Category: News

One of the Ashanti villages I visited last month was called Wonoo. Some of the community are local Ashantis, but others are settlers who came south because climate change was making it nearly impossible to scratch a living in Northern Ghana or Burkino Faso.

They told us they were from the Dagumba, Fra-Fra, Dagati, Fulanji, Gunja and Mossi tribes. They are collectively called ‘Zongos,’ and they have their own line of authority. A village Zongo Chief will report to an area Zongo chief. Not sure how far up the chain goes.

Most of the Zongos are Muslim, but some are Christian and others follow traditional religions, led by people including the guy in the bottom photo. (Sorry, can’t persuade the photos to turn the right way up.) They all live peacefully together, regardless of ethnicity or religious beliefs. Why can’t we take a leaf out of their book.

The photos show a meeting at the village of Timber Nkwanta, with everyone amazed to learn that a group of UK barristers and a young man called Rufus have decided to sponsor them for latrines. Apparently, the work is going really well – everyone very well motivated and anxious to get on with the work and get their latrines.

Dave Banks has just returned to Ashanti, where he’s got off to a flying start with his teacher-training project. He spent Mon/Tues preparing and planning; Weds training circuit supervisors; Thurs training 50 headteachers; Fri planning/training at St Monica’s teacher-training college. All very busy and positive, he says.

SpecSavers of Leicestershire have just returned from ten days in Ashanti, where they screened, treated, prescribed for or referred over 1,400 people. People came from all directions and from as far away as the northern regions of Ghana. They included important traditional rulers like the king of Nsuta, District Chief Executive Officers, and top government officials. Some of the pictures show the size of the daily queue.

The Ashantis (and Ashanti Development) are immensely grateful to SpecSavers for using their holidays and their own money to give sight to so many people. We had initially worried that local people, who are very poor, would just sell their spectacles on. We were wrong and in recent years when we visit remote villages we increasingly encounter people wearing tribal robes and spectacles – which look good together.

BIg thanks to Sara and Steve from Crofton Junior School in Bromley, who sent a crate of jumpers to their twinned school, Bonkron Primary in Ashanti. The smiles on the childrens’ faces speak for themselves.

A while ago, we reported on two new villages, Timber Nkwanta and Domeabra, located not far from Abuontem. They’re not on any map, but Nicholas discovered them when he was running a latrine project at Abuontem.

Brilliant news! Timber Nkwanta has found itself a sponsor in the shape of a joint project by barristers Joanna Lampert and Tom Weekes, and after just three days they’ve collected half the £6,500 needed. If you’d like to help, there’s a MyDonate page for Timber.

Joanna and Tom are asking their friends in the legal profession to contribute, and hoping that way to widen Ashanti Development’s contacts, and maybe even find a few more village sponsors.

Softwire, a London-based computer company, has long been a sponsor of Bonkron village, and provided them with sanitation, a kindergarten and other benefits.
Crofton Primary School is twinned with Bonkron Primary School. The two schools communicate in writing or via Skype.
Softwire and Crofton collaborated to provide Bonkron Primary with a fully-equipped IT room, as shown in the photo. This will increase the children’s life chances immeasurably.