UPDATE IN JANUARY 2024:

Thank you all so much for your donations throughout 2022-23. I have had the pleasure to visit the after school center two more times since my last update, in April 2023 and June 2023. With your donations, the program has been able to elevate the building, support 2 primary students to attend private schools, add more variation to the feeding program, and attract more volunteers to help support the program.

Currently, we are raising funds to support feeding the kids with snacks and actual meals, to support the allowance for volunteers, and to support academic funds for the students to pursue education further. We would love to expand on all your generous donations from last year and further all of these programs.

------------------------------------------------

AKWAABA!

My name is Kaylan Purisima, and I'm a special education high school teacher in the United States, where I was born and raised. I have had the privilege of visiting and helping out at an after school center in rural Ghana two times this year. This center is located in a small village called Old Akrade, which is situated on the east bank of the Volta River in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

I have had the pleasure of being at this center twice, once in July 2022 and most recently, November 2022. Each time I visited and volunteered at the after school center, I was blown away by the crucial work this program is doing and the infectious energy of its students.

The after school center is unique in that it is one of the only structured activities for local students to engage in, other than the nearby school. The center's mission is to provide village kids with opportunities that every child should have: to play and to learn! After visiting the center for the first time, I was astounded by the eagerness and enthusiasm that the students at the center expressed regarding learning. They were clamoring to read, practice algebra, learn about the history of the Volta River, and more. Overall, the program participants were passionate about taking advantage of the resources that they do not normally have otherwise.

In a safe and stimulating environment, the children (primarily aged 12-15 with a few younger students) come daily to the center to practice reading, advance their math and grammar skills, practice arts & crafts, get taught new lessons by dedicated volunteers, and more. Since many of the participants come from underprivileged backgrounds, this program gives them a broad range of new experiences that will help them eventually pass their national exams in Ghana and further their education. This will allow them to advance themselves one day at university or a fruitful career of their choice.

Everything that the program offers is free of charge to the students. We are fundraising for a variety of things. First of all, we would love to provide the students with better resources: books, textbooks, notebooks, writing utensils, art supplies, etc. Furniture is also needed to make the space more comfortable and inviting for the students. The majority of the fundraising would go toward providing a better and more fruitful experience for the students. Currently, the program runs off volunteers. The Roots Foundation (the organization that supports the program) is looking to hire teachers to manage and administer this program full-time. The Foundation has also started building a small home to house any volunteers or teachers who join this program; however, more funding is needed to get this house out of the foundational stage. Finally, the program is trying to provide funding for students who have passed their national exams in Ghana and want to attend senior secondary school (optional and the last stage of schooling before college/career). While all education is free in Ghana, most senior secondary schools are boarding schools, and students who attend need supplies to support their time there (e.g., toiletries, textbooks, materials, etc.). The Foundation is hoping to provide funding for these supplies for any student who wishes to further their education in this manner.

With your help we can offer all of these resources to the children of Old Akrade! Thank you so much for your interest and support!!!