Ghana offers a National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) that covers patients for the majority of health complaints and medications needed. It is a wonderful scheme that has opened up health care to a much larger proportion of the population. However, in order for a child to be covered, their parents have to be covered. Almost all of our beneficiaries, even if they have parents/guardians, either cannot afford the scheme or don't prioritise this.

The scheme does have an exemption for very poor people, but with tight guidelines:

• Does not have any visible source of income.
• Does not have a fixed place of residence.
• Does not live with a person who is employed and has a fixed place of residence.
• Does not have a consistent source of support from another person.

To fill all of these criteria, and prove it, is difficult, and can be inaccessible in our regions where there is such high illiteracy, so there are many families living without healthcare. Youth Alive has successfully lobbied government, proving that our children are vulnerable, and our beneficiaries now get cover, free of charge, through the health scheme.

Mental health is, of course, also an important concern. Our beneficiaries have had some extremely tough circumstances to deal with from an early age. Our field workers develop supportive relationships with our beneficiaries, and are often trusted to confide in. However, we appreciate the importance of professional counselling and so we have created a partnership with the Ghana Education Service, allowing all of our beneficiaries access to their trained counsellors.

Health Education:
Youth Alive runs workshops in collaboration with SWAA (Society for Women and AIDS in Africa) to teach our beneficiaries about HIV/AIDS. We train peer educators and older beneficiaries in general health, hygiene and HIV/AIDS so that they can hold workshops with all of our beneficiaries. It has been an effective teaching tool, with the children interested and feeling comfortable about discussing issues led by a peer.

We also train community members in HIV/AIDS awareness. By teaching groups of people from other towns how to teach, we are able to cover a much wider area. Our staff follow up with all of our trainees to ensure that they have understood everything and are leading valuable workshops.