As we round the bend toward the home stretch of our volunteer service, Chris and I want to inform as many people as possible about the projects we’re striving to complete. We want to involve those of you who are interested in our activities here, without being burdensome. But we do need your help! So we’re providing this summary of projects so you know what’s up and what’s coming, to help you decide if or how you’d like to contribute.
Our current library
School Library:
Our students need a library and the school needs money to get it done. This project is currently posted on the Peace Corps website and is open for donations of any amount. This link should take you right to it: https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=641-293 . In addition to a description of the project, you can see our status in relation to having the project funded (we need a total of $2,838). Donations to this project are tax deductible and are needed ASAP.
Kids at STARS 2009
STARS:
You may remember our blog entry about this last year. This is an educational leadership conference for our most promising senior high students from rural Ghanaian schools. We found it to be a very worthwhile event last year so we’re working to make it happen again this year. This project is also currently posted on the Peace Corps website: https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=641-291 . Once again, donations to this project may be tax deductible. (A total of $3,765 is needed).
STARS:
You may remember our blog entry about this last year. This is an educational leadership conference for our most promising senior high students from rural Ghanaian schools. We found it to be a very worthwhile event last year so we’re working to make it happen again this year. This project is also currently posted on the Peace Corps website: https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=641-291 . Once again, donations to this project may be tax deductible. (A total of $3,765 is needed).
Current year’s Invest in our Future scholarship recipients
Scholarship Fund:
If you are not already familiar with this, let me try to explain it by saying-
This is an officially unofficial scholarship program that works through friends & family, their faith in me, and my personal connections here in Ghana. I initially tried to set this up through the standard Peace Corps channels but because of monitoring difficulties (believe it or not, corruption does exist in the GES - Ghana Education System) I was told by Peace Corps Ghana that they could not facilitate a scholarship through the on-line system. Regardless, we have been able to keep 15 students in school so far by covering all their standard boarding fees. If we can add about $4,500 to our coffers we can keep these kids in school next year as well. Depending on how GES and the government of Ghana respond to the former administration’s decision to change high school from 3 to 4 years, this amount might see the students through to graduation. At the very least they’ll be one step closer. If you want more info on this I have plenty, plenty. Just ask and I’ll send more info to you. This project is not tax deductible for you, but it is invaluable to the scholarship kids.
Scholarship Fund:
If you are not already familiar with this, let me try to explain it by saying-
This is an officially unofficial scholarship program that works through friends & family, their faith in me, and my personal connections here in Ghana. I initially tried to set this up through the standard Peace Corps channels but because of monitoring difficulties (believe it or not, corruption does exist in the GES - Ghana Education System) I was told by Peace Corps Ghana that they could not facilitate a scholarship through the on-line system. Regardless, we have been able to keep 15 students in school so far by covering all their standard boarding fees. If we can add about $4,500 to our coffers we can keep these kids in school next year as well. Depending on how GES and the government of Ghana respond to the former administration’s decision to change high school from 3 to 4 years, this amount might see the students through to graduation. At the very least they’ll be one step closer. If you want more info on this I have plenty, plenty. Just ask and I’ll send more info to you. This project is not tax deductible for you, but it is invaluable to the scholarship kids.
At the 2009 Art Show
Art Show:
Currently Chris is helping to organize the 13th Annual Peace Corps Art Show. This includes a week-long exhibition and series of workshops. As in past years, each volunteer who teaches visual arts will bring his or her top female and male student to participate, along with a sampling of their student’s work to share. Because the represented schools are spread across different regions of the country and because half of our visual arts teachers are stationed at deaf schools, this event offers a unique and very important opportunity for integration and socialization. This year’s event will be hosted at Dzodze (pronounced; Joe 'J) Senior High School in the Volta Region and will coincide with another festival which celebrates the importance of visual arts and crafts in Volta. Hands-on workshops will include traditional ceramics and kente weaving. Participants will also visit a kente weaving village and one of the most dynamic traditional markets in West Africa. An educational and creative HIV & AIDS event will also be included. Once this project is posted and ready for donations via the Peace Corps website, we will send out another quick notice. (We anticipate that approximately $3,000 to $4,000 will be needed).
Art Show:
Currently Chris is helping to organize the 13th Annual Peace Corps Art Show. This includes a week-long exhibition and series of workshops. As in past years, each volunteer who teaches visual arts will bring his or her top female and male student to participate, along with a sampling of their student’s work to share. Because the represented schools are spread across different regions of the country and because half of our visual arts teachers are stationed at deaf schools, this event offers a unique and very important opportunity for integration and socialization. This year’s event will be hosted at Dzodze (pronounced; Joe 'J) Senior High School in the Volta Region and will coincide with another festival which celebrates the importance of visual arts and crafts in Volta. Hands-on workshops will include traditional ceramics and kente weaving. Participants will also visit a kente weaving village and one of the most dynamic traditional markets in West Africa. An educational and creative HIV & AIDS event will also be included. Once this project is posted and ready for donations via the Peace Corps website, we will send out another quick notice. (We anticipate that approximately $3,000 to $4,000 will be needed).
Please don’t think that we’re a couple of slackers and that these are the only things we’re doing to save the world. Rather these are the only things that we need financial support for. So thanks in advance if you are able to help. It’ won’t be long now and we’re looking soooo forward to seeing our dear friends, family, (and things like cheeseburgers, garden veges, Iowa chops, sweet corn…) when we return home in August!
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