March marked the start of our 2024 volunteer programme, with school students, PGCE students, corporate businesses and Club Charity Organisations travelling to Ghana, Kenya and Zanzibar to make a difference at our partner schools during our Easter Volunteer Programme.
Thanks to all these fantastic volunteers, it has been another productive start to a new programme year, with significant progress being made on some of our longer-term projects and other, smaller projects being seen through from start to finish.
Read on to hear about what our groups achieved…
Ghana
Siva, our Ghana Programme Director, and his team welcomed Burton Albion Community Trust back to the West coast of Africa for their sixth volunteer trip with us, which saw them return to Tegbi EP School.
“This year was my third trip to Ghana, and I go back because I find it life-changing and life-enhancing. It’s good to see the constant evolution of the projects that we work on.” Suzi, Brewers in Ghana Volunteer.
The group helped to construct a playground for the nursery and lower primary classes. The pupils were excited to watch the playground take shape and try out the new equipment.
“Another amazing Brewers in Ghana Trip with Burton Albion Community Trust and African Adventures. Every year, we seem to accomplish more and more. 2024 saw us complete a playground for Tegbi EP school as well as teach throughout the week and play sports with the young people at the school. Our incredible group of volunteers also took in the sights of the Volta River in a traditional fishing boat and enjoyed a relaxing weekend before returning to school to finish the playground and say our goodbyes. Another great experience with hard graft and great fun” Paul Gaskin, Brewers in Ghana Group Leader.
A group of PGCE students volunteered at Aklorbordzi School and Ashata School, where they taught the Junior High School curriculum to students between the ages of 11 and 20. By volunteering as teaching assistants, the group were able to enhance their own learning by developing new skills to support them in their teaching careers.
Futurestars
We were delighted to partner with Futurestars, a UK and Ghanaian registered charity that delivers an education-through-sports programme in six schools in Ghana (Accra and Tema) and one in Lome, Togo, by organising and delivering their trips to their partner schools.
Employees from a Warrington-based company volunteered at the Future Leaders School, which educates 360 students. The group provided teaching support, coached sports lessons and painted the classrooms and desks.
At the end of March, a school group picked up the baton at the Future Leaders School and continued renovating the classrooms along with teaching and sports coaching.
Kenya
Our Easter Programme saw new groups embark on an adventure to Nakuru, where our partner schools are based, and old ones returned to continue their development work and spend time with old friends.
A specialist Sports College for pupils with moderate learning difficulties volunteered at our flagship partner school, The Walk Centre. The group really threw themselves into the experience, helping to teach lessons, coaching sports sessions and constructing a brand new floor in one of the classrooms.
On their last day at The Walk, volunteers helped to prepare and cook a special farewell meal for the students, which went down a treat!
Away from volunteering, the group enjoyed our Rift Valley Adventure Day, giving our volunteers a whistle-stop tour of Kenya. The day included a safari, as well as a visit to the Equator and a hike at Thomson Falls.
The Walk Centre, Ungana Academy, and Mercy Njeri welcomed a group of trainee teachers and undergraduate education students. Focusing on physical education, the group coached the students in various sports, helping them learn how to work collaboratively with others, build resilience, and understand the basics of movement and spatial awareness.
Students enjoyed watching the ‘Kenyan teachers vs UK teachers’ volleyball match organised by the group. With students getting behind both teams, the UK teachers took an early lead and came out on top.
A group of agricultural students returned to their partner school, One, Naning’oi Girls Boarding Primary School and continued working on the permaculture garden they planted last year. The sustainable garden mimics nature, allowing the school to grow food organically and encourage the right wildlife whilst being low maintenance.
The group also helped renovate the school’s facilities by fixing windows and doors, reconstructing five classroom floors, and improving the lighting in the classroom.
Eileen Ngochoch School welcomed their first ever group of volunteers, who got straight to work helping to renovate a classroom by laying a new floor, fixing the roof and painting it.
The group also held a sports day for the students, during which they enjoyed playing a game of football.
On their last day, Eileen Ngochoch held a farewell ceremony to celebrate everything the volunteers had achieved. The group kindly donated sports equipment and cooking pots to the school.
The focus of upgrading temporary classrooms at our partner schools in Kenya to permanent, brick-built structures continues into our 2024 programme. Two groups visited Jubilee Academy and made fantastic progress with the construction of a new permanent classroom block, comprising three classrooms.
Picking up the baton from our previous groups, volunteers continued constructing the two-story permanent classroom block at West End by installing and painting the safety railing on the stairs.
St Trizah was full of excitement and smiles as they welcomed their first volunteer group of the year.
The group supported fundis (builders) in constructing a new toilet block. The new block will improve the sanitation facilities at the school, positively impacting student attendance and attainment.
Zanzibar
Fuoni School welcomed our first group of 2024 to the island, who helped to break up the old, broken concrete paths to make new, safer ones.
The group also provided teaching support in the classrooms, helping students learn their times tables and teaching English and Geography lessons.
Thank you to everyone who was a part of our Easter Programme, helping to make a lasting impact at our partner schools.
If you’re interested in organising a group volunteer experience, click here to create your ideal trip.
