David Lunan's Update (Including on the Valerie Dix Hall), August 2013

Valerie Dix Hall

Dear Supporter,

Having returned late last month from Awutu on a brief mid-summer visit I thought it was a good moment to update you all on current developments.

The two most important infrastructure projects are the Valerie Dix Assembly Hall and the F.A. Hughes Sports Field.

First the "Auntie Valerie" Hall:

Well it's coming together well. Although we still have some issues to sort out, the roof is now on and we are still hoping for completion in time for the new academic year which begins on the 24th September. We are planning an official opening on Friday 8th November, when the Hall will be officially named after Valerie Dix, dear godmother shared by me and Nick Robertson (whom many of you may know is Chief Executive of Asos plc.). Nick has given a very generous donation to help to finance the building of the Hall, and its completion will be a tremendous boost as it will give the school accreditation as an exam centre. It will also double as an Assembly Hall and will be a versatile space which can be used for drama, dance and aerobics as well as for public functions and as a canteen area.

Many people have given their time and effort to make this project come together and we are very grateful for all the support. In particular I would like to mention our hard working Project Manager, Marcus, and his pal Drew who funded a trip over from the States to help in the supervision of its construction, as well as Martin who, along with John, has given us so much support on the architectural drawings, and most especially Baffour, without whose expertise the project would never have progressed. A big thank you to all!

Secondly the Sports Field:

Again, thanks to an anonymous benefactor, we have secured the land and have cleared and almost levelled it. Now we need to finish off the drainage, add top soil and seed it, to turn it into a precious green space for a variety of sporting activities. One of the aims of our Great South Run team - which sees a record twenty-five EDP supporters all running together on October 27th - is to raise enough money to finish it off. Our target is £10,000!

On other fronts also there has been much activity at the school this year. Deputy Head Seth and his team of hard working teachers and staff have put in a big effort to help the third year (our first batch of our students to graduate) complete their syllabus. They will be sitting their final exams next month: we wish them well and will let you know how they get on. At least a dozen of the eighty-five are expected to go on to university, but those who do not will still stand a much better chance of finding work just by virtue of having completed their senior secondary education, which is financially accessible to less than 50% of the population.

Thank you to everyone who has given support to EDP in the pursuit of its goal – improving access to education for disadvantaged youngsters in Ghana.

With best wishes,

David

30 August 2013

David Lunan
Director, EDP Trust
UK Charity number : 1129398
david@edp-trust.com
www.edp-trust.com

P.S. For those interested in contributing to the charity or sponsoring the runners on Oct 27th, the website is now up and running at Virgin Money Giving: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/goforGhana2 . We also have an active Pay Pal connection on the website : www.edp-trust.org

We are still looking for more student sponsorships as this income helps to provide much needed support and equipment for the pupils – sponsorship costs only £300/$500 a year. More information on the website or via Inez on : inez@edp-trust.org

Marcus Hagberg (Project Manager) Update: March 2013

Our current Project Manager, Marcus Hagberg

Dear EDP supporters,

Hope all is well and that your New Year is off to a good start. My name is Marcus Hagberg and I am the newest Project Manager at Educational Development Projects (EDP) Trust. Since arriving in Ghana in December 2012, I have been kept quite busy acclimatising to a new work environment, culture, and weather pattern. Thankfully, this adaptation has been quite easy, due primarily to the fact that Ghanaians are so keen to ensure your personal well-being, a genuine smile all along the way. Although I’ve been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to live, work, and study abroad over the past few years, I was immediately entranced by Ghanaians and their casualness and coolness.

The practical goals and overall vision EDP Trust is committed to and working towards are what keep me going when subtle and significant stresses begin to accumulate. I am honoured to have the opportunity to work alongside such wonderful and enthusiastic people, from Seth Adjadotse (headmaster of Awutu-Winton) to David and Inez Lunan (Directors of EDP Trust), Peter Donkor (founder of Awutu-Winton) to the EDP Trust team/ volunteers here in Ghana, and committed teaching and non-teaching staff at Awutu-Winton to motivated students—overall, these people make up a supportive community to ensure that EDP Trust’s goals and visions are accomplished.

2013 is a year of (hopefully) tremendous growth for EDP Trust and, thereby, Awutu-Winton. Because James Riggs and Rachel Schmieder (former Project Managers) have accomplished the important task of establishing a firm foundation, I feel it my duty to begin construction (both metaphoric and literal) on said foundation. Below are the main tasks/ projects EDP Trust is committed to achieving over this next year:

EDP Trust is excited to announce that we’ll begin building the latest planned phase of our school this month: the Valerie Dix building. This new building will encompass an assembly hall and canteen for the student population, along with eventual, additional toilet facilities for students and staff. This will enable us to be certified as a West African Examinations Council (WAEC)-recognised educational institution and thereby allow our students to sit for their final exams at the end of the summer term and in a familiar environment, before they continue to the next phase of their lives.

We are also in the midst of developing our sports field. Famous, Ghanaian Assistant to the Project Manager, has been given the task of overseeing the transformation of this sloping, rocky area into a viable sports field capable of holding (and hosting) football and touch rugby matches. I know I speak for all the students at Awutu-Winton when I say that we are eager for this project to get under way so that before long it can be fully functioning.

Beyond physical developments we hope to broaden EDP Trust’s professional network and build partnerships with government, non-profit/charitable, and private business entities alike. Although our team of committed Directors, staff, and volunteers is small, the impact we can have on the lives of these students, and the surrounding community is profound. We look forward to developing and nurturing these partnerships in the near and distant future.

Thank you for taking the time to read about my personal reflections on EDP Trust and Ghana, as well as my hopes for this exciting year ahead—I look forward to sharing more on these and other matters with caring supporters like you in the future.

Best wishes,

Marcus

Helen's Update: February 2013

Awutu-Winton Senior High School in all its glory!

I have been here for two weeks and yet it seems like two months. Marcus, the Project Manager has only been here for two months, and again, one would have the impression he's been doing the job for years. Must be something to do with the degree of accessibility that one has to everything here and hence the sense of an immediacy of contact and advance.

In a mere two weeks, this has been the case for the Abrofresh project. Francis ( the local manager recruited late last year by Harriet , our predecessor at EDP ) has ably taken over the reins managing Abrofresh and I have slipped in alongside to assist him. As a team we have hit the ground running and things seem to be advancing rapidly, both of us motivated by the clear potential that Abrofresh has.

Currently Abrofresh generates only a little profit to be fed back into the charity. However, we have been following the Business Development Report compiled by Alan and Di, ( both experts in their field who visited Awutu last November) and development on the juice project has been kick started. This has also been helped by a chance encounter with the Managing Director of Jei River, our local pineapple supplier, which led to a now free supply of pineapples. A courtesy sample of our juices has produced a small but very enthusiastic new fan base, made up of Jei River clients and the MD’s mother, a significant consumer!

The MD is very keen to support Abrofresh, and the school, and has already been to visit our facilities and meet the students, and has enquired into the possibility of our teachers giving English literacy classes to his own workers. So we hope that this will develop into a solid and mutually ‘fruitful’ partnership!

Abrofresh is also looking into partnerships with local secondary schools and we have had a positive first meeting with the Head Master from a large local school - Village of Hope - who is eager to buy juice from us, enthusiastic about the potential of our project and keen to publicize our product.

A great degree more of knocking on doors would seem to be required however The marketing process appears to take much longer and seems to entail more ritual in Ghana than in UK. However, a slow development does assure a certain stability of relationship.

I am already struck by two hard facts:

1. Here, every minute of the day you spend out on the street, you are starkly reminded of the need for Awutu-Winton Senior High School as everywhere I see poverty , and education is the only way to break out of the cycle.

2. Here, also you spend so much of the day hot and thirsty that the prospect of a chilled to the touch bottle of pure, fresh, tangy pineapple juice or even better a deliciously green Pineapple and Moringa juice, is like a dream!!

In short, potential Abrofresh consumers do not require too much convincing. The immediate challenge that Abrofresh faces is coordinating sales developments with production capacity, as well as consolidating the interest that has been shown in our product and targeting that section of the local market can afford our admittedly modestly priced beverages ( deliberately set at a price below Coke and Fanta !)

A great first two weeks -. Francis and I might perhaps need to temper our enthusiasm for risk of burn-out! But with the Abrofresh advertising signboard up for just 4 days before the first new customer came to knock at our door, we were chuffed and relieved in equal measure!

Helen

Lauren's Update: February 2013

Students play football on the beach

I have now been at the school for a month now, so I am starting to settle in and recognise the people constantly popping in and out of the office; however I am definitely not used to the heat yet.

When I first arrived I was very happy to hear EDP has a few traditions for its volunteers, so I landed at about 5:30 am and spent my first day on the beach. Also the AFCON ( Africa Cup of Nations ) started not long after I arrived so I have been to one of the volunteers’ watering holes to watch all the Ghana games, the atmosphere has been excellent and I am really hoping Ghana goes far. This week our House got running water which was the best moment since arriving, when we realised the taps now worked I made a lot of shrieking sounds and we all celebrated. It is amazing how much I now appreciate the moment when water flows through the shower, it was very eye opening on what I have taken for granted in life.

At work I have attempted to make EDP ‘down with the kids’, and set up a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/EDPTrust) and Twitter (@EDP_Trust). I am working closely with one of the teachers, Daniel, on the welfare of our most needy students, ( who currently number over 30) trying to help those out with the Hardship Fund and have started doing home visits. I have also been given the task of creating careers guidance for the students, however this will be a very big task as it needs to be started from scratch and we need to work out a way or a partnership that will help get our students into Tertiary education if that is where they want to go.

It’s great to see how driven the children at the school are as they are often here till late working in the library or classrooms. Also tonight our student football team are playing against another local school and I’ll be going to cheer them on—go Awutu-Winton!!

Lauren