From Dreams to Reality: How a Kids’ Savings Club Changed Esther’s Life

By Vivian Adu, Communications Officer, WV Ghana

The quiet farming community of Semanhyia is familiar with the struggles of everyday life. For years, the village has been marked by hardship and limited access to opportunities. 

This is the story of Esther, a determined young girl, and how a group of children with big hearts and few resources changed her life.

A Future Almost Lost

In 2022, Esther received the news that every student dreams of: she had been accepted into one of the senior high schools in Ghana's Eastern Region, a beacon of hope for many in the area. However, this dream was quickly overshadowed by a harsh reality.

“My parents were not financially stable. So, it became very difficult for me to buy the items on my prospectus,” Esther shares softly.

While her friends packed their bags and set off to begin a new chapter, Esther was left alone in her family home. The joy of success was replaced by silence and waiting.

A Lifeline from Her Peers

But in Semanhyia, hope doesn’t die easily. Especially not when you have a community of children standing beside you.

Excellence Kids Club, a children's savings group formed under the Savings for Transformation module and supported by World Vision Ghana, stepped in.

Made up of children aged 8 to 15, the group saved just weekly 20 pesewas per share, up to a maximum of one cedi per child. It was these tiny, consistent sacrifices that made a life-changing gift possible.

“The club came to my aid and gave me with GHS1,200 (+115 USD). Thanks to this, I was able to purchase all the items on my prospectus as well as other valuable items. I am very grateful to the club their tremendous support,” Esther says with her eyes lighting up.

A Lesson in Love and Leadership

The Excellence Kids Club is more than a place to save, it is also a living lesson in leadership, unity, and purpose. 

Everyw week, the children meet to discuss, contribute, and decide how to use their funds to support each other. Esther’s story is just one example of the remarkable impact they are having.

Imagine it, young children, many of whom have so little, choosing to invest in the education and future of one of their own. In a world where selfishness often dominates the headlines, the children of Semanhyia are showing us what true generosity looks like.

“I don’t know what I would have done without the club. They didn't just give me money, they gave me hope and strength,” Esther recounted.

Hope in the Hands of the Young

This story is not just about Esther. It's about what can be achieved when children are empowered to take the lead, care for one another, and dream big. It’s about how small saving acts can turn into big transformational ones.

'Long live the Excellence Kids Club! Long live World Vision Ghana. God bless us all.” Esther’s words are filled with gratitude, but also with a quiet determination to one day give back, just as she was supported.

In Semanhyia, the winds of change are blowing, led by the youngest among them.

Esther is now a confident student, walking through the school gates, and a symbol of what community and compassion can achieve.

It all started with a one-cedi contribution from a child who believed that saving could lead to something greater.