DONATION OF PROJECTOR AND STATIONERIES TO OLD LASHIBI TMA JHS SCHOOL
On the 14thFeburary, 2020. The Headmistress of Old Lashibi TMA JHS Mrs Francisca Eshun appealed to BHA to come to their aid with the following needs: printer, projector, computers/laptops, tables and chairs and stationery. Old Lashibi TMA JHS has a population of about 400 pupils and located at Lashibi in the hub of community 18, Tema Ghana.
The Executive Director, Mr Benjamin Turkson visited the school with his team and observed that the school lacked the items mentioned above. This impeded the learning of the pupils in the school and has affected the quality of learning in the school. On the 31st March, 2021 BHA donated a brand-new projector, exercise books and other stationeries to the Old Lashibi TMA Junior High School as their Commitment to the well-being of the school.
The presentation was in fulfilment of a promise the Executive Director Mr. Benjamin Turkson had made to the school to make teaching and learning easier. He was of the opinion that the Government alone could not support educational institutions, stressing the need for all and sundry to contribute their quota towards the promotion of quality education. He emphasis that this donation would not have been successful without the assistance of Ghana Freundeskreis. He stated that the donation would not be a nine days‘ wonder, assuring that BHA and Ghana Freundeskreis would sustain their support for the underprivileged in society. Present at the donation were the head Mistress Mrs. Francis Eshun, the assistance Headmaster, Francis Dotse, the teachers, as well was Mr. Benjamin Turkson, the Executive Director of BHA. Mrs Francis Eshun, the Headmistress, thanked Blue Horizon Aid, and Ghana Freundeskreis for their kind gesture and assured them the projector would be put to good use. She mentioned lack of furniture, inadequate classroom blocks and library as some of the pressing needs of the school, noting that teaching would improve if most of their needs were addressed.
Joyce, an EDS beneficiary shares her experiences of the Covid 19 pandemic
Background: On the 16th of March 2020, schools in Ghana were closed indefinitely to curb the spread of covid-19. On the 15th of June 2020 the gradual reopening of schools commenced with final year students returning to school to prepare for their final examinations in September and October 2020. On the 5th of October 2020 second year students in Junior and senior high schools returned to school to complete their academic year. Total reopening of schools commenced on the 15th of January 2021 with strict adherence to Covid 19 safety protocols like hand washing, social distancing and mandatory wearing of face masks. In order ensure the enforcement of these protocols in every school, the government provided hand washing materials like Veronica buckets, soap, hand sanitizers, paper tissues and reusable facemasks for all students and staff. Joyce Anku a junior high school EDS beneficiary in final year at Bakatsir Basic School, Cape Coast, shares some of her experiences during the period of closure of schools as a result of the pandemic.
Interviewer: How did you feel when you were asked to go home indefinitely as a result of the Pandemic? Joyce: I was not happy because l had to run errands for the whole period spent at home, so l could not study. Interviewer: What exactly were you doing at home during this period? Joyce: I was helping my mother trade, l had to peddle to sell salmon fish at the market every day except Sundays. Interviewer: Did you have a study plan or study materials to learn at home during this period? Joyce: Yes l had a couple of textbooks which l studied in the evenings. Interviewer: Did your school give you reading assignments and materials to learn at home during that period? Joyce: No, non-such were given to us. Interviewer: Were you in touch with your teachers to get their help for your academic progress? Joyce: No l was not in touch with my teachers. Interviewer: What do you think are the negative effect of the pandemic on your academic progress? Joyce: I did not have time to study, l studied only in the evenings and there are many lessons from the previous academic year which we are still yet to cover in school. Interviewer: What safety protocols do you observe in school to protect yourselves from the pandemic? Which of these protocols do you also observe outside school? Joyce: In school there is regular washing of hands, regular use of hand sanitizers, the use of face masks and maintaining social distancing both in and out of class. Outside school l follow some of the safety protocols but l don’t wear the face masks. Interviewer: Why don’t you wear the face mask outside school? Joyce: (laughs and gives no answer) Interviewer: Do you think it is okay for you to return to school whilst the pandemic is still prevalent? Joyce: Yes because we can protect ourselves whilst in school studying when we keep the safety protocols and so far there has been no recorded cases in our school, which l believe is due to the strict adherence to the safety protocols. Interviewer: How are you making up for the lost study time? Joyce: Since schools were reopened l am always in school so l no longer sell at the market during weekdays, and l now have enough time to study after school too. Interviewer: Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Joyce: You are welcome.
Commissioning Of Polytanks (Water Storing Facilities)
The chief and elders of the Esuekyir community in the Winneba area, an important town in the Central Region of Ghana have been privileged to receive four water storing facilities (polytanks) in their community. Some time back last year, the chief and elders made a passionate appeal to BHA to provide two major facilities which the community was in dire need of, namely, water storage facilities and public toilet facility. BHA promised to solicit support for the projects to enable it assist the people. With the help of friends and sponsors – Ghana Freindeskreis, the facility has been provided. Four polytanks have been provided for the people at four different spots in the community. The main community has been divided into four suburbs and each of the suburb has received one polytank. The water storage facilities become necessary for the community because they have been experiencing water shortages over the period. The water supply has not been regular in the community, as a result, they had been going through a lot of difficulties whenever the water supply cease. In order to deal with the situation, the polytanks had to be provided and BHA with the support of its sponsors have been able to provide the facilities.
On the 23rd of February 2021, the commissioning of the polytanks was done to formerly hand over the facilities to the people of Esuekyir. BHA was represented by Teye Kodzi, BHA Project Coordinator and Raphael Kyei, Field Coordinator. The commissioning tape was cut by the chief of Esuekyir and Raphael of BHA to formerly hand over the facilities to the people. In a short speech, Teye Kodzi thanked the Director of BHA Mr. Ben Turkson, the sponsors and all the staff of BHA especially Raphael Kyei for his day to day supervisory work that ensured that the project became a success. He also encouraged the people to take good care of the facilities so that they may serve the purpose for which they were provided. The chief and elders of Esuekyir were full of praise for BHA and promised to take good care of the facilities. They also reminded the BHA representatives of the second project which is the toilet facility.
Der neue Newsletter von BHA ist nun verfügbar. Aus dem Inhalt: Spenden and die O’REILLY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL und Ausbildungspatenschaften als Corona Hilfe.
Schüler dieser Schule in Cape Coast wurden entdeckt, als sie gebrauchte Schulhefte auf einer Müllhalde suchten, um leere Seiten für ihre Hausaufgaben zu nutzen. BHA besuchte die Schule und stellte fest, dass die Schüler keine Unterstützung von der Regierung bei der Bereitstellung von Lehrbüchern und anderen Schreibwaren an die Schule haben. BHA beschloss daher, die Schule mit Schulmaterial zu unterstützen.
Im Februar wurde nun eine Spende von Schulmaterial im Wert von etwa GHS 7.900 (ca. 1.278 Euro) an die anglikanische Akotokyir-Schule übergeben. Zu den Artikeln gehören Übungs-hefte, Notizbücher, Graphikbücher, Stifte, Bleistifte, Lineale, Anspitzer, Buntstifte, Radiergummis sowie andere Lehr- und Lernmaterialien. Das Material geht an Schülerinnen und Schülern aus den unteren Grundschulklassen bis hin den JHS-Klassen (Junior High School). Der Leiter von Blue Horizon Aid (BHA), Benjamin Turkson, erwähnte, dass diese Spende durch die Unterstützung von Ghana Freundeskreis (GFK) ermöglicht wurde, und er riet den Lehrern, die Materialien gerecht an alle zu verteilen. Er forderte die Schülerinnen und Schüler auch dazu auf, die Materialien gut zu nutzen und ihr Lernen ernst zu nehmen. Er sagte ihnen, er würde sich wünschen, dass sie in Zukunft Ärzte, Buchhalter, Lehrer, Piloten, Maurer, Zimmermann, Elektriker und andere große Fachleute werden. Die stellvertretende Schulleiterin bedankte sich im Namen der Schule bei BHA und GFK für ihre Unterstützung und bat darum, dass BHA die Schule auch bei der Sanierung des Schulge-bäudes unterstützen möge. Die Vertrauensschülerin bedankte sich ebenfalls bei BHA und GFK für die Unterstützung und sagte, sie würde es schätzen, wenn wir sie mit IT-Geräten unterstützen würden, da es nicht einmal einen einzigen Computer in ihrem IT-Raum gibt. Der Fernsehsender Ocean1 TV war anwesend, um über die Veranstaltung zu berichten. Sie versprachen, einen Dokumentarfilm über das Projekt zu erstellen, der GFK zur Verfügung gestellt wird, sobald er fertig ist. Der Film liegt uns bisher noch nicht vor.
The executive Director of BHA giving a speech before the presentationA section of the pupil after the presentation
