From Birmingham to Ghana – BMet’s charitable work to help develop and upskill local school children

School children in Ghana are benefiting from charitable initiatives by BMet College, all designed to provide sustainable developmental opportunities for young people in local communities.

The college based in Birmingham, UK, has donated a variety of educational books and stationery as part of a wider campaign and recycled PCs to help upskill young people at Twifo Adugyaa AME Zion School.

A programme of work to revamp the school with more modern facilities has also taken place, which includes creating a library, reorganising classrooms to make teaching more interactive, installing projectors, adding WIFI and assembling water pumps.

The prominent secondary school, located in Adugyama, a village in the central region of Ghana, is populated by around a hundred students who attend the school from around the area.

The idea for modernisation of the educational facility came into fruition last year after Dennis Powell, Engineering Lecturer at BMet’s James Watt College, discovered that the school was in need of refurbishment. This followed discussions with local community workers in Birmingham and education practitioners in Ghana.

A recent trip to Ghana by Dennis and some friends enabled them to see the impact of the donated items, implement new teaching methods and to begin redevelopment works.

Among other things, the visit included teaching school children how to use the donated computers effectively. For example, by increasing their knowledge and skills in class lessons using methods like TeacherMatic and BBC Bitesize.

Speaking of the developmental work, Dennis said: “I see it as not only necessary, but also fundamental to support young people in Ghana to be the people that they aspire to be and are destined to be.

“As well as supporting hundreds of school children in the Ghana village with their developmental skills and needs, the main aim is to provide pathways for the local community to become self-sufficient.

“I am looking forward to going back to Ghana later this year and working with Adugyaa AME Zion School to better shape their educational provisions and for the school children to gain GCSE standard education.”

Pat Carvalho, CEO and Principal, BMet: “It is a fantastic honour and privilege for BMet to be able to lend their support to a school, which plays a key part and is such a focal point in the village of Adugyama.

“Helping local communities is an ongoing vision of BMet and to have the opportunity to make a difference on a global scale, holds a lot of value to us. Using recycling initiatives is also a way that we can sustain our environment.”

Future aims and visions include building an income generating Internet Café at the school that can be used by people in the Adugyama village. Creating an academy at the school, is also in the pipelines. In addition, connecting the school with BMet College’s interactive IT immersive rooms is also a plan, which would enable distant learning.

In the meantime, Dennis is in the process of planning another trip to the school with friends who work within professional fields, who will be able to use a variety of teaching methods to enhance the students’ knowledge and skills. For example, an electrician will be able to demonstrate wiring and fix sockets, a nurse will teach vital first aid aptitudes and a netball teacher will be able to show students a variety of techniques, with the aim of forming a competitive team.

To mark the occasion of Dennis and his team’s visit, there was a special inauguration that was attended by the Chief and Elders of the Adugyama village and personnel from the District Education Office.

Edward Yeboah, pastor in the UK and Ghana and Mark Wallis, retired social worker, supported Dennis and his team with their charitable works.

Edward said: “The donation has been greatly appreciated by the students and teachers of the Twifo Adugyaa AME Zion School, and also parents of the pupils and the entire leadership of the village. This is because it will hugely support the school children with their learning.

“It is the wish of the school and village leaders that BMet will continue to remember them, as Dennis has known their needs from his visit.”

Mark said: “We are thankful to Dennis and BMet, for providing books and laptops for the children at AME Zion school, giving the pupils a wonderful access to technology. The young children have never before had access to such facilities. In the past, they have only used pen and paper to progress in their learning and education.

“The young people of the village are from the ancient Akan tribe and are very isolated. As they live deep inside the rain forest, having difficulties with basic living conditions such as access to running water and due to their rural location, they receive minimal outside support. BMET’s contribution has gone a long way towards enabling and empowering the children in experiencing modern methods of education. The chief and the elders, alongside the AME Zion school are very thankful for your charitable donations towards helping the youth further progress in life.”

If you would like to find out more about the Adugyaa AME Zion School and/or would like to donate, please contact dennis.powell@bmet.ac.uk.