Rotary Corner: £31,000 donation is an investment in education
The World Bank, UNESCO, and other organisations estimate 89% of children in sub-Saharan Africa are unable to read and understand an age-appropriate text by the age of 10.
Overcrowded classrooms, sometimes up to 70 children, the shortage of qualified teachers, the lack of school books, lack of clean water and inadequate sanitation facilities, all lead to Ghana facing a learning crisis today.
The former US President of the United States, Benjamin Franklin, once said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”! The local Rotary Club of The Deepings has joined forces with the Rotary Club of Kettering Huxloe, along with other local Rotary clubs, to raise over £31,000 in order to improve the facilities at Agona Swedru School.
Situated in the poor southern area of Ghana, the project will increase the quality of education with the building of the new science laboratory at the school. A grant from the Rotary Foundation of £10,000 was awarded to this project. It is expected that approximately 3,300 students will be using the facilities to improve their knowledge in the coming year.
Six members of Rotary clubs in Northamptonshire made the journey to Ghana to take part in the ceremony to mark the official opening of the new science block.
They were completely overwhelmed by the enthusiastic reception they received from the school’s students and teachers. Many local dignitaries also attended the event which featured much lively singing and dancing, as well as many appreciative speeches.
The building project is the culmination of seven years of Rotary support for the school, which has hugely improved the students’ academic achievements, with some pupils even winning national awards recently.
Rotarian Paul Bertin said: “I am so proud of the fabulous science building which has been delivered on time and within budget. I am grateful to many fellow Rotarians across the East Midlands who got behind the project in order to prove that those living in poorer parts of the world have not been forgotten.”
The development of education is one of Rotary’s key goals throughout the world. If you would like to learn more then please visit www.rotarygbi.org