Grants awarded April 2019

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At the GSA committee meeting in April, the following schools were awarded grants totalling £9230.00.

Kalpohin Kamaria School, Northern Region;  Akosa D/A Basic School, Brong Ahafo;  Aperade Methodist Primary School, Eastern Region;  Asikaso D/A Basic School, Eastern Region;  Kenyasi No 1 R.C. Basic School;  Dumso Bethel Primary School;  Kumoso M/A Primary School, Asunefo S;  New Hope Educational Development, Berekuso;  Asunu No. 2 Catholic Primary School and JHS;  Asanteman L/A Primary School;  Batabi Presbyterian School;  Aboabo L/A Basic School;  Sandema (FISTRAD project on reading for JHS students)

THIRTY-FOURTH REUNION LUNCH AND AGM

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Our 2020 reunion will be held in the crypt of Saint Mary’s Church, Upper Street, Islington, N1 2TX on THURSDAY 18TH JUNE, at 11am.   St Mary’s is mid-way between ANGEL tube station, and HIGHBURY & ISLINGTON tube station and overground railway station.

After coffee at 11am, we will be starting with the AGM at 11.30am, followed by lunch at 1pm and tea later in the afternoon.  The charge for attendance will be £32 per head.  If you would like to add to that sum a donation to GSA, that would be particularly welcomed.

To register by Friday 12th June please contact me and I will send you the requisite form to fill in.

Penny Sewell, 020 8444 5758, [email protected]

 

Lungbung-Gandaa Methodist Primary School, Tolon, Northern Region

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GSA sent a grant to complete teachers’ quarters.  Here are extracts from the letter dated 19 October 2018 from the Headteacher.

“I write to your high esteem organisation Ghana School Aid to show our appreciation for the support given us to complete our school teachers’ quarters.  Through your able representative Mr. Alhassan Salifu Baako, we had this wonderful support.  The teachers’ quarters were built by the collaborative effort of both teachers and parents, but we were not able to complete them.  But with your generous support, the project has now been completed.  Teachers no more travel long distances to school to teach, which has reduced their stress and lateness […] and teaching and learning in the school are now very effective.  […] We pray for all the best for GSA, may it be strengthened to the highest height.

Signed:  Fuseini Adam, Headteacher.

Teachers’ quarters before the GSA grant.

Teachers’ quarters after the work.

Lungbung-Gurugu D/A JHS/Primary School, Tolon, Northern Region

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GSA sent a grant to complete the teachers’ quarters.  Here are extracts from the Headteacher’s letter of thanks, dated 28 August 2018.

“The entire Gurugu community, staff and pupils wish to express their profound gratitude for your immense support towards their Teachers’ Quarters Project.  The project was started in 2015 by the community members, and was stalled due to inadequate funds for its completion.  This adversely affected teacher attendance, since the majority of teachers commute from Tamale to Gurugu.  Your timely intervention has improved teacher attendance to 80% as compared to previous attendance.  [… This has resulted in a] 60% increase in pupil enrollment.  We will not relent on our efforts to say thank you.”

signed Yakubu Abdul-Rahman, Headteacher.

Lungbung-Gurugu teachers’ quarters before work

Teachers’ Quarters after work was completed.

Reception at St. James’ Palace, October 2018

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Our Chairman, Ted Mayne, represented GSA at a reception at St. James’ Palace.  He writes the following report:

I received a pilot email from St James’s Palace asking if I would accept an invitation to a reception being hosted by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall to prior to their official visit to Ghana in November 2018.  This came somewhat as a surprise and it transpired that my name had been put forward by Paul Boateng who was actively involved in the visit.  Apparently Paul Boateng was asked to nominate a selection of people who were actively involved in charity work in Ghana.  I was one of a few names submitted by Paul in recognition of the work done by Ghana School Aid.  I gladly accepted but felt this was undeserved because there were so many members of GSA who were more deserving.  I attended the reception and it was a pleasure to meet so many like minded persons who had a passion for Ghana.  I was pleased that there are so many small charities which are so actively involved.  The Prince of Wales had clearly done his home work and Ghana School Aid was a charity he had researched and we spoke briefly about his earlier involvement in Achimota.  He was disappointed that he would not be visiting the school this time.  He had been there some years before.  I enjoyed the occasion and met up with a number of old contacts.  I left feeling that we had been recognised as a worthwhile charity which has been given Royal Approval and as an organisation we should be encouraged to continue the good work.  I must record my appreciation to the committee for helping to put GSA on the map.

princeof wales

Nkwakom D/A Primary School, Ashanti Region

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We sent a grant to this school in response to their application.  Here is an abridged form of the application, and some pictures we received subsequently. We do not yet have a report about the renovation of the building.

Isaac Asamoah is my name and I am the Head Teacher Nkwakom D/A Primary School.

Dear madam/sir,

I hereby forward this application to your reputable organization to plead for your support to provide my school with furniture and renovation of our school building.  The school is from kg to class six with a population of 130.

The populace of this community mostly engage in peasant farming which their income from their proceeds is less to support their wards’ schooling as well as supporting the needs of the school financially…  Because of poor nature of our school building, the pupils are not in a secure classroom environment and it affects their academics.  It is also a threat to the lives of the children and the teachers when there is a heavy rainfall.  I strongly belief that if the school is given these needed supports, the community will be very happy… and the standard of academics will also improve…

I humbly count on your cooperation.  Thank you.

Here are the pictures we received:

A crowded classroom                     Some new furniture

Pupils with new furniture

 

Anamase Presbyterian

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GSA sent a grant for new furniture, and received the following thank-you letter, with picture.

REPORTS FOR ANAMASE PRESBYTERIAN PRIMARY SCHOOL

DEC 2018

       On behalf of the staff,P.T.A Executive, pupils of Akim-Anamase Presby primary school and the entire community write to express our profound gratitude and appreciation for the kind gesture your noble organization has shown to the school. The memory of your organization will forever linger in the hearts of the school as you are the only organization that has extended an arm to the school.

      The grant has solved the following problems in the school hence aiding smooth academic work.

     In the first place,the furniture has made teaching and learning very effective,comfortable and conducive.At first,a desk which was meant for two pupils was occupied by three and sometimes four pupils creating a whole lot of inconvenience in the classroom.This affected their handwriting also hindered them from doing independent work in class.

      The provision of the new desks together with the existing old ones has solved this challenge and now comfort and independent work is a hallmark. Also teachers express a great appreciation for the new tables and chairs provided to them.

      Moreover on behalf of the staff, P.T.A were appealing to your noble organization to come to our  aid with roofing sheet to roof the school building to replace the existing rusted ones.

     With one accord,we say a big THANK YOU to GHANA SCHOOL AID and your noble donors for such a gesture. We hope you will continue to help the school to see more development  to make the school the beacon of excellence in the Birim-South district.

     Thank you once again for the kind gesture and we look forward to see you and your able committee members in Akim-Anamase one day.

                       Yours faithfully,

                        Frank Boateng.

Anamase Presby after grant

Anamase Presby after grant

Kenyasi No. 2, Teachers’ Quarters

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We sent £1450 for improvement to the Teachers’ Quarters, and the school has used the money well, as the “before-and-after” pictures show:

Kenyasi no 2 teachers quarters

Kenyasi no 2 teachers quarters

Kenyasi no 2 teachers' quarters - Shining entrance

Kenyasi no 2 teachers’ quarters – Shining entrance

Kenyasi no 2 teachers' quarters the courtyard

Kenyasi no 2 teachers’ quarters the courtyard

Kenyasi no 2 teachers quartersNEW WATER CLOSET TOILET FACILITY IN THE BUILDING

Kenyasi no 2 teachers quarters NEW WATER CLOSET TOILET FACILITY IN THE BUILDING

Akrodie Saviour Primary School, Brong-Ahafo

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This school received £1500 from the Teach Ghana Trust, and £1500 from Ghana School Aid, to build a new block and provide furniture for KG and Lower Primary.  The project is now completed and we received the following report and pictures from the Headteacher, Nicholas Kwarteng, in January 2019:

I refer to the grant sent to Akrodie saviour primary school for the purpose of providing furniture for the KG and lower primary, the project has been completed as planned.The amount was used to provide 15 sets of hexagonal tables at a cost of 4500 ghana cedis and 20 dual desks at 3100 Ghana cedis.  Add transport costs.
The project has been  completed and handed over to the school is the presence of the Circuit Supervisor, SMC and PTA executives, staff and the pupils. On my own behalf and the entire Saviour community, we wish to say a very big thank you and also wish you continue to support the school since the school lacks other facilities such as ICT centre and toilet.  Importance of the furniture:
The pupils now have enough furniture for learning.
The furniture supports both group and individual teaching and learning.
It has reduced the burden of parents from buying furniture for their wards.
The painted furniture attracts pupils to come to school regularly.
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