Primary school in Ghana

Many people living in the Volta region of Ghana have an average daily income of less than £1. As a result some parents in these villages are sending their children to cattle owners or fisherman to work as bonded slaves to help support their families. Poverty and ignorance help maintain the traditional religious cult practice of Trokosi, where girls, some as young as six, are given to a shrine priest in payment for a ‘sin’ committed by her family.

International Needs works to provide schools in these areas in Ghana, one of which is in Agortorme.

No school when it rains

At the school in Agortorme, children attend our Reception and years 1 and 2 classes in brick classrooms, but all other children including those in Junior High are taught in stick classrooms. These stick classrooms are not good learning environments as they leak when it rains. It rains about 100 days in a year!

We have at least 530 children enrolled at the present time and child sponsorship ensures that the poorest children can complete their education. We work closely with the village elders and have recently provided a water pipeline bringing clean water to the school and village.

From sticks to bricks

We want to re-build the school in brick. The new-build will consist of 8 classrooms, a library, a workshop, computer lab, kitchen and toilet block. This new building work will cost over £90,000. The cost of one classroom is £11,750 fully furnished.

Through the generosity of supporters like you we have already been able to send £20,000 but we need your help to raise the balance of over £70,000.