Rotary Club of Accra West Seeks GH¢308,240 for Education Project
By Raymond Awiagah
The Education Impact Initiative by the Rotary Club of Accra West
More than GH¢308,000 is needed to give thousands of schoolchildren access to functional libraries and ICT facilities as the Rotary Club of Accra West steps up efforts to improve learning conditions in three public schools.
The club is seeking support for its Education Impact Initiative, which will provide two functional libraries and one modern ICT laboratory.
The project has a total cost of GH¢308,240 and is expected to benefit about 1,520 children in its first year, with the number projected to reach 7,600 by the fifth year.
The initiative was the focus of the Rotary Club of Accra West’s Presidential Dinner Dance, held under the theme “Impacting Learning – Expanding Opportunities.”
The event brought together Rotarians, business leaders, professionals, and other dignitaries to raise awareness and support for the project.
Why the project is needed
The Education Impact Initiative comes at a time when some basic learning facilities at the three schools remain inadequate.
At Aggrey Road Number 2 Primary School, there is no proper library facility. The school shares a library space with Aggrey Road Number 1 Primary School, where books are available but pupils lack basic furniture and have been using mats to read.
At Community 5 Number 1 Primary School, an existing library has been out of use for about six or seven years. School authorities also say many of the books available are outdated.
The situation is different but equally challenging at Klagon TMA Junior High School, where an ageing ICT laboratory has only a few functioning computers for a student population of more than 600.
The Rotary Club of Accra West wants to address these gaps through the initiative.
We will serve by supporting the Education Impact Initiative
Immediate Past President of the Rotary Club of Accra West, Neyram Kukula, said the presidential dinner was an opportunity for the club to celebrate its work while raising support for another intervention.
“The purpose of our gathering this evening is twofold: to celebrate and to serve.”
He explained that the Education Impact Initiative will focus on three public schools.
“We will serve by supporting the Education Impact Initiative, which is a project that the club seeks to do in three public schools where we intend to provide two libraries and one ICT lab.”
According to him, the project reflects Rotary’s belief in the importance of education.
“Investing in education is investing in the future.”
He appealed to guests to support the initiative through contributions and partnerships.
“Every contribution, every pledge and every gesture of support tonight will leave a lasting impact in the lives of those we serve.”
A better learning environment can expand a child’s future
The President of the Rotary Club of Accra West, Dr Dolores Opon, said education was chosen as the club’s flagship project because of its potential to open up opportunities for children.
“We chose education because we believe that giving a child a better learning environment is one of the most practical ways of expanding that child’s future.”
Dr Opon said the club was not simply looking to construct buildings or provide equipment.
“We want to create places where a child can discover the joy of reading, where a student can acquire digital skills, and where a young person can begin to see possibilities beyond the circumstances in which they were born.”
She also called for partnerships from businesses, individuals and organisations.
Businesses could sponsor parts of the project, adopt a school, and provide computers, books, or furniture. At the same time, individuals could contribute financially, volunteer their expertise, or connect the club with potential partners.
Her message was simple:
“You do not have to do everything. You simply have to decide what you can do.”
Rotary District 9104 backs the project
The District Governor of Rotary District 9104, Dr. Jack Andrews Dotsey, described education as a major driver of human development.
He said the timing of the project was particularly appropriate as September is Rotary’s month for focusing on basic education and literacy.
“Education is a key driver of human development and a guarantee for human security.”
He urged guests to join the Rotary Club of Accra West in supporting the initiative.
“Tonight, the invitation is clear. Join the Rotary Club of Accra West and make one impactful history.”
For him, the success of the project should ultimately be measured by the lives it changes.
These children are not asking for luxury
Guest speaker Mrs Susan Adu-Aryee, a Development Executive and Social Impact Leader, made one of the strongest appeals of the evening, asking guests to consider what happens when children are willing to learn but lack the basic resources to do so.
She painted a picture of a child being asked to research a topic but having very few books available, or a student needing a computer but finding that most of the machines in the school laboratory no longer work.
“These children are not asking for luxury.”
“They are asking for basic amenities that many of us who are more fortunate and have them at our disposal take for granted.”
Mrs Adu-Aryee said the children need simple things that can make a major difference to their education.
“They simply want a book they can open, a chair they can sit on, a quiet place where they can concentrate, and a computer they can use not only to discover the world, but also to compete on the global stage.”
She encouraged guests to move beyond applauding the initiative and contribute towards making the projects possible.
“But please don’t just applaud, invest in the projects.”
She also stressed the importance of making the facilities accessible to people living with disabilities.
“So please be intentionally inclusive in your response. Please ensure that people living with disabilities have access to the sites, the libraries, and to all the other resources as well.”
From three schools to thousands of children
The three projects may focus on specific schools, but the Rotary Club of Accra West expects their impact to extend beyond the first year.
About 1,520 children are expected to benefit during the first year, with the club projecting that the number will rise to 7,600 by year five.
The support being sought is not limited to cash.
The club is looking for partners who can provide books, furniture, computers, STEM equipment, technical expertise and other resources needed to complete the projects.
Mrs Adu-Aryee summed up the potential impact of such support in simple terms:
“When you give a child a book, you give them a question.”
“When you give a child a computer, you give them access to knowledge.”
For the Rotary Club of Accra West, the GH¢308,240 fundraising target is therefore not simply about constructing two libraries and an ICT laboratory.
It is about creating spaces where children can read, research, develop digital skills and begin to see opportunities beyond their immediate circumstances.
For the Rotary Club of Accra West, the challenge now is turning the GH¢308,240 target into classrooms with books, chairs and working computers and turning those facilities into opportunities for thousands of children.
Education Impact Initiative at a glance
Project: Education Impact Initiative
Organiser: Rotary Club of Accra West
Theme: “Impacting Learning – Expanding Opportunities”
Schools: Three public schools
Projects: Two libraries and one ICT laboratory
Total project cost: GH¢308,240
Expected beneficiaries in Year One: 1,520 children
Expected beneficiaries by Year Five: 7,600 children