The Nkosuohene of Koforidua Akwadum, Surve, Nana Asante Boateng I, in his quest to promote education within the Akwadum Community has presented educational materials to students of the Akwadum Methodist School, Koforidua.
This was under the “Every Child in School Project” which was done in collaboration with the One Life Aid Foundation (OLAF), the Ghana Library Authority Eastern Region and Linkages Africa.
The educational materials donated included customized exercise books, pens, pencils, crayons, computer games, school uniforms for both boys and girls, school bags, sandals, bibles, colour books, story books, and Veronica buckets.
Sanitary pads were also presented to female students.
At the event which was held on Monday, September 26, 2022, at the Akwadum Methodist School, brilliant students from Kindergarten (KG) to Junior High School (JHS) were given awards to motivate them to do better.
There was a parent/ student empowerment, as well as menstrual and reproductive Health education.
The students, parents, and guardians were served hot meals while teachers were also given fabrics and smocks to appreciate and motivate them.
Surv. Nana Asante Boateng I said the gesture was anchored on his love for community and community service and his desire to see the people of Akwadum thrive in the area of education.
Challenges
The Nkosuohene pointed that the availability of land for residential and commercial development in Akwadum was a threat to farming and agricultural production which constitutes the livelihoods of the people.
Among other factors, he said the citing and construction of the new Eastern Regional Hospital together with other major infrastructural development of the Central Government close to the vicinity has opened up the community to drastic takeover of farmlands for residential and commercial development by both individuals and estate companies.
This phenomenon, he again said poses threat to the livelihoods of the people in the community.
Meanwhile, as Nkosuohene of the area, he said one of the identified strategies to sustain the livelihoods of the community is to strengthen and empower the young ones in their education in order to mitigate the future impacts of farmlands being taken over by residential and commercial development in the community.
“Today, we are beginning this noble idea by supplying educational materials, enhancing the reading culture of the pupils and motivating the teachers in our small way. Worthy of note, is the fact that we have other educational empowerment programmes that we are thinking through on how best to implement which will capture students from age seven to 17 years on the Academy Concept,” he said.
He added that, “Again, this project happens to round up my 40th Birthday Celebration and my enstoolment as the Nkosuohene of Akwadum – this is why I deemed it honourable to solicit for the support from family, friends and my networks from around the world to join hands with me in the quest to contribute to my community development and empower the students in Akwadum starting from the Methodist Primary and Junior High School,” he said.
Ghana l Atinkaonline.com l Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori