily in poverty reduction, preventive health education, reproductive health, rural/urban development, capacity building and the development of networks.

Its mission is to mobilize resources and stakeholders to empower poor vulnerable women, youth and children to realize their own development, know about themselves and be responsible adults. The organization is interested in the health, socio-economic needs and ensuring the future of children, youth and poor women in deprived, underserved and hard to reach areas, locally and internationally.

It promotes models of participatory, sustainable and self-reliant development through action-research. This is mostly achieved through community education, behavioural change communication (BCC), training, outreach activities, skills development and peer education, using drumming, dancing and interactive drama/theatre as a means of communication to transfer information on women, children and youth issues as well as sensitize stakeholders on factual reproductive health issues and preventive heath.

Realizing the essence of good health as well as sound environment, DIF have outlined programmes and policies that would promote the welfare of poor vulnerable women, children and youth. The health and socio-economic welfare of women, children and youth is fundamental to their development and are vital for survival. DIF works with communities, intermediary organisations and strategic institutions, to develop participatory approaches for their work. The organisation assists communities to work effectively with established internal traditional community processes of collective problem solving. It also helps communities to establish mechanisms to manage their productive resources. A decades experience in grassroots involvement has shaped and informed DIF’s strategy in working with community-based organisations, church agencies and international organisations. These include the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), UNFPA, School of Medical Laboratory, CEDEP, CENCOSAD, Center for National Culture, Hope for African Children Initiative (HACI), and the Ghana Health Service (GHS), District Assemblies as well as Members of Parliament. Currently, there is a permanent staff of five, all with relevant specialist skills and a host of volunteers.

Since its establishment, it has performed numerous programmes and activities both locally and internationally. It is well noted for its contributions to the creation of awareness in preventive health, reproductive health, right-based approaches, capacity building, STD/HIV/AIDS and monitoring support to CBOs. It has also in collaboration and in partnership with CENCOSAD provided skills training for 32 members of its girl-child group in hairdressing, catering and dressmaking. Currently, with support from HACI, DIF has expanded its work to cover orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in the Korle Wonko electoral area of Ashiedu Keteke in the Greater Accra region.
Furthermore, with its rich experience in community development, mobilization, animation, organisation, sensitization and awareness creation using participatory strategies, participatory methodologies and capacity building, DIF was contracted by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to work closely to develop effective communication strategies and the creation of appropriate linkages from the community level to the health facilities for school and community health in the Volta region. DIF is currently in partnership with the Ghana Health Service-National Tuberculosis Control Program, Ghana AIDS Commission and the Accra Metropolitan Authority.