Ghana Africa

Sunyani Ghana - An International Rotary Service Project

Starting in 2007, the Rotary Club of Nanaimo has had an association with the Sunyani Central Rotary Club. The relationship started following a presentation to the club in late 2006. Individuals from Sunyani were guests of the Regional District and Vancouver Island University. Learning about some literacy needs, the Nanaimo Rotary Club became active in pursuing contact with a school.

PDG Ross White travelled to Sunyani in September 2007. He visited the Sunyani Primary School, Korkors Medical Center and other areas around Sunyani. As a result of this visit, two matching grants were developed. Financial contributors were all five Rotary clubs in Nanaimo plus club members belonging to the Mid Island Rotary Group that promotes world community service.

The initial grants were for text books, library books, storage cupboards, and computers at Sunyani Primary School. Funds were also acquired for a bore well at Korkors Medical Center. This water now serves a nearby community and will be used for an almost complete hostel for aids orphans. The grant purchased a computer for KMC and school supplies.

A third major grant enabled the Sunyani Primary School to build a security fence around the school. Significant results of this fence are that more students are attending regularly, they feel safe from vagrants, and the school facility has better security. Parents now consider the school more favourably. Local clubs contributed to the construction of a "guard shelter". The Lantzville Rotary Club took the lead on this project.

A recent major project is the construction of latrines on the school grounds. This has 12 cubicles and running water. Previously the students had to use a poorly maintained toilet off site and it had no running water. This latrine will provide greater safety and health conditions for the students.

In 2009, a group of six Rotarians visited Sunyani. They spent time at the school and were appalled at the condition of the building and classrooms. Through other means, financial dollars have been provided to install white boards in classrooms. This group visited an orphanage and provided bedding for the residents.

Nsoatre School Global Grant Project
The Rotary Club of Nanaimo along with local and international partners is funding the renovation of a dilapidated kindergarten block at the Nsoatre Primary School to provide a safe, secure learning environment for the teachers and young students. Nsoatre Roman Catholic Primary and Junior High School is a publicly funded school located in the town of Nsoatre (population approx. 28,000), in the Bono region, northwest of the city of Sunyani, Ghana, West Africa. The project is focussing on the installation of sinks and ten micro flush toilets, the building of a fence around the kindergarten block, provision of educational equipment and supplies, and training/professional development for the teachers to help address recruitment and retention of teachers and students and improve learning outcomes for kindergarten-aged children. The school is under the general supervision of the Ghana Education System. The District Education Directorate, a department of the Sunyani West Municipal Assembly, provides local supervision.