As the end of the year approaches, we’re looking back at another memorable 12 months at African Adventures, made possible by you, our volunteers, and supporters.
This year, our partner schools welcomed our biggest programme of volunteers to date, who made fantastic progress with the planned development work at the schools and really left their mark. Through the dedication of our volunteers and extremely generous donations from the Foundation’s supporters, so much has been achieved in 2023 and we can’t thank you enough.
Proudly presenting 2023 Wrapped: Year in Review.
Creating an engaging and safe learning environment
Our volunteers worked extremely hard this year, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the development made at our partner schools. Across Ghana, Kenya, and Zanzibar, volunteers helped renovate 47 classrooms and built six permanent classrooms.
Ungana Academy, in Kenya, saw the completion of its single-story permanent classroom block, consisting of three classrooms. Lessons are now taking place in the classrooms, providing a safe learning environment and reducing overcrowding.
Matthew, a carpenter and furniture maker, travelled to our partner school, Ungana Academy, in May with Derby County Community Trust, where he made a movable dividing wall for the new permanent classroom. “By making a bi-fold door, I was able to prevent blocking the windows in the room and blocking the light. Both the headteacher, Cathrine and I were so happy with how this has turned out and how this has helped change the use of the room for the children”. Matthew.
At our three partner schools in Zanzibar, it is not unusual for classes to contain upwards of 100 children with just two teachers. Due to overcrowding and students having to sit on the floor for lessons, classrooms can quickly become worn with holes in the floor and walls, making it an unsuitable learning environment. Volunteers renovated an amazing 35 classrooms in Zanzibar this year!
This year, groups worked hard at our partner school, Little Roses, in Ghana, where they helped to screed and prepare the classroom floors for concreting so brick classrooms can be built. When it rains, the current classrooms flood and can’t be used. The new brick classrooms will ensure that all lessons can take place in a safe and practical learning environment.
Ten years of Rams in Kenya
In 2013, Derby County Community Trust travelled to Kenya for their first volunteer trip with 13 volunteers. Fast-forward 10 years, and we’re celebrating their 10th anniversary, which took place this May! Over the years, the group has made a profound impact at our partner schools, and this year was no exception, with 81 volunteers joining them for the anniversary trip to volunteer at six of our partner schools.
“I really hoped that our anniversary, the 10th Rams in Kenya trip, would be special, but I really couldn’t have anticipated just how special it was. For a multitude of reasons, the trip is extremely close to my heart and our 2023 trip only cemented this further. My experience suggests that what makes a trip great is the attitude and enthusiasm of our volunteers to absolutely do their utmost to help the simply wonderful Kenyan children and teachers in any way that their skills and imagination can and our 81 volunteers were tireless in this pursuit. Ally this with the warmth and love of the children that welcomed us with open arms and hearts and it resulted in an experience that was so, so special that it will stay with me forever.” Paul Newman, Group Leader and Derby County Community Trust Community Manager.
Water Filtration Project in Ghana
In May, STEM ambassadors from an American High School in Philadelphia travelled to the rural Volta region to deliver their water filtration project with the goal of providing access to clean water for over 3,000 students at six of our partner schools in Ghana and their community.
The group led a lesson where they taught the teachers and the students how to use a 3D printer to print water filters for the taps at the school. Once fitted, the carbon inside the filter removes the pathogens and microorganisms from the tap water, making it safe for drinking.
WASH Programme
For the past three years, African Adventures Foundation have been working on a transformative Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme which aims to provide increased and equal opportunities for girls and boys at the three schools we support in Zanzibar by delivering a Hygiene and Menstrual Health programme alongside the construction of toilet blocks, hand washing stations and private spaces to manage menstruation.
This year saw the completion of the WASH Programme, with the final construction work finished at Kinuni School. The project has delivered 37 new gendered latrine toilets, 12 handwashing stations, and a transformational menstrual health management programme for over 15,000 students.
Thank you to everyone who has donated to the WASH Programme and to The High School of Glasgow who travelled to Kinuni School to support with the construction of the toilet block and fundraised for the project.
Isle of Wight Ultra Challenge
On the final weekend of April, our staff and supporters took on the Isle of Wight Ultra Challenge, walking either 25km, 50km or 106km around the island over one day or two.
Blisters, bumps and all sorts of injuries made it hard, but we made it across the finish line, raising a fantastic £12,500 for African Adventures Foundation’s Food Security programmes, making it our biggest fundraiser to date. The money raised has provided a daily meal to all students at our partner schools in Kenya for seven months.
“What a challenge, what an experience! Tough is an understatement, but it was so worth it for what we have achieved in sponsorship. Thank you so much to the African Adventures team for the event and to all who sponsored and supported us. The impact of this was huge, and everyone should be proud of this.” Rachel, Fundraising Manager.
What’s next?
We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us this year. We couldn’t do what we do without you! Plans are well underway for our 2024 programme, including increasing our outreach with new partner schools in Kenya and Zanzibar, rolling out The Good Period Project and The WASH Programme in Ghana and much, much more! We hope to see some of you in Ghana, Kenya or Zanzibar next year!
