After nine months of planning, six months of preparation, and six weeks of construction, refurbishment, and painting we finally did it!
This year’s refurbishment project started in earnest in August when the contractors began building the new block and it was completed with the help of some wonderful volunteers six weeks later.
The toilets at the school were not fit for purpose so the construction included eight purpose-built toilets (four for the boys and four for the girls), one urinal, and a storeroom. In addition, the team also decided to refurbish the outside of the 11 classrooms in the original wooden school block.
A local Ghanaian construction firm was retained to build the toilet block and we invited all of our corporate donors and supporters to help us with the painting once it was completed.
The project was financed to the tune of 165,000 cedis (just under £12,000) by the fantastic support we received from the Future Leaders Trustees, Axis Capital Ltd, The Harleyford Golf Day, and some proceeds from the ITFC/Futurestars Cycle ride in June. We were once again supported by Azar Paints who donated enough paint to cover the toilet block and wooden school block with some left over. Starbites once again provided delicious food for the duration, and Honeysuckle donated 20 boxes of water to keep our volunteers going. Our friend Lavish generously donated snacks for all the children in the school (currently around 450).
We also had the support of seven UK volunteers who flew over for the week; Duncan Foster, Phil Scott, John Pettman, Kevin, Joel & Rene Bahar, and Natasha Lunniss. They were responsible for the refurbishment of the main school block which included repairing or replacing broken doors, shutters, locks, hinges, carrying out major woodwork, and painting the outside of the block – making the classrooms a brighter and more importantly safer environment. They were joined during the week by volunteers from the OMA Group in Tema and Accra, Yinson Production WA, Aviance, Starbites, Aqua Africa, and of course the Futurestars Ghana team.
The new toilet block is very much a part of our ongoing plan to continue to upgrade the school as funding becomes available. Over 400 children and staff will have access to the new toilets and the children will now have separate boys and girls flushing toilets in private cubicles for the first time.
On Monday 11th September, the school toilet block was officially opened by Keith McMahon the Deputy British High Commissioner in Ghana, and Meta Azar, Azar Paints shareholder. Opening prayers and a poem were performed by the schoolchildren and speeches were made by Emmanuel Okyne-Tetteh & Simon Milton from Futurestars and Mr Moses Avorkpo, a representative from the Municipal Education Directorate of the Ghana Education Service.
This really was a massive team effort from everyone involved and we really appreciate the support we had from all of our volunteers and companies.
Together we can……
