Education Support Continues
on VSO in Ghana (Ghana), 15/Apr/2011 08:42, 34 days ago
A number of the funded projects in Ghana are now well underway.Building a school for the village of Nako:The plan is that this school will be ready for use by students in September 2011. The building is being erected at a rapid pace.The people of the village volunteered to provide their labour, under the supervision of a trained architect.In the very near future there will be a sod-cutting ceremony attended by the adults and children of the village. A number of dignitaries have been invited, including the Anglican Bishop, the regional Director of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, the District Director of Education and the Chief of the area.Provision of desks to schools:The Coalition of PTAs and School Management Committees in Wa (composed of elected Ghanaian representatives) decided that Charingu Primary School should be the beneficiary of desks. This is one of the poorest schools in the area and its remote location makes it inaccessible to outside assistance, even from the Ghana government. The village is situated in the middle of a valley and has no access to any public transport. A local“bone-shaker” transports the women to market in the dry season, but the route is impassable in the rainy season. The Government has provided a 3-room classroom block for the village, but this is not sufficient for the number of children, and people in the village have built a makeshift classroomto accommodate more of the children. All classrooms lack furniture and it has been decided to provide furniture for the youngest students.The Coalition has required the people of the village to plaster the walls of the classroom and extend its size with good ventilation as their contribution to the improvements. The following pictures shows the children in their old classroom.The following pictures show the making and transportation of the desks.The new, extended classroom can be seen in the pictures below, together with the children sitting at their new desks.The people of the village came out for these pictures, in order to express their gratitude to everyone in the UK who has contributed to the provision of desks for the school.Provision of Electricity:The Coalition decided that the beneficiary of wiring and electrification should be Tampieni Primary and Junior High School. The village of Tampieni is only accessible during the dry season and, because of its remoteness, there is no possibility that electricity will be provided by the Government in the foreseeable future. In order to receive a generator and wiring, the village was required to clear rocks from the road to the school and to plaster the classrooms. The pictures below shows the school itself, as well as the receipt of the generator by the students and the adults of the village.Support for Women’s Groups:Two women’s groups are being supported in the setting up of income-generating projects. These groups are in the villages of Nakori and Biihee.Members of the groups have worked together to decide on their objectives and activities. Members of the groups will be engaged in a number of business undertakings including: stone quarrying, sale of cooked food, sale of firewood, rice processing, dry season gardening (irrigated cultivation of vegetables) and small scale cash crop farming (including cassava, maize, groundnuts, chilli peppers and soya beans). Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to these projects, and a very special thank you to VSO volunteer, Ruby Yap, who continues to give of her energy and expertise to work with Ghanaian colleagues in support of all these developments– She is achieving remarkable things!!