Hope Child Education Center
Hope Child Education Center was founded by friends John and Dorcas Inusah and Gary and myself, after years of discussion and false starts in response to the very real and desperate needs of the children in Yendi, Ghana. While I was teaching school there I noticed the many street children who hung around my building, the market and even the church I attended. Many of these children cannot attend school as they are needed to help around the house or on the family farm. Some cannot afford the school uniforms or small fees. Many don't have shoes. Hunger is evident and most children have one meal a day consisting of yams or beans. In discussing plans for the school, John and I wanted to make it accessible and functional for those children who could not attend other schools in the area. Classes are held three mornings a week so that the students can help at home. School uniforms are not required and there are no fees. A healthy lunch is served each day to all the students. The very basics are taught; reading, writing and math, basic health care, cleanliness and Christian education. Teachers are being trained in teaching students in their local language, in preparation to learning English, as this has been found to be a much more efficient way to teach reading and writing. Older students will be instructed in vocational skills by local artisans, mechanics and skilled laborers. Recently a sponsor purchased Bibles for every student in their own language.
John Inusah opened the school in a village that has never had a school. None of the students, who range from age 4 to age 19, have ever been to school. The entire village is excited and eager for the school to grow. We have started with 30 children and meet in a church, that has graciously been given us to use until we can build a school.
John recently held a meeting in the village to discuss the growth and future of the school. He reports that the parents gave a unanimous affirmation to the objectives of the school. The parents testified that the children were already developing good interpersonal relationships, are learning to speak English with their peers and greet the parents, are better behaved, display a general sense of being more calm and peaceful with less fighting and are in better health. One of the biggest surprises was when John called me and asked if we could take 15 to 19 year old students as many had shown up and really wanted to learn. I said of course, we could teach some basic skills and vocational training. Imagine these teens excitement when they learned they could attend school for the first time and learn the basic skills along side their peers.
Our dream is to build a three room school very soon. This would cost around $3500. This is in addition to the $600 a month it costs to run the school (teacher's and cook's pay, food and materials). We already have the money set aside for a water system once the school is built. At this time there are many more children who want to attend, but we just do not have the room or the resources. Please pray with us that Hope Child Education Center will grow and change the lives of the individual students and the whole village. As children earn a basic education and learn skills to help them advance, they can share these skills and resources with the rest of the village. It is a tremendous opportunity to change one life and give HOPE to an entire community. Please see our website; hopeforyendi.org to see how you can help, to read more about the school and see plenty more pictures.
