Ashanti Akim, Dampong, Ghana
Dear All,
It is a great pleasure to be able to give you an informal update on the use of The Friends’ generously donated funds to the link-working with Jubilee High School in Dampong, Ghana.
a) Your funds from the 2008 Comedy Night have been used to support the beginning of the building of a new kitchen block – see photos attached. This will be of real benefit in a number of ways:
Curriculum : it will enable Jubilee High School students to study an elective in their 2nd, 3rd and 4th years of their courses in Catering, leading to employment opportunities (cf the UK NVQ or other vocational-type routes)
Day-to-day : it will give a clear cooking area for some of the mothers who come to cook “breakfast¿ at the site. This is provided at around 11-30am daily for all staff and pupils to purchase as they choose, with food currently being prepared under the wooden structure.
Adult learning : it will enable us to build in adult Food Handling and Hygiene courses/accreditations for the mothers/others in the village, to expand their work opportunities
b) Your funds from the 2009 Comedy Night have been used to purchase a new lighter-weight cotton material for their school uniform. (See photos of pupils admiring the new choice of material). The original material has proved very hot for the students, some of whom face a 45 min walk each way to and from school daily. (A number of students have had to take boarding accommodation in the compound where our HT and staff stay, to cut down on this travelling; this is funded by UK donations). A tailor has been found to make the boys’ clothing; we are investigating subcontracting the girls’ tailoring to a local Youth Project at Asankare, as work experience for their students and an income generator for their education centre.
You will be delighted to hear that the July 2009 visit was the best yet. Both schools worked together on organising a joint Sports Day, a joint Celebration of Achievement Day, on team-teaching by students and teachers, on joint planning of SoW, assessment, lesson plans, and on further strengthening the Head Teachers’ Federation in the village. Two new initiatives this year included photography lessons for the Dampong students by Charter students, and the Adult Literacy Workshops for the parents. Oral and written English plus Business Planning was taught by the UK team, including hearing about the success of formal micro-businesses. In return the Ghanaians taught us their local language of Twi and taught us to cook traditional dishes. New collaborative working partnerships were established, for the mutual learning of both communities.
Congratulations to the team who went this year, supporting the work of the eleven Y12 students : Brian Reid, Kasmine Jess, Wendy McCarry, Alison Harbottle, Rebecca Terry, Ria Morrell, Chris O’Donnell, Sukhy Toor, Esther Hoffman
Thank you again to The Friends, the FGB and Dave Sheppard for their ongoing support and interest in international link-working
Betsan
Last Modified: 26/08/2009
