Catholic Relief Services

Also known as: CRS

Catholic Relief Services — international development organization working on security engagement, health infrastructure, and water resource management in Ghana.

2026-06-042026-10-30

News reports

Order a long-term news report on Catholic Relief Services

Every mention in the Ghanaian press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

October 2026
29 OctJoy Online
… The call was made on Wednesday, October 28, at a National Dialogue on Civil-Security Engagement in Accra, convened by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in partnership with the National Security Council Secretariat and the National Peace Council, with funding from the Netherlands Min …
Stakeholders call for stronger community-security collaboration to prevent extremism
9 OctJoy Online
Catholic Relief Services (CRS), with funding from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), has handed over six renovated and expanded National Ambulance Service (NAS) facilities across northern Ghana to strengthen emergency referral and transport services. …
CRS, LDS hand over 6 renovated NAS facilities to strengthen emergency response
August 2026
14 AugThe Ghanaian Times
… The Project Manager at Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Ms Adelaide Yiriyelleh, underscored the importance of sustained political dialogue in strengthening Ghana’s democracy, enhancing trust among political actors and building national consensus. …
CDD demands justice for victims of 2024 election violence
14 AugJoy Online
… Mr Sarpong gave the caution at an inter-party dialogue organised by the National Peace Council (NPC), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Catholic Relief Services, under the Political Party Trust Building Programme. …
Political parties urged to guard against foreign manipulation of information
13 AugJoy Online
… Mr Sarpong gave the caution at an inter-party dialogue organised by the National Peace Council (NPC), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Catholic Relief Services, under the Political Party Trust Building Programme. …
NMC warns political parties against foreign information manipulation and interference
1 AugJoy Online
… The forum, organised by Catholic Relief Services (CRS), an international NGO, was on the theme: “Protecting the White Volta River for Water Security and Sustainable Livelihoods.” Participants included representatives of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, Minerals Commiss …
CRS holds forum on sustainable sand mining on White Volta River
July 2026
23 JulJoy Online
… The Sahel Peace Initiative is a regional peacebuilding programme spearheaded by the Catholic Church with support from Catholic Relief Services to promote dialogue, social cohesion, community resilience and collaboration in addressing the root causes of violent extremism across th …
Stakeholders assess Ghana’s preparedness for Sahel security threats
June 2026
4 JunJoy Online
… This ecosystem is fortified by the specialized expertise of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), AV Ventures, SEND Ghana, and Enterprise Life, which provides tailored insurance solutions to de-risk the financial landscape for rural actors. …
Building Economic Resilience: How FILMA is creating dignified livelihoods in rural Ghana
4 JunDaily Guide
… This ecosystem is fortified by the specialized expertise of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), AV Ventures, SEND Ghana, and Enterprise Life, which provides tailored insurance solutions to de-risk the financial landscape for rural actors. …
Building Economic Resilience: How FILMA is Creating Dignified Livelihoods in Rural Ghana In the landscape of rural development, the transition from subsistence to sustainability is often cited as a goal; however, it is rarely measured with the precision of a fintech operation. Reflecting on the insights shared during the inaugural Financial Inclusion for Last Mile Actors (FILMA) Learning Event at the Accra Marriott Hotel, which hosted over 230 stakeholders, it is clear that the “last mile” is no longer the end of the road, but rather the starting point for systemic economic transformation. A scene during one of the community engagements Program Context: A Multi-Partner Vision For Rural Ghana Implemented by Temple Investments in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, FILMA is a four-year, multi-partner initiative (2024–2028) designed to empower 100,000 young Ghanaians. The program specifically targets young women, youth, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) by providing access to affordable credit, inclusive financial services, and market opportunities. Central to this mission is the Last Mile Actor (LMA), defined as the essential yet often overlooked players at the end of the agricultural value chain. This demographic primarily comprises young women, youth, and PWDs serving as smallholder farmers, processors, and traders. These actors have historically been excluded from formal financial systems due to systemic barriers: a lack of traditional collateral, limited financial footprints, and the high perceived risk of rural enterprises. The program operates with a precise mandate: ensuring that 70% of LMAs are women and 5% are persons with disabilities, focusing its efforts across 18 districts in the Volta, Oti, Bono East, and Northern Regions. To achieve this scale, the program is driven by a strategic consortium led by Temple Investments, providing strategic leadership and managing the Catalytic Facility for Inclusive Finance (CFIF). This ecosystem is fortified by the specialized expertise of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), AV Ventures, SEND Ghana, and Enterprise Life, which provides tailored insurance solutions to de-risk the financial landscape for rural actors. More than just an intervention, FILMA serves as a critical test case for a high-impact sustainability model. It marks a definitive departure from traditional grant-based modules, aiming instead to transform agricultural and agri-adjacent value chains, including production and the introduction of emerging technology, into self-sustaining hubs of economic resilience. Solid Evidence: Operational Milestones and Alternative Livelihoods Two years into the four-year program, FILMA’s data reflects deep structural changes. The program has enrolled 77,868 LMAs; representing 78% of the total life-of-project target, and successfully transitioned 44,476 youth into dignified and fulfilling work, with young women making up 90% (40,028) of this total. Additionally, 2,151 persons with disabilities are actively participating in the program’s pathways. The average monthly income of an LMA has more than doubled, rising from a baseline of GH¢1,334 to GH¢2,793, while the portion of LMAs able to self-secure a financial product has jumped from 3% to 38%. Crucially, the program is de-risking rural life by introducing microinsurance and promoting diversified, non-traditional income streams to hedge against agricultural volatility. To date, this includes specialized training and equipment distribution for 1,099 individuals in beekeeping, 500 in mushroom production, and 2,661 in dry-season vegetable production. Voices from the Last Mile: The LMA Youth Panel A powerful session at the forum brought five last-mile actors to the stage to share their real-world transformations. Sakina, a young participant, described how saving was once a distant dream, as she struggled to manage the small allowances provided by her parents. Following the financial literacy and saving guides provided by the program, she began consistently saving 30% of her funds, turning a dream into an active, empowering daily practice. Gifty, a university graduate, shared how she turned to mushroom farming in the Oti Region due to the scarcity of formal employment. Although she managed to build a basic farming structure using her national service allowance, she lacked the capital to purchase compost and spawn. Initially dismissing Voluntary Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) as groups meant only for older community members, Gifty joined the program, mobilized other young people, and formed a VSLA. The collective savings from this group provided the critical capital needed to purchase compost and launch her commercial operations, highlighting how local, structured savings can bypass traditional borrowing barriers. Redefining the Ecosystem: Systemic Debates and Institutional Commitments The final stakeholder panel confronted the harsh economic realities facing rural and local producers. Caleb Edwards, Managing Director of WAMI AGRO, offered a sobering view on the impact of import liberalization, pointing out that local producers struggle to compete with importers backed by cheaper foreign capital, subsidies, and tax exemptions. He shared that local companies have faced six-figure impairments due to these policies, forcing a local rice farm to let go of 18 workers, and emphasized that credit access will fail without corresponding market protection and hedging strategies. Addressing lending risks, panel representatives from Absa and Maroon Capital discussed the necessity of digital lending to offset last-mile delivery costs, but warned of a culture of default that led to a bank taking a 32 million GHS impairment. They called for a unified shift in borrower mindset toward “contractual faithfulness” and robust data literacy. These provocations led to critical institutional commitments. The Central Bank representative pledged to move beyond simple gender‑balance metrics to develop and launch an active, value-chain-wide inclusive policy specifically for women by mid-2027. The Ministry of Finance committed to crafting highly actionable, solution-oriented policies within the upcoming National Financial Inclusion and Development Strategy (NFIDS). Concurrently, disability advocates and WAMI Agro announced a collaborative framework with international disability facilitators to train financial institutions on accessible services, ensuring local PWD structures are intentionally integrated into future outreach. The Women Behind the Work: From Survival to Destiny “For us at Temple, these women are not a video. They are the reason we are here. They are not characters in a story; they are the story,” noted Cecilia Hesse, Managing Director of Temple Investments, during her opening address. Her words underscored a fundamental shift in how development is measured: moving away from distant spreadsheets toward the lived realities of the women who are the bedrock of the nation. She also shared a proverb that captures the resilience of the program’s target demographic: “Even if the housefly has nothing, it rubs its hands together in anticipation.” This spirit of preparation and work is what FILMA seeks to harness. By recognizing the brilliance and drive of these women, the program ensures they no longer have to struggle just to survive, but are instead empowered to build a lasting destiny for their families and communities. A FILMA beneficiary

Society

Stakeholders urge stronger community-security ties against extremism

The News

At a National Dialogue on Civil-Security Engagement in Accra convened by Catholic Relief Services in partnership with the National Security Council Secretariat and National Peace Council, stakeholders called for stronger collaboration between communities and security agencies to prevent violent extremism. Participants from government, security agencies, civil society, traditional and religious institutions emphasised the need for a whole-of-society approach, inclusive governance, and innovative youth employment strategies.

11 hours ago · Joy Online →

Yesterday

Stakeholders urge stronger community-security ties against extremism
At a National Dialogue on Civil-Security Engagement in Accra convened by Catholic Relief Services in partnership with the National Security Council Secretariat and National Peace Council, stakeholders called for stronger collaboration between communities and security agencies to prevent violent extremism. Participants from government, security agencies, civil society, traditional and religious institutions emphasised the need for a whole-of-society approach, inclusive governance, and innovative youth employment strategies.
11 hours ago · Joy Online →

Friday 9 October

CRS, LDS hand over six renovated NAS facilities in northern Ghana
Catholic Relief Services and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have handed over six renovated National Ambulance Service facilities across northern Ghana's Upper East, North East, Northern, and Savannah regions to strengthen emergency referral and transport services as part of the HOPE-MCH Project improving maternal, newborn and child health.
9 October 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 14 August

CDD-Ghana calls for accountability in 2024 election violence cases
The Centre for Democratic Development has demanded justice for victims of 2024 election-related violence, arguing that accountability and completion of investigations into violence from the 2020 and 2024 elections are crucial to prevent future incidents and maintain national cohesion.
14 August 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Political parties warned against foreign information manipulation tactics
George Sarpong, Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission, has cautioned political parties against becoming tools for foreign actors seeking to manipulate Ghana's information environment. He explained that foreign information manipulation and interference exploits truthful but contextually deceptive material amplified through algorithms, and warned that political parties are particularly vulnerable vectors for such divisions.
14 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 13 August

NMC warns parties against foreign information manipulation threat
The National Media Commission's Executive Secretary has cautioned political parties against becoming tools for foreign actors seeking to manipulate Ghana's information environment through foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), which exploits truthful but decontextualised information and amplifies it to create divisions.
13 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Saturday 1 August

CRS convenes forum on sustainable sand mining in White Volta
A two-day multi-stakeholder forum on sustainable sand mining was held in Tamale to address the effects of unsustainable sand mining and other human activities on the White Volta River, with the goal of protecting Ghana Water Limited's intake source at Nawuni while sustaining community livelihoods. According to the Catholic Relief Services assessment, illegal sand mining around the Nawuni catchment, unsustainable farming practices, and deforestation are traced as root causes of declining water quality and quantity supplied to the Greater Tamale Area.
1 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 23 July

Ghana assesses readiness for Sahel security spillover threats
Stakeholders are discussing Ghana's preparedness to address security threats from instability in the central Sahel, ahead of a national forum in Accra. The engagement supports the Bamako Declaration, adopted in Mali in March, which calls for coordinated action to promote peace and security across the Sahel and West Africa.
23 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 9 July

Mamprugu Moagduri Assembly completes 23 development projects since January
The Mamprugu Moagduri District Assembly has implemented 23 major development projects across education, health, water and sanitation, and other sectors between January 2025 and June 2026, using GH¢13.7 million from the District Assemblies Common Fund and support from development partners.
9 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 4 June

FILMA program aims to empower 100,000 young rural Ghanaians
Implemented by Temple Investments and the Mastercard Foundation, FILMA is a four-year initiative (2024–2028) providing young women, youth, and persons with disabilities access to affordable credit, inclusive financial services, and market opportunities in rural Ghana.
4 June 2026 · Joy Online →
FILMA program doubles income for 77,868 rural actors in Ghana
Temple Investments' four-year FILMA initiative (2024–2028) has enrolled 77,868 last-mile actors—primarily young women, youth, and persons with disabilities—across 18 districts, more than doubling average monthly income from GH¢1,334 to GH¢2,793 while transitioning 44,476 youth into dignified work and raising financial product self-uptake from 3% to 38%.
4 June 2026 · Daily Guide →