Mid- Year Report on my project: help educate vulnerable children in poor communities

What the facility needs now most is money to buy land and build a more equipped facility, and I call on all well meaning individuals and organizations to contribute whatever they could towards the success of this noble project.Education is a right and should not be treated as a privilege.


Every action in our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity. --Edwin Hubbel Chapin


Early this year, I promised meeting the challenges of this year with greater determination and resolved to make the best out of the tiniest opportunity so as to maximize the potential benefits of my noble project to prospective beneficiaries.

Part of my plans for the year was to build sustainable and strategic partnerships and to improve my leadership quality. Promising than I expected, other youth I shared my vision with instantly showed interest in it and started contributing to the partnership building process. Other benevolent organizations like JOY TO THE WORLD, an international NGO brought joy to the beneficiaries of my project by blessing them with recreational materials (slides, etc).

Africa Change International (ACI) became a partner and gave the facility a bridge to Project Abroad (UK). Sooner than expected Project Abroad (UK) visited the facility and gave the children good medical treatment. Presently, I'm working to build a more formidable partnership with Project Abroad.

Selorm Kofi Dake, a work colleague in Tomorrow Leaders Ghana (TLG)(www.tomorrowleadersghana.org) brought on board two American teacher volunteers to teach the children and help the teachers with some important teaching techniques.

On enrollment, the number of beneficiaries increased from 250 to 308; but, i don't want to admit more children owing to inadequate space. Unfortunately, the number of children has speedily outgrown the space. Moreover, the owner of the premise intends to use the land for a different purpose; meaning, we need to relocate.

Presently, the facility has about 8 teachers and attendants. The number is somewhat inadequate and this is why I've decided to employ more volunteers to assist. I'm, however, working tirelessly to launch a scholarship program for teachers and nurses in my district so that prospective beneficiaries could at least work on the project for an agreed period.

The scholarship would be funded by CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES - GHANA, a new organization I'm establishing to mobilize educational resources for schools in very poor communities in my district.

Meanwhile, I'm still working with WOMEN in DEVELOPMENT (WiD) , a women-led community-based organization at Medie, the project location, to help the mothers of the children in my facility to get access to credit facilities so as to enable them work and help sustain the project financially by paying the monthly fees of 2 Ghana Cedis ( 1.50 USD).

What the facility needs now most is money to buy land and build a more equipped facility, and I call on all well meaning individuals and organizations to contribute towards this project because their effort would directly reach the target beneficiaries.

Damerest students and teachers donate items to my child development facility

Students and teachers of Damerest Middle School in New Jersey, US did not only help to get two of their teachers to give volunteers services to the Naa Kordey Memorial Child Development Facility at Medie, in the Ga West District of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, but, contributed books, pens, radio and CD player, Rhymes CD, booklets produced by students, etc, and a 200 USD cash to the facility. Some students also wrote beautiful letters to their expected friends in Ghana.

The pupils were so happy when the Founder and manager, Raymond Ablorh presented the items to them. They deeply appreciate the effort of all the people who contributed to the package presented to them and wish to reciprocate this kind gesture by writing letters of appreciations to the students of Damerest Middle School and their teachers.

The children and managers of the facility are also grateful to Leah Renaldi and Julie Roessler for the time they spent with them, teaching and advising them, as well as, giving the teachers very important tips.

The Manager, Raymond Ablorh in particular is very grateful that Damerest Middle School and Julie and Leah found it worthy to contribute to his effort to contribute to the development of young vulnerable children in his community.

Students of Damerest Middle School make booklets for Pupils of a Child Development Facility in Ghana

The pupils of the Naa Kordey Memorial Child Development Facility in the Ga West District of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana were delighted to know that students in far away Damerest Middle School in New Jersey, U.S care about them enough to painstakingly prepare booklets for them.

Madam Leah and Julie, 5th grade teachers from Damerest Middle school read one of the booklets to the primary 1 and 2 pupils of the school in Ghana after which, they distributed the booklets to them.The recipients of the beautiful gifts couldn't hide their excitement.

Meanwhile, students and teachers of Damerest Middle School donated much of their time, efforts, and own money for the cause of these vulnerable pupils in Africa.For example, the volunteer teachers ran a school dance where over 500 students in the area came to what they called “Dance for Africa,” numerous bake sales where students sold homemade goods, and several teacher and community donations.The Founder and Manager of the local facility has received the donation on behalf of the facility and would on Monday present it to the children.

Leah and Julie teach a class of African children for the first time

'our class size is smaller than this' these seem to be the words which went through their minds as Miss Leah and Julie taught their class of African pupils in Ghana for the first time. Certainly, there is a great difference between the class they taught in the U.S and the one they are benevolently rendering volunteering services to now.

The children too for the first time sat quietly and listened to their foreign volunteer teachers as they spoke with a beautiful accent.
Miss Leah and Julie patiently practiced their profession with great expertise as they taught Kindergarten pupils English Language.

They later visited the much older primary 1 and 2 pupils and read beautiful stories students of Damerest Community school in New Jersey, U.S has painstakingly prepared for their expected friends here in Ghana.

After this session, Miss Leah and Julie met all the teachers of the school and shared some very important teacher tips with them. Both parties were extremely glad about what they considered a wonderful experience. Obviously, there would be a great relationship between the two schools: Naa Kordey Memorial School and Demerest Middle School.

Teachers and pupils of Child Development Facility in Ghana welcome Leah and Julie.

The teachers and children of the Naa Kordey Memorial Child Development Facility at Medie, a community in the Ga West District of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana could not control their genuine excitement when Mr. Raymond Ablorh, the founder and manager of the facility entered the premise with Miss Leah Renaldi and Miss Julie Roessler at about 10:20 am today.

Madam Leah and Julie arrived at a time most of the children where in their classrooms, however, the few pupils outside continuously shouted 'obroni',a local Ghanaian language meaning WHITES.On hearing that their friends in the classrooms immediately directed their attention to the two American volunteers who looked on with beautiful smiles.

The officer in charge of Child Care and Welfare, Ms. Rebecca Ablorh met the two with opened hands and a hearty welcome. Before, the manager could do introductions, most of the children were already out to meet their new volunteer teachers. After they took a good number of photos with the children, Mr. Raymond Ablorh did official introductions and created the platform for Leah and Julie to interact with the teachers, child attendants and children.

The two Americans who are teachers of Demarest Middle School in New Jersey (USA) would visit the facility three days in a week for one month to train the teachers and child attendants as well as teach one of the classes English language.

Two American teacher volunteers visit Naa Kordey Memorial Child Development Project

Two American volunteers, Julie and Leah arrived in Ghana this morning to work with the Naa Kordey Child Development Project for about one month. The volunteers, who are professional teachers would among other things give the teachers and child attendants of the project child care and teaching training. They would be on the project for at least thrice a week.

This is Julie and Leah first visit to Africa and Ghana to be specific. They love children and are passionate about their development project.

Raymond Ablorh, the founder and manager of the facility and selorm Kofi Dake of Tomorrow Leaders Ghana (TLG)welcomed them at the Kotoka International Airport, Accra. After a brief discussion, It was obvious the American volunteers would go to Medie on Wendnesday,1st July, 2009 for orientation and initial interactions with the teachers and pupils of Naa Korday Memorial Child Development.

Project Abroad (UK): our new partner

Before the Founder and Manager of the Naa Kordey Memorial Child Development Project could complete partnership talks with Africa Change International (ACI) to place the facility on its project list, ACI has provided a fruitful network service by linking the facility with Project Abroad (UK), an international NGO. In essence, Project Abroad is likely to be a partner.
Led by Nooshin, a health team of four visited the Child Development Project to provide some health care services to the beneficiaries. They took care of about 20 children who were suffering from sores, rashes, etc. and, gave the facility some worm pills to be given the children after three months since they have just benefited from the government's deworming exercise before the visit.
The health officers from Project Abroad interacted with the children, their care takers and teachers and promise to offer regular health service to the facility. Meanwhile, the manager of the facility is working towards completing a memorandum of understanding for partnership with Project Abroad (UK).

ACI officials and Selorm Dake visit Naa Kordey Memorial Child Development Facility

It was all joy when the Executive Director of Africa Change Internationa (ACI) , Mr. Peter Osei and his colleaques, Charles Chess and Selorm Kofi Dake of Tomorrow Leaders Ghana (TLG) visited the facility to interact with the staff and beneficiaries. " I'm very impressed," Mr. Osei said several times as Madam Rebbecca Ayerkor Ablorh, the officer in charge of Child Care and Welfare welcomed them to the facility.

After taking a brief from the Project Initiator and Manager, Mr. Raymond Ablorh, they went to the various departments of the facility to interract with both staff and project beneficiaries. The staff, children and visitors seemed to be competing on the scale of happiness. But, the children obviously won the seeming competition as they continued to enjoy Mr. Osei's numerous photo snaps.

Mr. Raymond Ablorh discussed with the ACI Executives the possibility of getting some assistance from ACI in their scope of work, and Mr. Osei promised making quick arrangements to include the facility on their project list. Meanwhile, Selorm Kofi Dake, TLG Executive Member has almost completed arrangement to get two volunteers from the USA to work with the facility from June 2009.

2009 brings broader smiles on the faces of the beneficiaries of my Child Development Facility

Another year is born and so are new challenges and opportunities born to the world. But, as the vision bearer of the Naa Kordey Child Development facility, I'm glad to announce to you that the progress made so far would obviously bring broader smiles on the faces of the beneficiaries of this project. I'm applying all practical mechanisms to tackling the obvious challenges facing my effort as well as converting all opportunities to maximizing the benefits of the project to prospective benficiaries.
I'm happy to announce that I've made tremendous progress. 2008 saw improvement in all aspects of this noble project. Number of beneficiaries rose from 150 to 300; in essence, about 300 homes in my community are benfiting from the project - the children are enjoying good quality care and training in a sound environment. Sanitation has improved and so have teaching and learning.
I'm also glad to mention that my mother, Madam Rebecca Ayerkor Ablorh is still in charge of General Child Care and Welfare as a volunteer. She is the founder of 'WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT' the most active women-led Non- Governmental Organization(NGO) in Medie. In accepting the above responsibility two years ago, she acknowledged the enormous impact the facility is making on her NGOs membership. The members could go about their daily activities freely knowing their children are at the right place or in safe hands.
I'd take this opportunity to thank Tomorrow Leaders Ghana (TLG) for the contributions made during 2008. That went a long way to contribute to this success story. The greatest thanks, however, go to the staff, especially, Karine Mohammed, the Head of the Creche and Nursery Department for her dedication, hardwork and deligence. Anytime, the little children giggle, smile or laugh whilst looking into your eyes, i know all they want to say is 'Thank you, karine'. To my mother, I say ' May God richly bless you'. The children trust you than even their parents.
To all those who contributed to developing this wonderful project, i say may the good Lord bless you exceedingly just as you've blessed these children.
May God water the seeds we're sowing so that the children, their parents, the target communities, the district, region and country can get the full benefit for which i initiated and developed this project. It feels great to know YOU'RE A GREAT CHANGE.

Signed:
Raymond Ablorh,
Project initiator and manager.