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Agortorme Community School, Ghana
_{Transforming a stick school to a brick school}

Agortorme Community

Agortorme is a village located in the Ketu district of the Volta Region. The population of Agortorme and surrounding villages is about 800. The area is predominantly made up of traditonal worshippers. In 2000, International Needs Ghana planted a church and then built a day care centre.

The men are mainly traditional Kente weavers and a few are farmers. Women work as fishmongers, traders and mat, basket or hat weavers. Average daily income is less than £1, making it one of the most deprived communities in economic terms. Because of poverty, children are at serious risk of being trafficked into commercial agriculture in the South Western part of Ghana or into commercial sexual exploitation on the Ghana-Togo border, which is about 15 kilometres away.

^{Agortorme Community School}

A basic school was established and held under trees and sheds until IN Ghana, with funding from World Vision Australia, put up a three unit classroom block with an office and a store for the school. This structure currently houses three classes, Kindergarten (KG) 1 and 2, and class 1.

Pupils in class 2 to 6 have their lessons in make-shift structures of sticks and palm fronds. During rainy days they have to stay at home to avoid being soaked by rain in their 'classrooms'. There are at least 100 days rainfall each year. The main rainy season is in June, July and September.

Sticks to Bricks Project

The development objective of the project is to contribute to:

Improved access to quality education for children, especially girls, who are often disadvantaged, in this deprived community.

Agortorme Primary School

The project aims to:

 Replace the stick structures with an 8-unit, fully furnished, brick built classroom block complete with kitchen, office, storeroom and toilets.

The block will house the 8 primary classes i.e. Kindergarten 1 and 2 and primary 1 to 6.

A new Agortorme Junior High School

The current brick structure will remain as classrooms and a workshop, computer laboratory and library will be built, furnished and fully equipped to complete the new Agortorme Junior High School.

How can you help?

A new classroom fully furnished with all facilities, including use of a kitchen and new toilet block, costs approximatley £11,750.
What does it cost to give one child a new classroom for the 8 years he/she is at school? Just £23 per year.

If you can help, please contact us for more details.