Millions of thanks to Kevin Ford, who just completed the Thames Path Challenge, walking 100km to raise funds for Ashanti Development. He got terribly injured feet, completely exhausted himself, but raised a fantastic £1,000 for us. See the video here http://vimeo.com/106176098
Author: Penny
Penny is co-founder of Ashanti Development and responsible for the day-to-day running of the charity from our office in the UK.
Training College Nearly Good To Go
The Training College at Gyetiase is nearly up and running, and the photos show the sewing machine tables being made. The sewing machines themselves have been bought from John Lewis, all different colours – pink, peppermint, red, purple. We hope the students will like them.
Bresua Gets Good News
The pictures are of Bresua Village being given the news that Richard (who swam 70 lengths on his 70th birthday to raise money for Ashanti Development) had decided to sponsor them.
Get ready for some latrine-digging pictures when the work starts.
Oh No – Not Mpantuase’s Kindergarten Again!!!
Well, this kindergarten must hold the record for quick building! It seems the reason they’re rushing is to beat inflation, since prices on imported goods like cement are going up on an almost daily basis.
At this rate, the building will be finished by the end of the month.
Update: Mpantuase Kindergarten
Mpantuase kindergarten is coming along in leaps and bounds, with the foundations now all but finished. Sponsors Ab Roy and his SpecSavers team are due to visit in October (Ebola permitting) and maybe the village is aiming to get it finished by the time he arrives.
Beehives
Dawn and Paul, who sponsor two villages, have arranged training for local people in bee-keeping, and now there are four beehives at Gyetiase. One of the four has been colonised and we’re hoping that bees will find the other three soon.
Mpantuase’s Kindergarten
Work on Mpantuase Village’s new kindergarten, financed by SpecSavers in the Midlands, is progressing at top speed to reduce the impact of high inflation on building materials. Prices are rising on a daily basis. So far, communal labour has been used to uproot tree stumps and level the ground with a bulldozer, and all building blocks have been moulded. The village is very enthusiastic, and are putting enormous effort into the work.