Experience the ENERGY of the village
March 2023 Trip
After a bit of a hiatus (several years, actually), we reengaged with our friends in the village and have made tremendous progress in our efforts to support the school.
A group of us, including members of the board and Michael Savoie a past Friends volunteer and a videographer, journeyed to the village in March 2023 and had a most uplifting and rewarding experience. We brought 100s of pounds of donated learning materials and books and clothes, including computers, projector and related technology, And while we were there we:
1. Set up a computer lab
2. Oversaw the installation of fencing around the campus (to keep out the many goats!)
3. Provided training and curriculum enhancements for teachers
4. Helped in the classrooms, and had TONS of fun with the kids!
We returned with a head of steam and a renewed commitment to raising funds necessary to
improve the school and to provide educational opportunities for youth in the area. The first
priority was to fund the construction of a two-unit bungalow to house teachers. Ve-Kpelezo is
remote, with no available housing, and as a result, the school was having difficulty attracting
teachers.
Thanks to our generous donors, and volunteers from the village who prepared the site and set
the foundation, the bungalow came together rather quickly. When the government heard word
of it, they immediately posted a group of five student teachers, who assisted at the school
through the spring term. They lived in one unit, with a new head mistress occupying
the second unit.
Please see below for a few photos of our trip.
After a bit of a hiatus (several years, actually), we reengaged with our friends in the village and have made tremendous progress in our efforts to support the school.
A group of us, including members of the board and Michael Savoie a past Friends volunteer and a videographer, journeyed to the village in March 2023 and had a most uplifting and rewarding experience. We brought 100s of pounds of donated learning materials and books and clothes, including computers, projector and related technology, And while we were there we:
1. Set up a computer lab
2. Oversaw the installation of fencing around the campus (to keep out the many goats!)
3. Provided training and curriculum enhancements for teachers
4. Helped in the classrooms, and had TONS of fun with the kids!
We returned with a head of steam and a renewed commitment to raising funds necessary to
improve the school and to provide educational opportunities for youth in the area. The first
priority was to fund the construction of a two-unit bungalow to house teachers. Ve-Kpelezo is
remote, with no available housing, and as a result, the school was having difficulty attracting
teachers.
Thanks to our generous donors, and volunteers from the village who prepared the site and set
the foundation, the bungalow came together rather quickly. When the government heard word
of it, they immediately posted a group of five student teachers, who assisted at the school
through the spring term. They lived in one unit, with a new head mistress occupying
the second unit.
Please see below for a few photos of our trip.
June 2015 Trip
In June, 2015 four volunteers, traveled to Kpelezo to teach and to bring the WorldReader Program to the region. They included Susan Monahan and her daughters Katie and Erin, and Sydney Keane, a classmate of Katie's from Union College. The volunteers spent each weekday morning teaching at the Kpelezo Primary School. Classes for the older children, in grades 3-4, included Science, Geography and English. For the younger children in grades 1 and 2, the focus was on Math and English. Kids in the the Kindergarten class enjoyed learning the alphabet, new songs, art, and basic words.
The volunteers' afternoons were spent with middle school teachers and students setting up a literacy program based on a model from the WorldReader organization, which distributes Kindle e-readers worldwide. Friends of Kpelezo purchased 50 Kindles, each loaded with 100 books. The volunteers first trained the teachers, who in turn introduced the e-readers to over 150 students. After a week of training, the program was officially launched. Dozens of elders, chiefs, teachers and parents gathered along with hundreds of students to celebrate with dancing and singing, speeches and demonstrations.
Time that was not spent training or teaching was spent in the village with the children - playing soccer, reading, taking photographs or running around playing tag. The volunteers also found time to catch up with Bismark, Basel, and Emmanuel, who, through Friends of Kpelezo and generous sponsors, have been thriving in senior high school these past two years. The most difficult part of the trip was saying goodbye to all these energetic and enthusiastic kids.
Please see below for a few photos of their trip.
In June, 2015 four volunteers, traveled to Kpelezo to teach and to bring the WorldReader Program to the region. They included Susan Monahan and her daughters Katie and Erin, and Sydney Keane, a classmate of Katie's from Union College. The volunteers spent each weekday morning teaching at the Kpelezo Primary School. Classes for the older children, in grades 3-4, included Science, Geography and English. For the younger children in grades 1 and 2, the focus was on Math and English. Kids in the the Kindergarten class enjoyed learning the alphabet, new songs, art, and basic words.
The volunteers' afternoons were spent with middle school teachers and students setting up a literacy program based on a model from the WorldReader organization, which distributes Kindle e-readers worldwide. Friends of Kpelezo purchased 50 Kindles, each loaded with 100 books. The volunteers first trained the teachers, who in turn introduced the e-readers to over 150 students. After a week of training, the program was officially launched. Dozens of elders, chiefs, teachers and parents gathered along with hundreds of students to celebrate with dancing and singing, speeches and demonstrations.
Time that was not spent training or teaching was spent in the village with the children - playing soccer, reading, taking photographs or running around playing tag. The volunteers also found time to catch up with Bismark, Basel, and Emmanuel, who, through Friends of Kpelezo and generous sponsors, have been thriving in senior high school these past two years. The most difficult part of the trip was saying goodbye to all these energetic and enthusiastic kids.
Please see below for a few photos of their trip.
MARCH 2014 TRIP
TO CONSTRUCT THE NEW SCHOOL BUILDING
In March 2014 six volunteers traveled to Kpelezo to help construct the second school building. They included: Frank Hertz, Chub Whitten, John Wise, Joe Emerson, Rami Harb and Maryann Malarkey.
For 8 days these hardy volunteers mixed mortar, layed concrete block, and eventually brought the building to a point of about 60 % completion. They maintained an exhausting schedule but found that the happy and playful energy of the kids that surrounded them through the days, gave them the inspiration they needed to get through the long hot days.
In addition to laboring on the building, with the help of many enthusiastic youth, they constructed regulation sized soccer goals out of bamboo and local lumber and the soccer nets from the U.S. They also constructed bookcases, repaired tables and window trim and built a seasaw out of scrap lumber and bamboo. The shelves were carefully organized with the donated books and the children begged for their new friends to read to them in their spare time.
The pictures below give insight into this remarkable trip.
TO CONSTRUCT THE NEW SCHOOL BUILDING
In March 2014 six volunteers traveled to Kpelezo to help construct the second school building. They included: Frank Hertz, Chub Whitten, John Wise, Joe Emerson, Rami Harb and Maryann Malarkey.
For 8 days these hardy volunteers mixed mortar, layed concrete block, and eventually brought the building to a point of about 60 % completion. They maintained an exhausting schedule but found that the happy and playful energy of the kids that surrounded them through the days, gave them the inspiration they needed to get through the long hot days.
In addition to laboring on the building, with the help of many enthusiastic youth, they constructed regulation sized soccer goals out of bamboo and local lumber and the soccer nets from the U.S. They also constructed bookcases, repaired tables and window trim and built a seasaw out of scrap lumber and bamboo. The shelves were carefully organized with the donated books and the children begged for their new friends to read to them in their spare time.
The pictures below give insight into this remarkable trip.
Kpelezo Summer Camp - 2013
Members of Friends of Kpelezo ran the first ever Kpelezo Summer Camp in August of 2013. 5 Members of the Friends of Kpelezo spent a good part of their summer collecting donations, purchasing art supplies and other materials in preparation for their trip to Kpelezo to run a summer camp. In total they transported 10 suitcases of donated items and supplies for the camp.
The camp was a resounding success and the Kpelezo community is looking forward to meeting the next group of volunteers. These Ipswich girls were immersed in the Ghanian culture and quickly grew to appreciate its warmth, hospitality and simple way of life. It was an experience that they will carry with them forever!
The camp was a resounding success and the Kpelezo community is looking forward to meeting the next group of volunteers. These Ipswich girls were immersed in the Ghanian culture and quickly grew to appreciate its warmth, hospitality and simple way of life. It was an experience that they will carry with them forever!
