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The District recently asked if we’d pay part of the cost of a latrine block beside Kwamang Hospital, for the patients. David was very keen – he’s invented a nifty new latrine design, much cheaper than the normal KVIP – so we agreed.

Unfortunately, David’s design only partly worked because it involved the latrines standing back-to-back, while the hospital needed to have them all in a row. That way, they could check that patients who used them were OK and didn’t need help getting out and back to their beds.

Despite this, the latrines were cheaper than most. The District contributed Ghc1,960, and we paid Ghc 6,737. And they look much better than the old KVIPs too. Four star latrines at least, and well worth going out of your way for.

(The third photo shows the DCE performing the opening ceremony.)

Volunteers Dawn and Paul are selling Ashanti Development jewellery again this Christmas. It is made by the women of Dadiase, the village they sponsor, and makes a beautiful gift, with all proceeds going back to Ashanti.
Necklaces £8;  wrap necklaces £6; string necklaces £5; bracelets £2; earrings £3; and kente cloth pouches to put the jewellery in £3, plus £1.20 for post and packing.

The project to develop Bimma village was led by Rotarian Barrie Coates. He lives in the same street as four young children, Ellie, Gabby, Ella and James, who decided to organise a skateathlon to raise money for the children of Bimma. They succeeded in raising a magnificent £13 which, after discussion with the headteacher, was spent on buying 15 mathematical sets/instrument for the school.

The photos show the presentation ceremony.

Money to drill and mechanise a borehole at Mpantuase was raised by M. Pierre Petitjean of Switzerland. He switched on the water a few days ago, and it is now available to the community.

Mr Petitnean first visited the villages when he was working for a Swiss donor, BasAid, who sent him to inspect the projects they’d given us funding for. He found them all in good order, and really liked the area – as well as having confidence in Nicholas to carry things out. Now he plans to build a pump caretaker room, store and shed.

Mpantuase village used to reproach us for not remembering them.  Let’s hope they’ve changed their tune.

The Rotary Club of Leigh, who sponsor Bimma village, recently gave us £1,000 to spend on mosquito nets. The main beneficiaries were to be the Bimma community, but any nets left over could be given where most needed.

First a community meeting was held, to tell people where the nets came from. The meeting also discussed sanitation in the village and strategies to reduce mosquito spread.

Nicholas and two volunteers then visited every household to distribute the nets and train people in their use and maintenance. So far 350 nets have been distributed and, as shown in the photos, the people of Bimma were very pleased and grateful.

This is to introduce the village of Brofoyedru, which has just been sponsored for sanitation. Nicholas says the community is very excited as for some time now they’ve been watching nearby villages getting sponsors and wishing they could have one too.

They don’t look very excited in the photo, but I’m sure they are. And there in the background, you can see our new vehicle (the old one’s been sold on). FYI, she’s a girl, and she’s called Daphne.

Sekyere Central District recently asked if we would build some latrines for patients at Kwamang Hospital in the south of the District. In similar circumstances in the past we’ve built big, concrete latrines, all very expensive. David decided to see if normal household latrines, built close together, might not do the job at a fraction of the cost. The photo shows the very start of the work.

Here are before and after photos of the Ashanti annual sponsored walk, which was held at the end of last month. Twenty of us walked from St Pancras Old Church in central London, down the Grand Union Canal as far as Limehouse.  Then we adjourned to a pub, and finally caught the river bus home.

So far, the walk has raised nearly £1,500 and there’s probably more money to come.