Nicholas’ tree planting competition is getting underway again. Children who are three years away from leaving school pick the saplings they’re going to look after. Prizes for the best tree in three years time.
News
SpecSavers in Ashanti
Here’s a photo of Nana Ab Roy, Chief of Mpantuase Village, dancing at the durber the village held in his honour. The rest of his stay was spent dispensing secondhand specs and testing eyes. He and his team distributed 2,000 specs during the ten days they were there – a fantastic achievement.
We’re currently looking for technical help to post a little video of about what they did, so this is really just a trailer.
SpecSavers in Ashanti
SpecSavers visited our Eye Clinic in Gyetiase-Nsuta for ten days in July. They did a fantastic job treating local people, as well as the not-so-local who often came from many miles away. During the short time they were there, they carried out 1,300 eye tests and dispensed over 2,000 spectacles.
Eye health is a particular problem in Ashanti, and SpecSavers’ intervention must have brought an enormous improvement to the quality of life of hundreds of people. Here’s the report that team leader Ab Roy sent to SpecSavers head office: Specsavers Ghana Charity mission 2013 (pdf)
September Fund-Raising
Saturday was the day of our sponsored walk – a 8-mile stroll down the canal from St Pancras in central London to Limehouse. The city looks different from this perspective, and walkers were very cheerful and interested in what they saw, and specially pleased to be able to go home by riverboat. Ashanti Development is enormously grateful to them all, and for 
the money they raised – so far over £1,200 with more to come in.
Microcredit Arrives at Adutwam
The photos are of microcredit workers from Adutwam village. Each has had business training and produced a business plan, and has been given a loan of Ghc.200 to Ghc.400. We’re so impressed by Adutwam that we’ve even offered the whole village a loan to buy itself a food processing machine (one of the pix below is of the shed that will house it).
Our microcredit project now extends across eleven villages. We lend at 15% pa interest, and have never yet had a bad debt. By contrast, in Accra loans are on offer from 40 – 180 %. Woman who can’t repay their loans have been known to commit suicide in these circumstances.
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Computers Come to Bimma Village
Bimma is the second of our villages to be given a computer room, this time thanks to the generosity of the Leigh Rotarians. Bimma is waiting for some 2nd hand laptops to be delivered but meanwhile we’d be really grateful if anyone could provide any more. Our volunteers can clean and repair them, and will pick them up from most places too.
New Roof for the Clinic
Unfortunately, our plans for the clinic roof didn’t work out and we’re being forced to use aluminium roofing sheets to keep out the rain. It’s a lot of work, but at least we’ll be waterproof from now on.
Teak Tree Planting Project
Nicholas runs a very successful tree-planting project in Ashanti. Each child who is within three years of school leaving age is given a seedling to look after. The seedlings need protection against goats and chickens, and of course a lot of water. The tree that grows best wins its carer a prize!Nowadays Nicholas only plants teak trees, because they grow well and are resistent to fire. They are used for electricity and telephone poles, so participating schools can earn a little income when the trees are fully mature.
The Forestry Department recently inspected the scheme and were very impressed. They donated 300 seedlings to the project. The photo is of children from Dida and their trees.
Gyetiase Village Says Thank You
Here’s the text of a very grateful thank-you letter sent from Gyetiase village to the donors who funded the village’s water connection to the new borehole at Tadiesa.
Dear Sir/Madam,
LETTER OF APPRECIATION
The Elders, Committee Members and the Entire Community of Gyetiase express their profound gratitude to you for the provision of Water Pump.
The Water Pump which has been installed to supply water to Gyetiase has stopped the persistent water shortage. Again, the community had to travel some kilometers to collect polluted water.
This kind gesture is a laudable idea and the Almighty God would reward you with abundant blessings.
We shall take care and maintain it to serve its purpose.
Your usual co-operation is highly anticipated.
Yours faithfully
Daniel Darkwa (Secretary)
Nana Okofro Adu Boampong (Adontenhene)
Nana Oduro (Akwamuhene)
Yaw Gyimah (Committee Chairman)
Pay As You Pump
Over the past two weeks, Nicholas has visited about twenty villages, and the good news is that almost all have now agreed to pay for water in order to get money to maintain their boreholes. Even Asuafo and Anansu, who initially refused to pay for water despite several training and advice sessions, have now accepted that this is the only option if they are to get safe, regular supplies of drinking water. The only villages which haven’t yet accepted the policy are Patese, Sesease and Kokoben.
The photo shows people of Amangoase village fetching water from the borehole provided by Ashanti Development. They so far repaired their borehole twice, and also extended the height of the platform with money generated from the sales of the water.
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