Ziavi Project 2004

Ziavi Bamefedo (pop 2500) is a rural village situated in the Volta Region of Ghana, 10 miles from the regional capital, Ho. In the main, the villagers are indigenous farmers who work mainly to support themselves and their families. Some crops, eg bananas, are sold in the local markets, and a small amount of charcoal is produced to provide extra income.

The current school building is a wooden framed structure with a grass thatched roof, which cannot withstand the heavy rains typical of the area. This means that the 150 primary aged children in the village are not able to attend school for parts of the year.

A trustee of GO visited the village in 2003 to assess the viability of the project. As a result of the discussions held with the village community and the District Assembly, it was agreed to go ahead with the project.

GO proposes to provide a 3-classroom school, complete with storeroom and teacher’s office. This will provide a solid structure able to withstand the heavy rains and enable the children of the village to access school all year round. Written assurances have been given by the District Assembly that they will supply and fit the roof to the new building, and on completion will provide teaching staff and the on-going upkeep and maintenance of the school.

All labour for the project will be provided by the community, under the ‘communal labour’ agreement. This is in line with the three previous school projects undertaken, and is strictly enforced by the Village Elders. Where possible all materials will be sourced locally.

The total project cost is £6,187 Benefits

Benefits

Short Term

• Provision of primary educational facilities for 150 children, who would otherwise have little access to education. • An educational facility that can be accessed by the whole community, ie library and IT equipment. • The community has a raised awareness of the importance of children accessing education.

Long Term

• Children having the opportunity to access further education, thus helping to break the cycle of poverty. This means that they, in turn, are able to support their own children in school. • Children reach adulthood with a higher and wider level of education. This means a better understanding of the environment and health care issues.

Ziavi Progress

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