Ofie School Building Fund

In 2005 Joanne Oliver came to the Akuapem Hills, and more sepcifically to Akropong and worked as a volunteer at the Ofie Early Childhood Development Centre for two months with Projects Abroad. She recently returned to Ghana in April 2007.

Joanne is continuing to raise money and explains her reasons to the Gateway.

"To be honest I was quite shocked by the condition of the school. There are no toilets despite there being between 40 to 80 children there each day. There is also no running water for the children to wash their hands in after using the toilet and before eating. Obviously this causes germs to be spread leading to many of them becoming sick with diarrhoea. There is also sewage running across their playground from a neighbours drain. Furthermore, the main building is not secure so nothing can be stored there.

So when Miss Evelyn Sackey asked me if I could raise money when I returned home I felt that I could not say no. Despite what you may think we do not have unlimited funds in Britain. There are many other charities trying to raise money for good causes for people in England, Africa and all across the world. Therefore, raising money by yourself is not an easy task as you have to plead to people to believe in the cause that you yourself believe in.

I can not keep running to England and asking for money, but at the same time I do want to complete what I have started for the sake of the children and their health. So I have asked my local community to help raise funds in any way they can. Believe me every little helps and it soon adds up! Materials, financial assistance or physical help and advice are all gratefully appreciated.

If there are any former Project Abroad Volunteers or any one for that matter who would be willing to help Joanne then please contact her through any of the following means.

Joanne Oliver
2 Belhurst Cotts
Broad Oak,
Nr Rye,
East Sussex,
TN31 6EU

Tel. 01424 882037
Mobile. 07946 513983
E-mail jobroadoak5@hotmail.com