PROJECTS

LOVING HANDS OF HOPE SCHOOL

Loving Hands of Hope School was commissioned on March 3, 2007 in the Village of Gowenu, South Tongu District, Upper Volta Region.  Originally, it was built with three classrooms with twenty-five students per class, one fully-staffed nursery (Loving Hands of Hope KinderCare), one library and an office.  The school will offer free education, uniforms, and one meal a day to the students.  Instead of the original budgeted amount of 75 children, there is now a surplus of registered students and this will necessitate implementing a shift system to accommodate the volume.  Of course, capacity has also been doubled in all areas, resulting in an increase in staff, administrative costs and other related expenses in connection with the day-to-day functioning of the institution.  The current building was constructed so as to facilitate the addition of more classes in the future.  The school’s curriculum is structured in accordance with the educational standards and guidelines as mandated by the Ghanaian Government thereby setting the forum for government subsidy.

MEALS, UNIFORMS & ADMINSTRATIVE COSTS

On a continuous basis, the students will be provided with: (i) free tuition; (ii) one meal a day; (iii) uniforms at no cost; and (iv) school books and other necessary school material.  These necessities are provided at no cost to the villagers so as to eliminate the financial burden since the villagers have no means of paying for these various expenses.  The following recurring administrative costs will cover salaries for the staff, the purchasing of food for the One Meal-A-Day Program, books and school supplies for the students and library, sporting equipment and other day-to-day expenditures of the school.  Funding to cover these essential costs of the school is also a need.

TOILET FACILITIES

We are in urgent need of toilet facilities for the school since funds were diverted from this project to provide for the Well.  Originally there was not a clean supply of running water in the village and its surrounding hamlets for consumption.  Instead, the only source of water supply was from the Volta River which was polluted with factory waste and other pollutants.  There will be four toilets and one large bath for the females and four toilets and one large bath for the males.  Our most immediate and greatest need is funding to complete this project.

DINING AREA

Just as important as the above and of great necessity is a cooking and dining facility for the preparation and serving of the meals to the children.  Land for this project is already designed.  Another important and immediate need is the funding for this project.

ACREAGE

The land surrounding the school is the playground and, yes, ample acreage has been designated for future development.

RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES/SOCCER TEAM

In order to achieve full academic success we must stimulate both mind and body and one of the better ways to achieve this goal is through sporting activities.  The most popular sporting activity in Ghana is Soccer.  With this in mind, Loving Hands of Hope Gowenu All Stars Junior and Senior Soccer Teams have been formed.  Religion and sports is an active part of the school curriculum and as funding permits, there will be room for inclusion of other sports.  Maintenance of these recreational activities is also a need.   

COMMUNAL FARMING

The villagers are currently farming high-protein beans and vegetables on a communal basis.  They are able to pump water from the Volta River to the large farmland with the aid of two water pumps donated by the organization.  Another prospective project is a poultry farm.  The villagers will rear and sell the eggs and chicks and reinvest their gain in other capital ventures and projects.