Accra, Dec. 28, GNA - The United States on Wednesday gave 12 communities grants totalling about 38,000 dollars under its Special Self-Help (SSH) Programme to enable them to complete projects they had initiated.

Beneficiaries would use the funds to complete school buildings, improve on income generation activities and promote good sanitation through the construction of toilet facilities. An agreement to that effect was signed between the communities and the US Embassy in Accra.

The beneficiaries are Tewobabi Kente Weaving Centre in the Ashanti Region; Amasu Methodist Primary School Building; Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled at Berekum; Central Region Association of the Deaf; Adonten Secondary School Library; Djanman Noyaa Ku Community water closet in the Greater Accra Region and Babayara Junior Secondary School building at Madina in Accra.

The rest are Agortaga Community KVIP in the Volta Region, Kparekpare Primary School building in the Volta Region, Vume Potters Firing Centre in the Volta Region, Ata Ne Ata Community School Building in the Western Region and Nyame Bekyere Palm Oil Processing Project in the Western Region.

Speaking at the ceremony, the US Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Pamela Bridgewater said the SSH programme enabled communities to tackle their planned development aspirations to which they had already made substantial contributions.

She said the self-help fund empowered individuals and communities through increased access to education, health, vocational training and sanitation.

"Our mission seeks to support high-impact projects that can be quickly implemented to improve communities' economic and social conditions."

The 2005 total grant commitment of 70,000 dollars to 22 projects brings the total of US funding under the SSH to 1.3 million dollars over the past 15 years.

Ms Bridgewater asked the communities to maintain the projects after their completion.