Our Model
Solid Ground for Africa is working to partner with existing orphanages to help them develop independent and sustainable systems to provide better and more reliable sources of food, shelter, medical aid, education, and financial stability.
We start by talking to the people running those orphanages to discover what they need to be independent. We know that the greatest success will be achieved by respecting local cultures and communities and letting them lead the way to a new future where they are not dependent on foreign aid or government support.
We work in a world where the landscape is constantly shifting and we have learned that flexibility and perseverance are integral qualities. We move forward, with determination and optimism, always remembering the lives we are trying to make better and the brighter futures we are helping to create.
Our ideal model would ensure that each orphanage we work with has secure, independent, and sustainable access to:
Electricity
- Solar panels
- Wind turbines
- Fossil fuels
- Hydroelectric
- Chemical (fuel cells or batteries)
Water
- Wells (borehole or protected dug well)
- Rainwater collection
- Indoor piped connections
- Public standpipe (pump with tap)
- Purification systems
- Drip irrigation
Medicine & Health Care
- Transportation to area clinics
- Basic healthcare and disease education
- Disease prevention
- Basic healthcare and first aid supplies
- Medication
- Construction support for new clinics, if necessary
Food & Food Production
- Vegetable gardens / greenhouses
- Animal husbandry (cows, chickens, rabbits, pigs)
- Cooking and food storage appliances
- Safety practices (ie. open cooking fires)
Education
- Transportation to school
- Qualified staff
- Books and other teaching supplies
- Enrichment supplies including paper, pencils, art supplies, music, sports etc
- Construction support for new school buildings, if necessary
Business Relationships & Education
- Local partnerships and contracts, securing regular and reliable purchasing agreements
- Support efforts to improve inter-community relationships
- Community job training including bookkeeping, equipment maintenance and repair, farming practices, etc.
Revenue Generation
- Artisan crafts and trade specific training
- Education and enrichment classes offered to students from abroad
- Excess energy production
- Excess food production
- Excess water production