About Us
Onechild Ghana is a UK-registered charity, run entirely by volunteers. We’ve been educating the world’s poorest children since 2002 and in that time we have developed a process that creates genuine and sustainable impact.
"We make a real difference to the lives of the world's poorest children"
How are we different to other charities?
We are run entirely by volunteers
We don’t have any salaries or office costs to pay which means everything we raise goes directly towards the projects we support. Nothing is marked up. A small donation can go a very long way in Ghana.
We are fully transparent
We know where every single penny goes.
Everyone who donates to Onechild Ghana can choose how to spend their donation and see the real difference they are making.
We work in close partnership with our schools in Ghana
We don’t dictate from afar what our schools need or should do. Since 2002, we’ve developed very close relationships with our schools. Working in partnership is by the far the best way to create genuine and sustainable impact.
What schools do we support?
Onechild Ghana supports vocational schools – called ICCES centres – throughout the Ashanti region, Ghana.
ICCES stands for Integrated Community Centre for Employable Skills. There are 75 ICCES centres throughout Ghana and 12 that Onechild Ghana works with in the Ashanti region.
ICCES centres were established by the Ghanaian Government to help combat youth unemployment, rural-urban drift and contribute to the development of micro and small-scale enterprise amongst young people. Unfortunately the schools remain largely underfunded.
Students at ICCES centres learn vocational skills such as masonry, electricals and dressmaking. They also study maths, English and health. Students study towards their NVTI (National Vocational and Technical Institute) qualification, which after three years will enable them to enter a polytechnic after graduating from ICCES, find employment, or start their own business.
ICCES centres are open to anyone, typically between the ages of 14 and 24 and often attract young people who have not been able to afford traditional academic education or those who prefer to develop a vocational trade.
ICCES provides an essential role helping young Ghanaians step up out of the cycle of poverty they find themselves in.
Meet the team
Ben Cummings
Ben studied Politics, specialising in International Development at Nottingham University, and volunteered at Bawaro ICCES in summer 2006 to expand his understanding in the field. Ben has been connected with Onechild Ghana ever since.
Ben has worked in public affairs, sports marketing and sport for development projects across the globe. He continues to work in the sports industry and remains a trustee of Onechild Ghana.
Kimberly Speyer
Kimberly became involved with Onechild Ghana after friends invited her to join them at a fundraising event in 2015. Learning that education for young women in Ghana is often overlooked, she wanted to help.
Kimberly has several years experience working in Marketing and Events which she intends to continue putting to good use with Onechild Ghana. She also has a degree in History and enjoys keeping fit in her spare time.
Darren Belnikoff
Darren co-founded Onechild Ghana with Jamie way back in 2005 and assists in the general running of the charity. His day job is working for the UK government as a research and evaluation specialist.
Outside of work, Darren is a dedicated supporter of the mighty Leyton Orient, a serving Justice of the Peace, and has two children who keep him on his toes!
Sheilani Nandy
Having spent some of her formative years in Ghana, Sheilani, a civil servant, was very excited to hear about Onechild Ghana through Darren.
With some experience of setting quizzes around the world during her official travels, Sheilani volunteered to set some of the 2015 Onechild Ghana quiz. She has taken an active role ever since.
Sheilani has coordinated a number of charity events whilst working oversea – these include quiz nights, concerts, rehearsed play readings and even the odd black ?e event. In 2017 Sheilani spent 3 months volunteering in India with a large NGO which focussed on the empowerment and protection of marginalised children. Sheilani has recorded some short voiceovers on documentary films associated with the aid sector.
She is also obsessed with all things relating to tennis!
Martin Gaunt
Martin Gaunt is a trustee of Onechild Ghana. Martin volunteered as a teacher at Baworo ICCES vocational school in 2005 and joined Onechild Ghana on his return to continue the good work.
In his time with the charity Martin has instigated Onechild’s scholarship programme which has gone on to fund the education of over a hundred young students.
He is also an avid fundraiser, having completed a number of running and cycling challenges to raise money for the charity.
Beyond Onechild, Martin is a senior civil servant and father of three young children.
Dr Robert Palmer
After completing his first degree at Durham University in 2000, during most of 2001 Robert Palmer found himself working in Ghana’s Ashanti Region with Otaakrom ICCES.
Since then he has made many extended visits to Ghana to work with ICCES centres in the region and to do research on education, skills and employment issues in the country.
He holds a PhD in African Studies from the University of Edinburgh and has done consultancy work for many agencies including DFID and the ILO.
Richard Bussy
Richard took a different to route to Ghana, deciding that after spending 7 years working in London that his opportunities to go volunteer in Ghana – where his mother was born and raised – were running out.
While in Ghana he was based in Baworo, but worked with the ICCES Regional Manager and a series of Centre Managers (head masters) to understand the relative strengths and weaknesses across the region and see where Onechild can be of most help.
While in Baworo his specific focus was ICT, raising money in Britain and the local community to refurbish and develop the existing computer room and provide internet access. Since returning to Britain he has focused his personal fundraising to helping Onechild provide facilities that enhance female student learning opportunities across the region.
Jamie Belnikoff
Never mind the milk-round or the rat race: after leaving university, Jamie decided to do something a little different. He spent several months working at a school in Ghana. Not only was the experience much more fun than sitting on the Tube, it inspired him to create Onechild Ghana: a charity that helps Africans to help themselves, giving them the means to develop their potential.
Outside of Onechild Ghana, Jamie works in London as a Research Director in a market research firm, advising organisations across a range of industries. He is married and has three children.
Michelle Belnikoff
Michelle has been involved with Onechild Ghana for almost two decades. She is an experienced marketer with a passion for the not for profit sector.
After graduating with a degree in International Management with German from Manchester University, Michelle started her career on the graduate marketing scheme at Ford.
Michelle left Ford in 2009 to raise her three children and since then has pursued her passion, working with different charities in a number of roles.
