It was all joy for the chiefs and people of Sawua, a small community in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality of the Ashanti Region as the Kumasi Rotary Club handed over a 6-unit classroom block to the community.
The facility also included a library stocked with books, 8 new micro flush toilets, a computer lab with computers, a solar panel for the school, and furniture.
At the handover ceremony, the President of the Club Derek Oware Nyarko said the project forms part of the core values of Rotary which is to promote education and enhance literacy in communities as well as water and Sanitation.
He added that due to the absence of basic education in the community, children between the ages of 2 and 9 years are forced to learn in a church under the tutelage of a volunteer teacher who only takes canteen fees from the Children.
“The unfortunate part is when they are old enough to walk, they travel 5km to attend school at Asakraka”, he added.
Rotarian Oware Nyarko however appealed to the Chiefs and the People of the Sawua community and environs to prioritize the education of their wards and ensure that the project meets its intended purposes.
He was optimistic that the existence of the school in the community will improve access to quality education and prevent School Children from walking several Kilometers to access basic education
He again pleaded with the Municipal Assembly to collaborate with the Chiefs and community leadership to assume full ownership of the School facility.
The Project Director and International Service Chair Nana Effah Mensah said the project, which is worth $ 120,000 USD is in tune with the vision or theme of the Rotary Club.
He said the Bowman family paid to build the school while the Micro-flush Toilets, Furniture, Computers, Solar Lightning System, Text and Library Books and the rest was funded by the Rotary Foundation, Virginia Rotary Clubs: Hampton Roads, Warren County, Roanoke Valley, Salem Rotaract Club at William & Mary and Lewisburg, West Virginia and Kumasi Rotary Club, Ghana.
The Chief Executive of the Atwima Nwabiagya Municipal Assembly, Hon. Amoah Awuku lauded the Kumasi Rotary club for coming to the aid of the community. He confirmed that it was disheartening seeing children walk several kilometers to access education.
He was particularly excited with the installation of solar panels to power the computers and television since the village has no access to electricity.
Hon. Awuku appealed to parents to make good use of the facility by sending their children to school.
He again assured that he will provide free school uniform for the children who will attend the school and see to it that teachers are posted to the school.
Last year, the Club also handed over similar projects to the Hiamankyene Community in the Sekyere South District of Agona near Asante Mampong. The school currently accommodates close to Two hundred (200) pupils.