The Ark Foundation
The Ark Foundation (The Ark) is a non-profit Christian Mission organization that works to support abused women and children. Our core work is advocacy, public education, training, and services provision.
Vision
A society in which the vulnerable are not forsaken; nor their God-given dignity trampled upon; a society in which the love and compassionate care of Christ are truly demonstrated through word and deed to others, particularly women and children.
Mission
The Ark offers to distressed, marginalized and abused persons, in particular women and children, compassionate care and an empowering space to live without fear of violence or oppression from others and to find strength, dignity and hope for life.
Values
- Authenticity, Sincerity, Simplicity
- Integrity, Empowerment, Accountability, Excellence
- Respect for dignity of women and men
Goals and Objectives
- The Ark seeks to offer to vulnerable, marginalized and abused persons, in particular women and children, compassionate care and to find strength, dignity and hope for life.
- The Ark seeks to create empowering spaces for individuals to live without fear of violence or oppression from others and to find strength, dignity and hope for life through active engagement with individuals, civil society and state institutions.
- The Ark seeks to support women and children survivors of gender-based violence and abuse through the provision of integrated services.
Achievements
Since 1999, it has provided services to over 5,000 clients and reached over three million people with its outreach and educational programs on sexual and gender-based violence, including domestic violence, sexual harassment and abuse, sex trafficking and related matters, and harmful traditional practices inimical to women and children in particular, across the country. The Ark’s Shelter is the first and still the only operational women’s shelter in Ghana.
Legal Status
The Ark was established in 1995 and originally called Care Foundation Ghana; it was registered as a Company Limited by guarantee with registration number G-166 by the Registrar of Companies in 1998, and its name was changed to The Ark Foundation, Ghana, with the same registration status. It started operating fully in February 1999. In August 2000, The Ark was granted recognition as a non-governmental organization (NGO) by the Department of Social Welfare, Ghana.
Organizational Beliefs and Statements
Statement of Faith: The Ark Foundation works from a Christian-centered transformational servanthood perspective and approach. The Ark upholds the Apostles’ Creed of the Christian faith and has adopted (Micah 6:8) as the framework of its work practice; “to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God”.
Statement on Gender Equality: The Ark believes in equality of men and women, boys and girls, and believes that society must give equal weight to the knowledge, experience, and values of both sexes. Men and women should have equal opportunities to develop their full God-given potential. Gender equality does not mean that men and women are the same but that their life chances, opportunities, roles, and responsibilities should be given equal recognition and weight by society. Discrimination between men and women, boys and girls which often disadvantages women and girls is both a gender justice and social justice issue and must be addressed with the seriousness it deserves at all levels of society.
Networking and Partnerships
The Ark collaborates with governmental agencies, and several NGOs and has also worked directly with international development organizations. Currently, our network partners include the Criminal Investigations Department and the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU), the Department of Social Welfare (DSW), Ghana Immigration Service, the Judicial Service, the Ghana Health Service, FIDA-Ghana, Girls Education Unit of the Ghana Education Service. The Ark also collaborates with non-governmental organizations such as the Centre for Trauma Relief and Prevention (CETRAP), WiLDAF Ghana, the Coalition of People against SGBV (CoPASH), Ghanaians Against Child Abuse (GACA), International Justice Mission, Our Rescue, West African Aids Foundation (WAAF) among others. The Ark is also an active player in the Domestic Violence Coalition of Ghana.