In rural communities in Ghana, only 22% of students pass the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) - a crucial requirement to continue to secondary education. As a result, 71% of students in these areas are unable to progress to Senior High School, leaving families without work or income and pushing them into severe poverty. The consequences of this poverty are dire, including hunger, malnutrition, ill health, child labor, prostitution, high child mortality rates, and more. In fact, around 2.99 million people in Ghana were living in extreme poverty in 2023, most of whom were in rural areas. However, access to basic reading and math skills could help lift many out of poverty.

One of the major obstacles to education in these rural areas is the lack of learning materials. These projects aim to change this by providing students and the wider community with access to learning materials. We will achieve this by building new libraries with toilet facilities where no suitable building is already in place, allowing students to learn in a safe and sanitary environment. For schools that already have a space, we will stock them with reading materials and make the space suitable for learning.

This project will provide many with the materials they need to gain basic education, allowing them to find work and support their families, reducing poverty, malnutrition, health problems, child labor, and high mortality rates. Additionally, it will allow many girls who typically have less access to education to progress to further education. These libraries will also act as community spaces for children and the older community, providing a safe, sheltered space for them to socialize and improving isolation in many. Furthermore, providing sanitation facilities will benefit the wider community and promote better hygiene.

As well as improving education, our projects also aim to address deforestation in Ghana. Over the last decade, over 100,000 acres of forest have been lost, and Ghana now has one of the highest rates of rainforest loss in the world. This deforestation leads to floods, crop and plant destruction, property damage, and loss of life. It also contributes to soil erosion, waterborne diseases, and increased global warming. However, the community often lacks understanding of these consequences due to a lack of education.

To address this issue, we propose planting trees in 30 schools within the district, with an average of 400-500 children each planting at least 10 fruit trees and 10 shade trees. This project will not only provide shade to cool temperatures, but it will also contribute to clean air, provide healthy snacks for children, and deliver shade, soil conditioning, food for wildlife and animals while educating the community on the importance of trees and limiting deforestation. Teachers can use the planting process to discuss the benefits trees provide, and students can see for themselves the structure of trees, how they grow, and the benefits they offer.

Ultimately, this project will make a difference in reversing environmental degradation in Ghana, while also promoting education and healthy living. Please donate to our Just Giving campaign to support these schools and help improve the lives of the rural communities in Ghana.