Volunteer Rajib talks about the infrastructure projects he has been overseeing at AWSHS

I arrived in Ghana roughly four months ago and my, how time has flown!

I have been working on a number of infrastructure projects, namely the expansion of the sports field, construction of a swimming pool and the third phase of the academic block.

Sports Field Expansion:

EDP had acquired a good bit of land, big enough for a regulation sized football pitch with ample room to spare. It’s exciting to see the landscape change and the pitch slowly manifest. Everyone here at Awutu-Winton is enthused at the prospect of hosting inter-school competitions in the near future.

Swimming Pool:

A generous donation from The Princess of Monaco Foundation is going to see the students learn a very useful skill. This is one of the projects I’m eager to see through; pools here are few and far between, and none, from what I have seen, are dedicated to teaching students or the local community how to swim. We're all understandably incredibly excited about this project.

Academic Block:

To be involved with the construction of this block is an experiential goldmine, not least due to my background in architectural education. Working on site through the building process has made, what I’d find, the most tedious of reading, interesting. Trenches have been dug ready for concrete to be poured, and I find myself reminding the contractor to remember his vibrator! 

Everybody in the EDP team has been incredibly supportive and helpful. I’m so glad to be working in such a vibrant, dynamic and rich environment!

Project Manager Niranjana talks about life in Awutu

It’s been almost Four months since I arrived in Ghana, and wow, has a lot happened! Time has flown by so fast and I have enjoyed every moment thus far.

Ghana is a wonderful, vibrant place- from the food to the music to the clothes. When I first got here I was (naturally) wary of solid food that you swallow without chewing. Now? I actually have frequent cravings for good FuFu and Groundnut soup, and it is fast becoming my favourite Ghanaian dish! 

The music is literally everywhere, even in the most remote village you can stumble across a sound system pumping reggae, hip-life, high life, or a combination of all three! As for the clothing, Ghana has the most beautiful fabric I’ve ever seen, the markets are full of wonderful prints, and women carry their babies in printed make-shift baby carriers, it's wonderful!

Having been born and raised in London, It’s taken time to adjust to village life in Awutu-Bereku where things move much slower. The school, however, runs at an entirely different pace from the village it resides in; things are constantly moving onward and upward!

When I first arrived at the school, I must admit I was slightly intimidated. The Project Manager prior to me, Marcus, had done such a great job- and I wanted to continue to do the school proud. However, I have quickly come into my own, and I now feel at home; the staff have been so supportive and the smiles of the students are a constant motivation to push the school to be one of the best in Ghana.

One of the most rewarding tasks I have overseen since arriving here has been the completion of the girls' hostel. Our most vulnerable female students now have a safe haven. This took a lot of preparation with many different aspects to consider but it is now all up and running successfully! The girls are so grateful to have a place where they feel safe.

We have also started work on the construction of a third classroom block, and thanks to my co-worker and friend Rajib, it’s all going very well (more on that from him).

AWSHS is such a wonderful project. There are so many of us here in Ghana, in the UK, and worldwide, that wholeheartedly believe in the mission of the school, and it is this collective dedication that keeps our students smiling.