Help create computer lab&library for Ghanaian kids

CLICK FOR QUALITY EDUCATION PILOT PROJECT 

PROJECT DESCRIPTION 

The CLICK for Quality Education Foundation (a.k.a. Computer Lab and Integrated Centre of Knowledge for Quality Education) is a nonprofit organization that aims to help establish quality award-winning computer labs and integrated centers of learning (library media centers) for Junior High Schools in Ghana, especially in deprived areas.

For its first project, the Foundation is building a 2-classroom facility which will house a 50-laptop computer laboratory and a 100-capacity reading/lending library. It is centrally located at the Atwima Takyiman Presbyterian Junior High School in the Kwadaso Municipality in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. When completed, it will be a resource center not only for students from this site school, but also for students of four other schools: the Tanoso Anglican A, B and C Junior High Schools as well as the Denkyemuoso Junior High School, all located in a cluster within the vicinity.

The local economy used to be dominated by agriculture, but competition from the urban spread and non-agricultural concerns has drastically reduced agricultural activities. Today, the people are mostly engaged in petty retail and wholesale trading, as well as artisanal and repair services. To many of them, a quality education for their children offers the best way out of a rather bleak situation. 

None of the project schools has a library collection or a computer facility. The students are drawn from mostly poor homes, and most of them had never been to a library or used a computer before, until CLICK for Quality Education Foundation started taking groups to the regional library where they were registered and taught how to browse and borrow books. The ongoing Foundation project will therefore be an invaluable resource for the students and teachers of the five schools.

FUNDING 

The project has been drawing on family and personal resources of the Foundation’s founder, and seeks additional funds, equipment, and materials from partners at home and abroad. The piece of land was provided by the Presbyterian School and Traditional Authorities at Atwima Takyiman. As at now, construction and paintwork have been completed with electricity and water connected. Most of the furnishing is done including long tables, chairs, an interactive smart board and projector for the computer lab, bookshelves and tables for the library, and artwork on the walls. However, quite a bit still needs to be done. For instance, the 50 laptops are yet to be acquired, as well as two 30-device laptop charging carts, two additional long tables for the computer lab, 20 additional seating chairs for the library, and 2 desks for the staff.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 

1. Elizabeth A. Sarkodie-Mensah, Ph.D. (Harvard University), Founder and Chair Former Deputy Permanent Delegate of Ghana to UNESCO 

2. Joanna Hadjicostandi, Ph.D. (Northeastern University), Vice-Chair Professor of Sociology, University of Texas Permian Basin 

3. Catherine J. Wong, Ph.D. Student (University of New Hampshire), Financial Secretary 

4. Leslie Mensah Osabutey, MA ( SciencesPo, Paris), Elementary Special Ed. Instructor, Secretary 

5. Kofi Sarkodie-Mensah, B.S. (Boston College), Member-at-Large, WWE Superstar